Page 37 of The Deputy's Secret Double

Before the fire had broken out, Corrie had changed the plans yet again to include Price as JJ’s plus-one to the event. Mostly because he had been unlucky enough to walk inside of the coffee shop after needing a substitute partygoer. Partly because Price seemed to be a man who liked to help out, especially when it was within the realm of his daughter’s life.

Since then, neither had had a chance to speak about it though.

JJ felt guilt pulse through her.

“But I definitely understand if you’re not feeling up to going,” JJ said hurriedly. “You probably are hurting more than me and, well, I guess might need to work overtime? I really don’t mind going alone. It’s not that far and—”

“I’m going.”

Price’s words were undeniably concrete.

Three syllables that held power.

Not even his daughter made a quip about it.

Instead, JJ simply nodded.

The rest of their time in the hospital room consisted of packing, going over their schedules for each other and then signing JJ out. There was enough time to take Winnie to school and even a spare twenty minutes to drop JJ off at home before Price had to go to work.

There, in her driveway, Price confirmed his pickup time for that night.

Then, as she was opening the passenger’s side door, he threw her off one last time.

“By the way, were you adopted?”

The question came out of nowhere. Normally, that wouldn’t matter. JJ had spent years learning how to control her surprise.

Yet, right then and there, she faltered.

“Am I adopted?” she repeated.

Price didn’t backtrack the somewhat invasive question. Instead, he explained.

“Yeah. I only ask because you seemed really interested about Jamie being adopted.” A beat went by, then he added, “And Josiah. So, I was just thinking that maybe you might be too.”

JJ was lagging.

She felt her smile slide, but she couldn’t decide if it seemed natural or not.

She had an entire backstory, locked and loaded for JJ Shaw.

Adopted as a baby by her godfather.

Grew up with him, happy and healthy.

After he married a nice, decent woman and moved up north, JJ decided to come here for a slower pace of life than the city.

She knew what to say and had said it all before.

But there was just something about Price that pulled at her in a way that was wholly uncomfortable.

She wanted to lie; she wanted to tell the truth.

And, for the first time in a long time, she couldn’t stop herself from doing both.

“I wasn’t, but my brother was.”

Price looked like he wanted to say something more, but JJ needed to end the conversation there. So, she did.