He scooted closer and brushed a lock of hair from her eyes. “You can always count on me.” He patted his chest. “Your storyis right here. Locked in the vault. No one will know. I’ve made a few costly mistakes running my big mouth, H. But I think I’ve learned my lesson.”
“What kind of mistakes?” She rested against the windowpane. “It might be nice to hear about someone else’s troubles.”
“Cindy Canon, for one. Told her I’d outshine her if she didn’t watch it.”
“Well, that’s true. What else?”
“Said some things about Roger Woods.”
“That’s it? Doesn’t seem that horrible. What else?”
“Plenty.”
“Like what, Matt? Come on, tell me.”
“There was this one incident. When I was a teenager.”
“Anything to do with that cashier’s brother? The former best friend?”
“I think I see a red light up ahead.”
“Cheater.” She smiled softly. “One day you’ll tell me, right? I trusted you with my story. You can trust me. Also, and this will sound nuts, but I really love my job at the rink. I missed out on the high school, minimum-wage job thing. And the rink, wow. How can the town let it be destroyed?”
“I’m glad you’re on my side.”
She patted her chest. “Always.”
“So Xander? What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. He bowled me over today. I mean, the nerve of him showing up and declaring he never stopped loving me.”
“Look at it this way, H. You discovered his weak character before the vows and the children.”
“I guess that’s one consolation prize.”
“Listen, you know what Granny would say to a girl with a broken heart?” Harlow glanced at him, waiting. “There’s no better place to heal than the Starlight.”
“Next thing you know, she’ll have me in an ugly pair of brownies, dragging me around the rink.”
“That’s when the real healing begins,” he said. “Look me in the eye and tell me you still love him. That you can trust him.”
She breathed in and looked him square in the eye. “I don’t know, Matt. I don’t know.”
“I’m not busting your chops, Harlow,” he said. “But make sure you’re not giving what’s left of your broken heart to the man who swung the hammer.”
21
SEA BLUE BEACH
Things are heating up around town. The flyers Matt, Harlow, and the Caster boys passed around caused quite a stir, and this morning, April 14, Matt Knight appeared on the Rollo on the Radio show. From the buzz we’re picking up, folks called in from as far east as Tallahassee and west to Pensacola, north to Dothan and down south to Lake City. On a clear day, AM radio commands the airwaves.
Fans are slightly disappointed, though. Matt Knight mostly talked about Sea Blue Beach and the petition to save the Starlight, though Rollo insisted he tell some amusing and harrowing Hollywood anecdotes before letting him go.
In other news, a rather stunning bouquet of flowers arrived at 321 Sea Blue Way yesterday while Simon Caster ran his rusty little mower over Harlow Hayes’ lawn.
Harlow still jogs faithfully three or four mornings a week. We watch as she heads to the Starlight a little after noon. As far as we know, she’s not put on another pair of skates.
Mayor Harry Smith darts in and out of shops and establishments with a bit of determination, kicking up his campaign for progress.
