Haylee:You okay?
Haylee:Sadie?
Haylee:Sadie???
Haylee:Did Ed get you?
Haylee:Okay, this isn’t funny. Answer me!
Haylee:Please
Sadie:Bring Boomer to the house.
Haylee:Everything okay?
Sadie:Honestly? No. It’s so far from okay.
Haylee:Does Conner know you want me to steal Boomer?
Sadie:It’s fine.
She needed one last Boomer hug before she packed her bags. She needed to say goodbye to the one loyal friend who’d never once let her down or betrayed her secrets given in confidence. The only one who wouldn’t judge her for giving in to her old ways and running.
17
SADIE
“Are you leaving?”Dad asked from her bedroom doorway as she stuffed clothes in a duffle bag. She was working hard to pack only what she needed, but she’d never been known to travel light. Which was slowing down her escape.
“I made a mess of everything. It’s just . . . better this way.”
Dad sat on the edge of the bed, handing her pairs of shoes she’d set aside. She’d only been able to narrow it down to six pairs, but it was an accomplishment. Maybe the only one she could feel good about. “I heard you have some ideas for the store.”
Sadie stiffened, her fists balling at her sides. She’d really like to strangle Conner right now. How many of her secrets had he shared? Obviously, all of them. “Nothing important. They weren’t that great anyway.”
“I’d like to hear about them.”
“Now?”
“You’re not driving to Anchorage tonight.” His stern tone reminded her of her teenage days. She’d pushed his buttonsa lot. But he’d never budged when it mattered. “If you want to leave, you leave in the morning after you’ve had a good night’s sleep and a balanced breakfast.” He patted the mattress beside him. “You might as well tell me what your ideas are. I’m not going to leave your room until you do.”
Sadie didn’t have any fight left so she caved and pulled out her laptop. “Probably easier to show you, then.”
* * *
Sadie woketo a screaming Melly and a full-frontal lick to the face. Her arms were wrapped around a pile of fur. Two of the sweetest eyes she’d ever seen stared up at her. “Boomer, what are you doing here?” She let out a yawn as the crying from down the hall went from ear-splitting to soft sobs. Her room was dusky, but not quite dark. Her bags were only half packed.
Groggily, she sat up in her bed, remembering how late she’d been up with Dad. Not only had he been open to her marketing ideas, he’d been excited. Something she hadn’t expected in a best-case scenario where all her siblings backed her plan. He promised to adopt some of her strategies for the fall hunting season. Hinted that he wanted her on board to help. But she didn’t promise what she couldn’t.
When she crawled under the covers hours ago, Boomer hadn’t been there.
She heard Haylee down the hall, quietly soothing Melly with her beautiful voice. She refused to sing for anyone but her daughter, and would deny she knew how if anyone complimented her abilities. One of these days, Sadie was going to catch her on camera and post it on Instagram. Except, she was leaving in a few hours and not coming back. Right.
Sadie waited for the song to end before she attempted to move Boomer off her lap.
The moment she stood, she heard a clink against her window.
She turned, and gasped.
