Page 63 of The Last One You Loved

“How can you be sure?”

“Just a gut feeling. He was damn pissed at Sybil when he found out what she did to you.”

I fidgeted, not wanting to go there today, to relive more memories than I’d already been accosted with since coming back to Willow Creek. “Still…he might know who the father is.”

I watched him consider this, and I imagined there was a war going on inside him. Did he want to know the truth or not? It could end up helping him…or costing him everything. The only thing it would do for sure was pull him out from under Mama’s thumb.

“What did the parole officer say?” I asked.

“He hasn’t been at his last known address for a while, and he wanted to know why I thought he might be six feet under because they have reason to believe he was involved in a bank heist.”

My chest squeezed ever so slightly, and I was surprised, after just convincing myself I felt nothing for him, that there was even the slightest bit of sorrow at the thought of something having happened to my dad.

“I’m sure he’s fine, McK. You know Trap. He has itchy feet. He's probably just riding the roads, thinking he has time before he has to check in again.”

The intercom went off again. “Sorry, Sheriff. It’s Willy now. He says he’s missing tools again.”

Maddox sighed and then answered back. “Did you tell him to check his truck? The last three times, that’s where we found them.”

“He said he did, sir.”

“Where’s Liam?” he asked.

“Out at the Travis farm, helping round up more escaped chickens.”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed. Chickens and missing tools. “Tough day at the office?” I said between chuckles, and, to my surprise, Maddox joined me.

“You have no idea.”

He got up and headed for the door. He pulled on a pair of boots sitting by a coatrack, donned his Stetson, and then looked back at me. “I’ll see you at home?”

That singular word did something to my insides, curling through me not with passion, but with something soft and fuzzy. Had I ever really had a home? Even when the Hatleys had tried to give me one, I’d protected myself from them, knowing I was going to leave. It had felt temporary, even when I’d felt the love and kindness they’d sent my way.No one will ever want you enough to keep you, Mama’s voice returned to me. I’d heard it on repeat when I’d been staying with them. It had been ingrained in my veins that I wasn’t enough for anyone.

I couldn’t find my voice, so I just nodded.

He was halfway out the door before he looked back. “Don’t let Mila convince you I let her have five cookies before dinner.”

I smiled again.

“So, stay away from ‘maybe’?” I teased.

He shook his head with a wry grin. “Absolutely no maybes.”

And then he was gone, striding from the office with a confidence that didn’t exactly surprise me but made me feel like I’d missed an important part of his becoming a man. As if the boy I’d known, who’d showered me with affection, had taken a turn I’d never seen coming. Maybe it was his law-enforcement training, or maybe it was just because he’d found his purpose and knew he was right where he belonged.

? ? ?

When I got back to Maddox’s house, Rianne and Mila were at the round dining table with Mila doing homework. I’d never done homework until I was much older because Mama would never have helped me. It wasn’t until I could hide it from her that I was able to finally turn mine in.

“McKenna!” Mila jumped down and hugged my legs in a way that was starting to become addicting. She greeted her father the same way—full tilt, all joy. My heart flipped and turned.

“Guess what? Rianne made lasagna for dinner. Lasagna!” She skipped and twirled.

“You sure like food a whole lot,” I said. Rianne snorted, and Mila just nodded.

She leaned into me and asked in a quiet, whispery voice, as if it was a secret. “Do you know what foods I don’t like?”

I shook my head.