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“You call us if you need anything at all.”
“You know I will.”
“Love you,” Skylar called over her shoulder as she walked to her car.
“Love you too.”
Adelia went inside and activated the security system like Skylar had told her to, then she walked over to the wall of windows overlooking the lake. There was an ache in her chest, but she shoved her emotions down. Everything felt surreal, and the thought of her parents not being together was inconceivable.
The multitude of colors in the sky were so vibrant—peaches, pinks, blues, purples. With each minute that passed, the hues shifted from pastel to neon.
Adelia let out a contented sigh. It wasn’t the Pacific Ocean, but it was equally beautiful. “This will do.”
Later that evening, Adelia opened the refrigerator, staring blankly at its contents. She was in the mood for something sweet after dinner, but nothing looked appetizing. She closed the fridge firmly, causing bottles in the door to rattle, then went to the pantry. She wasn’t even sure what she was looking for. Maybe some wine? She looked at the rack of Schultz Winery bottles, but nothing jumped out at her.
Skylar had done an amazing thing, stocking the place for Adelia’s stay, but Adelia had a sudden craving for something that wasn’t on those shelves—Nestlé Sno-Caps. She didn’t like the idea of bothering Skylar to come all the way back to Holland for a candy run, though. Plus, Skylar would’ve given her serious grief for buying a chocolate product that wasn’t Schultz Chocolate. But Sno-Caps reminded her of her dad—it was their go-to movie snack—and he was in the forefront of her mind.
Her eyes stung as she fought back tears. If she cried for anyone in this situation, it would definitely be for Dad.
She took a deep breath in and let it out as she shook her arms and body and twisted her head from side to side, like that would rid her of the sadness.
A sudden thought came to her, and she walked through the house and peeked into the garage.
“Yes! They’re still here.”
Adelia took off for her guest room and put on her wig, a Detroit Tigers baseball cap, and a pair of black-framed glasses to complete the look. She grinned as she made her way to the two Vespa scooters parked in the garage and climbed onto Skylar’s pastel pink one. Not exactly an inconspicuous color, but it was dark outside anyway. Better than calling an Uber and risking some random driver recognizing her.
This probably wasn’t a very good idea, but she took off down the road anyway. Adelia shivered from the brisk fall air. She missed the warmth of California already. Now, if she could just remember how to get to The Snack Shop.
As she passed by familiar landmarks and street signs, she thought back to her summer visits to Skylar’s when they were teenagers, driving all around on the scooters. That seemed like a lifetime ago.
Ten minutes later, she arrived at the little convenience store and parked. She took a deep breath and assessed the situation. Only one car outside. She knew exactly what she wanted, so it would be a quick stop. In and out.
She’d been to The Snack Shop many times with Skylar when they were younger, and she was pleased to find that the layout of the store remained the same. On her way to the candy aisle, she noticed the rack of magazines and paused. The tabloids already had pictures of her mom and Bryce on the cover. It sickened her the way they profited off of other people’s pain.
She lifted her chin and headed for her target, but her steps slowed at the sight of a tall raven-haired man standing right in front of the candy display. She hesitated, willing him to leave, but then he glanced over at her and her eyes connected with his—icy blue and intense—and her stomach fluttered.
Her hand lifted without much thought, sweeping a piece of her dark brown wig away from her face, and his gaze followed her movements.
She approached slowly, remaining at a distance as she scanned the rack, but there were no Sno-Caps.
“You look confused or angry,” the man remarked. “I can’t tell which.”
“Disappointed, actually. They don’t have what I want.”
“Maybe I can help you.”
Her eyebrow raised as she looked up at him and noticed the tilt of his mouth to one side as she got a better look at him up close. Besides those hypnotizing eyes of his, he had perfect full lips and a jawline to die for, and she wondered if that thick, shiny hair of his was as soft as it looked.
“Maybe they have some extra stock in the back.”
“Maybe.” Her hopes lifted.
“Doesn’t hurt to ask, right?”
“I guess not.”
“What are you looking for?”