Page 14

“Can I have another pancake, Aunt Hattie?”

“Of course you can, cowboy.”

Drying my hands off, I scooped a smiley face pancake off the cooling rack and placed it on Wylie’s plate. The past two days with Connie and her family had been wonderful. Playing with my nephew in the backyard. Helping Connie around the house. And preparing for the arrival of my niece. I barely thought about Neil at all.

“Are you still planning to testify in court about that bank robbery, Hattie?” Nathan asked.

Connie frowned.

“Do we have to talk about this at breakfast? I hate that Hattie is involved at all.”

I returned to the sink, fishing around in the water for the sponge I’d dropped. Four months ago, during a visit with Connie, I stopped by the bank to open a savings account for my niece. I did the same for Wylie when he was born. If I couldn't have kids of my own, I would make damn sure that my niece and nephew had a tidy nest egg saved up for college one day.

While I waited in line, three bank robbers wearing garish Halloween masks swarmed in, carrying semi-automatics. I should have kept my head down and stayed quiet. Attracting attention would only get me into trouble.

But I saw my chance and I took it, stripping the mask off one robber to get a look at him.

I was backhanded across the face for my effort, earning me a bruise on my cheekbone that lasted over a week. But I remembered his face, reported it to the police, and now he was on trial.

“I’m not backing down, if that’s what you’re asking,” I replied.

Connie sighed.

“Of course you’re not. You have a spine of steel. I wish you would chicken out for once in your life. I can’t wait for the whole thing to be over.”

She rested her hand on her stomach with a reassuring pat, for herself or the baby, I couldn’t tell.

“I’ll be fine, Connie,” I said. “I’m not worried.”

“I am,” she countered. “You could stay here until your court appearance.”

I sputtered.

“That’stwo whole weeks. I’m not sticking around that long. I would drive you crazy. And I have summer school classes to teach.”

Nathan pointed at his pancakes with his fork.

“Two weeks of eating this well? Hell, you can move in and stay for a year.”

“Nathan,” Connie scolded lightly.

He shrugged, shoving a bite of food into his mouth.

“What? It’s a compliment.”

“We are not turning my sister into our personal cook.”

I chuckled.

“I appreciate your hospitality, but I’ll be getting back to Seattle pretty soon. As long as I’m paying rent on an apartment, I should actually spend some time there, instead of freeloading off you. Especially with a baby on the way.”

“Promise you’ll stop by and say hello when you testify,” Connie said. “You can’t come to Brightwater and not see your dearest, sweetest little sister.”

Considering she had kept me sane for the past two days, she had no idea how much I needed her.

I booked a return flight for the following morning. Even though I loved spending time with Connie and her family, I was still intruding. And I needed to get Neil out of my head. Throwing myself into work again would be a welcome distraction.

I sighed as I stared at the ceiling while the clock ticked closer to midnight, memories of our lives together spinning through my mind. Meeting Neil for the first time at a summer festival had been utterly intoxicating. Tattooed biceps straining at his white shirt, dark ink visible through the thin fabric. The blatant appraisal of his gaze as he looked me up and down, licking his lower lip.