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Laughing, he chucks me under the chin. “It’ll be fine.”
“She has two choices.” I peep at him. “Tee said she’ll come.”
“That’ll be interesting.”
“One way of putting it.”
“I’m heading into town.” He picks up a sugar cookie. I can’t hide my delight when he hums in pleasure as he takes a bite. “Goddamn that’s good. So much better than Mrs. Abelman’s.” Before I can glow bright red, he drawls, “Do you want to come with me?”
“God, that’s the last thing I want to do.”
“All the more reason to rip the Band-Aid off. I need to head into the General Store. We can grab you some boots then we could get something to eat at The Coffee Shop.” He shuffles over to me. “Like a date.”
“Really?”
His elbow nudges mine. “You like the idea of that?”
“Of course I do. It’s what my teenage self dreamed of.”
“Your teenage self was pretty innocent if that’s how low you sank into depravity.”
“For us, thatisdepraved. A McAllister and a Korhonen? In Pigeon Creek? On a date?”
“True. Positively risqué.” He smirks. “How about it then? Let’s be depraved together.”
A tingle whispers through me. That smile… it’s so good to be in the shadow of it. To be the reason for it.
“Okay then.”
Zee
Here With Me - d4vd
Heading into Pigeon Creek shouldn’t be anyone’s idea of hell, but it’s mine.
That I’m here for a ‘depraved date’ says a lot about how much I used to dream of this.
A part of me wants to cling to Colt’s arm when he opens the truck door for me. Cling and cling and cling. Never let go. Just hold on. But I don’t. Exactly because I want to do nothing more.
Then, he takes the choice away from me by wrapping an arm over my shoulder and hooking me into him so that we’re walking around in a surprisingly smooth tandem.
During the walk to the General Store, I see Tee’s dad who greets me with a one-armed hug and Colton with a suspicious glower.
“I always knew Martin didn’t like me,” Colt drawls. “But it’s only recently I’ve come to learn why.
“He was one of the few on Team Zee.” I pat his chest in mock sympathy, trying not to flush when he snatches a hold of my fingers and presses a kiss to the tips.
“I owe him a massive thank you then.”
Heat blossoms on my cheeks, so I’m grateful when we reach our destination and focus shifts off the reason behind Martin’s dislike of my husband.
The Glovers, owners of the General Store, stare at us like I’ve grown a second head. Mary watches me like I’m going to start pickpocketing, then sniffs at me when I try on a pair of boots. Meanwhile, both our husbands discuss the best chicken feed for Ida’s new hen house and the new security cameras they’ve installed since Lydia’s death.
Because Pigeon Creek has always been considered a safe place, few took any steps to secure their properties. That’s all changing now that a murderer is walking around and Sergeant Reilly is in no way close to finding Clydeormaking an arrest.
Satisfied with the simple, brown-leather, hand-tooled boots, I merely settle a cool look upon Mary that makes the distaste in her eyes grow as I lever them off my feet and hand them to her to box up.
The town’s hatred is a visceral touch that never stops making me feel sixteen again. Colt’s focus can’t always be on me, but once I return to his side, and with his arm tucked around my waist, I feel so much better. Like I have stalwart support when I’ve never had it before.