Page 50 of Small Town Sizzle

“Garrett,” Ethan says loudly as he comes and stands right in front of me.

There are two of him. I close my eyes tightly, and when I open them, he’s back to being one person.

“Hey.”

“You, okay? I was calling your name for at least a minute.”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Is it the headaches?” he asks worriedly.

“No,” I lie. “I think it’s the lack of sleep.”

I can feel him staring at me and watching me closely, but I ignore him. I fought too hard to get past these debilitating migraines. I’ve been healthy and not dependent on meds oranything else for them, and I won’t go back to that. I also am not ready to admit to my brother or myself that there might be a problem.

Ethan asked me to stay in Hicks Creek to help him with the business. We can’t afford for me to be out because of an injury. I sucked it up and got through it before, I can do it again.

I start to turn slowly when the front door to the center opens. A few teenagers walk in, including Mason and Alex. An older guy in his mid-thirties strolls in after them.

“Shit,” I hear Ethan curse under his breath as he pushes past me.

“Leti!” the man calls out.

She turns around, and her face turns white. Jaz immediately stiffens, and Alex makes a beeline for the front of the building.

“Looky, looky. Alex, bruh, is that you?” the man says in a weird voice.

“Devon, you’re not wanted here,” Alex hisses.

“It’s a public place.”

“That you’re not allowed to be at,” Ethan growls as he puts a hand on Alex’s shoulder. “I can call Sheriff Clark so we can find out the validity of my claim.”

The blond-haired man’s face tightens as he narrows his eyes at my brother. I take a step toward all of them. Devon rolls his eyes.

“Tell Maya I’m back. Your silly little restrictions will be gone before tomorrow. She can’t resist me.”

He flips the middle finger as he walks out the door, and Alex audibly growls.

“That’s what he wants, Alex,” Ethan says.

“Who was that?” I ask.

“Maya’s ex-boyfriend,” my brother replies, as he turns to me and lowers his voice. “Real jerk of a worthless scumbag. He’sbeen banned from the premises, but he always thinks he controls her and she’ll give in, even though she hasn’t for a long time.”

“Why?”

Alex starts to talk, but his eyes flit back to Jazlyn, and he stops.

“I’ll tell you later,” Ethan answers under his breath.

Alex drops down to one knee in front of his sister, and I follow suit. Jazlyn is sobbing, her body shuddering as she cries into her hands.

“Mom said he wouldn’t come back, Alex. You promised me that he wouldn’t ever come back to find us and…I can’t. He’s…he’s…Where’s Mom? What if…what if…” she cries.

She’s practically hyperventilating. Alex pulls her into his arms, hugging her as he rubs her back.

“Your mom is fine. He’s not going to come back, Jaz, I promise.”