“So,” I push Cheryl to the side, “you’re here on your own free will?”
The teenager rolls her eyes. “I wouldn’t say that.” That earns her a stern look fromUncle Jericho. “What? I’d rather be in Florida than in the middle of nowhere, Maine.”
“He couldn’t take you there this time, Junie,” he explains in a calm voice, clearly defending her father.
“I know,” she sighs. “Whatever. What’s up? Like why are the cops here?” she asks him while glancing at Cheryl.
“Just a wellness check,” she replies with a smile and starts backing away. Right into me. I step backward on instinct only for my foot to find no support, and naturally I fall backward.With my arms flying around me like wings, I land on my bum with a loud yap.
“Ouch,” I cry out, trying to move to the side and check if all my bones are still attached.
“Ohmigod, Nora! Are you okay?” Cheryl rushes to me down the steps. Good thing it’s only two, otherwise I’d have more serious injuries than a blue ass and bruised ego.
“Yeah, I’m okay.” I rise with her help, glancing at the door. My neighbor is standing on his porch, outside the door. Like he was making a move to come to me. To help or to finish me off—I’ll never know. But his face seems worried. At least I think it is since I don’t know him well enough to say for sure. His heavy brows are drawn together, his hands are fisted by his sides. His eyes are running over my body, but not in a creepy way.
Averting my eyes, I sigh. “Sorry, I guess I’ve just met with karma herself.”
Cheryl snorts, trying to cover it with a cough.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” His voice is husky. Scratchy.
“Yeah,” I reply, still not meeting his eyes.
“Okay.”
When I rub my bum and am met with a sting of pain, I’m reminded that I need to face my faults. So I find his still worried gaze and mumble, “Sorry.”
He nods silently while his eyes are still running over my body. His niece is still at the door, watching us with open curiosity. Her eyes dart between the three of us, holding onto me for a little longer before focusing back on my sister.
“All right!” Cheryl claps her hands. “I hope you’ll have a good evening. A less awkward one now.” She giggles and retreats to her car, nearly running. But not without sending me an angry glare before she disappears.
I can’t even say I blame her. I made up this accusation out of thin air, rolled with it, and now I’m eating the fruits I’ve planted. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more stupid orembarrassed, and that says a lot considering what went down with Richard.
Before retreating to my house with my tail between my legs, I glance at him one more time with a short nod and slowly walk back home. His intense stare into my back accompanies me till I close the door behind me.
8
Jericho
I stomp back into the kitchen to start making dinner, and Junie is perched on the counter like it’s her throne, arms crossed, eyebrows so high they’re almost touching her hairline. “That was the psycho you were worried about?” she asks.
I drop a pasta box with theatrical flair. “Yeah. For good reason.”
She shrugs one shoulder. “I mean, I get why she called the cops.”
I freeze mid-reach for the cheese. “Seriously? Whose side are you on, Brutus?”
“Yours—duh. But come on, you were sneaking up like a cat burglar, dragging me behind you. I’d dial nine-one-one too.”
“Because I didn’t want her prancing around naked on her porch in front of a child! Who knows what her fullmoon routine is.” I grab the macaroni box. “And I didn’t need your grandma and aunt flying in tomorrow to sort out that mess.”
Junie’s lips twitch.
I huff. “Very funny.”
She hops onto a stool, chin in her hands. “You painted her as some howling witch.”
“And she is one!”
