Page 13 of Wildly Yours (Owl Creek #3)

I spend all morning wondering when I'm going to see Cody again. He has every piece of information I could find on the park so there's no reason for us to talk until he figures things out.

Even then, does he need me anymore?

Hadley is off today, so I'm on my own for a few hours until my other part time help comes in. It's raining out, chasing any potential customers back home or into the Daily Dose for a meal, leaving this place quiet as a church on a Friday night.

I use the time alone to jump on the dating apps. There is only one way to keep my mind off of Cody, and it's the potential for finding Mr. Dreamy.

The first interesting match is a pharmacist from Port Stratton.

He has kind eyes and likes to read. I cross my fingers he swipes on me, too.

The only other attractive guy is from Downsville, a dying town a few hours toward the coast. It's where my friends Zoe and Renée are from.

I decide not to swipe on him until I find out if they know him.

I put my phone on the counter and feel the press of the quiet in my chest. It's a dull pressure that I try to dilute with busy work, but no matter how much I sweep and dust I can't escape it.

It hurts in a way that's not unlike when a loved one moves away.

Your chest aches, and you cast your eyes about, looking for something that isn't there.

I hear the ring of the bell over the door and turn to see Blake.

"You didn't think you could beat me fair and square so you had to get your old boyfriend involved, huh?"

His anger sucks up the air, making the walls close in on me. The artery in my neck throbs with the beat of my heart, and I start counting each beat.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Callie and Buzz came to my house this morning. You're just lucky my wife was running errands."

"I'm lucky?"

"If she heard the garbage that they were spewing—"

"Garbage? What are you talking about?"

He edges closer to me, and my eyes seek out a tool. Anything to defend myself if this gets as ugly as it feels right now.

"I'm dropping out of the race to spare my wife the humiliation of any rumors that you've no doubt already started to spread."

"How noble of you."

We both turn to see Cody standing behind Blake. I don't know how he walked into the store without me noticing the bell, but I nearly collapse in relief.

"Of course you're here, ready to rub my nose in the filth your family has made."

"The only filth I see is standing in front of me, pretending to be a victim.

You attacked my mother, and she gracefully let you slither away with your reputation intact.

Now you're here attacking another woman because you can't stand the fact that your past has caught up to you.

Leave, Blake. And don't even think about stepping foot in this store again. "

"This isn't over."

Blake pushes past Cody, bumping his shoulder against him even though he's a good four inches shorter.

I watch Cody press his eyes shut, his fists locked against his side.

When he finally opens them, he rushes to me and reaches out to grab me before yanking his hands back like he just touched an electric fence.

We really are quite the pair.

"Are you alright?"

I nod while I silently count the brooms lined up to my right. When the throbbing in my mind calms down and my vision is clear, I lock eyes on Cody, who is standing inches away from me, staring.

"Your mother was the admin he attacked twenty years ago."

He nods, not breaking eye contact with me.

"And she must have confronted Blake this morning."

"She agreed it was the right thing to do. We couldn't have him gaining power again."

"I need to thank her. That was a brave thing to do after all this time."

"It shouldn't have to be. She shouldn't have had to do it."

"I agree, but that isn't the world we live in, Cody. People in power, any kind of power, do some awful things."

"I know that better than most. But let's be honest, it's mostly when men are in power."

"I'd love to argue the counter point, but I have to admit it seems you are right. Thank you for coming to my defense. You handled that a lot better than I would have. I don't think I have it in me to be as graceful as you or your mother have been towards him."

He's searching my face for something, and if I knew what it was he was looking for I'd give it to him. After today, despite everything that has happened between us, I think I'd give him anything he wanted.

"I don't…I'm not…I went to the bank this morning. The savings bond is good. There's money. It's not enough to buy Mr. Miller's land, but it will cover the community match for that grant I told you about. But the city needs to claim the funds."

"So that's why you're here."

"Yes, and…"

"And?"

"I want to go look for the old man's grave. See if it's where the map leads."

"What's stopping you?"

"I was wondering if you want to go with me?"

My mind seizes up like an engine with no oil.