“I keep hoping we’ll get a call from his people saying he’s turned up somewhere, but time keeps passing and no one’s seenhim.”
Shane’s mouth twisted. “Woods are dangerous,” he said with a shake of his head. “People who don’t know better shouldn’t be thundering around out there. They should mind their ownbusiness.”
I shrugged. “Frank wouldn’t earn much of a living if tourists didn’t come to town, though. Or Scarlet Maple Inn, with their weddings. Or Crabapple B-and-B.”
Shane looked totally unconcerned at that prospect. “Upsets the balance,” he insisted. “People leaving, people coming. Sometimes don’t it seem like it’d just be better if everyone stayed where they weremeanttobe?”
I blinked at his vehemence and exchanged a look with Dare, whose eyes had turned sympathetic. “Yeah, Shane,” he said carefully. “But sometimes people aren’t born where orwhothey were meant to be, and it takes time and a change of perspective to get them to the rightplace.”
“Or maybe they were in the right place all along and didn’t know it,” Shane countered. “Maybe they went looking for something they never needed at all.” He shook his head and smiled. “Anyway, I'm just rattling on. What can I get you? Molly’s got a gingerbread pancake recipe she’s been working on, or there’s a real nice hash andeggs.”
“You mean Diane?” Iclarified.
“Uh,yeah,” he drawled, like this was obvious. “That’s what Isaid.”
I nodded slowly. “Right. Well, I’ll be adventurous today and try the gingerbreadpancakes.”
“And Dare, you’ll have your usual? Four eggs scrambled with spinach, double bacon, and sausage?” Shaneguessed.
“You’ve got it,” Dareagreed.
I wasn’t sure if they had menus here at the diner; if they did, I’d never seen them. But it hardly mattered when Shane had been working here long enough that he’d memorized orders for every person in town. He couldn’t have been more than thirty-two, just a little older than my brother would have been, but he had a sort of agelessness about him, a combination of childlike innocence and ancient weariness. He was an old, grief-ravaged soul in a youngbody.
“Gotcha. Be right out with them,” Shane said, giving us that same forced grin as he walkedaway.
“Poor bastard,” Dare said. His finger traced the edge of his coffee mug as he watched Shane retreat. “This time of year is always hard for him. And for you. What day was itagain?”
I picked up my coffee and took a long sip. “The fourteenth,” I said. “Couple more weeks.” A couple of weeks until the twelfth anniversary of the car accident that killed Shane’s girlfriend Molly Burke and my littlebrother.
Dare nodded. “I sometimes forget it’s coming,” he saidapologetically.
I huffed once. “You wanna know something terrible? So do I,” I admitted. “Last year, I didn’t remember until my mom called and asked if I was planning to meet them at thecemetery.”
“Meet them at the cemetery? Do they still dothat?”
“Oh, you know it. Every year. She’s called me twice already about this year’s tear-fest, but I haven’t called herback.”
Dare grimaced. “She shouldn’t guilt you into it, if you don’t want togo.”
“Eh. It’s fine. I’ll do my duty.” I laughed shortly. “Besides, guilt is the cornerstone of ourrelationship.”
“Soundshealthy.”
“I’m joking.” Mostly. “Losing Matty was hard for her. Different than it was for me. He was their great, shining hope, youknow?”
Dare frowned. “And you weren’t? High school quarterback, EagleScout?”
“Gay,” I reminded him. “Determined to be a cop and not a financial analyst like my father.” I waved a hand in the air. “Not worth talking about that shit, though. Over and donenow.”
But Dare’s frown didn’t subside. “Not if it’s still eating at you, it’s not. You think your parents care if you’re gay? I thought they were prettycool?”
I shrugged. “We don't talk about it.Ever. But I figure there’s being pretty cool with theconceptof people being gay, and pretty cool withyour only son and legacybeing gay. Two differentthings.”
“And they’re not okay with you?” he asked. “Because I think it’s bullshit to be cool about a hypothetical and then treat your own kidlike…”
“Can we please drop it?” Iinterrupted.
“Fine.” Dare held up his hands in surrender. “Tell me about theguy.”
