Mavis has always been a bit blunt, but it doesn’t bother me this time. Everyone knows it’s true, and maybe, what I once thought was prying into my business was actually concern. These women barely know me, but I have no doubt they’d drop anything for me, and all because I’m Raegan’s friend. That one degree of separation has been holding me back from getting involved, thinking I’d always be an outsider, but the people of Shadow Hills, that separation doesn’t exist. I’m one of them—I always have been—and it’s about time I started acting like it.
“I actually put out some flyers yesterday,” I tell them. “If you know anyone who’d like to volunteer, let me know.”
Kiki’s eyes light up as she grabs her husband’s forearm. “Oh, Twitty, this would be perfect for Brendon. He’s been itching for new work.” She glances back at me. “I think he’s grown tired of the cafe, but the boy’s never done anything else. He’s got no experience.”
Twitty purses his lips, ruffling his mustache. “I agree. Working outside would be good for him.”
“Okay,” I say, hope blooming in my belly. “Send him over next week.”
Wow. This might actually work.
Simone takes this as her cue to leave. “I’ll see you all later,” she says, ducking her head as she passes.
“Actually, can I talk to you?”
She squares her shoulders. “Okay.”
I follow her outside and she stops on the sidewalk, tucking the opening of her jean jacket close to her body to stave off the cool spring breeze. She doesn’t say anything, so I figure I should just get on with it.
“I acted like a bitch,” I tell her matter-of-factly. She snorts. “I was deflecting when I brought up that stuff about you and Casey, but it’s none of my business.”
She narrows her eyes as she takes it all in, but the tight lines of her mouth are beginning to soften.
“I’m really sorry,” I say, my words coming out rushed. “It was the first time we hung out and I ruined any chance of being your friend, but that’s okay. I know I fucked up. I just wanted to apologize.”
Simone drops her chin and pushes a loose braid over her shoulder. “It wasn’t even about me,” she admits. “I was protecting Casey.”
“I understand.”
“Yeah.” She nods once then relaxes her shoulders.
An awkward tension hangs between us as we both struggle with what to do next. “Well, that’s all I wanted to say,” I bumble. “I guess I’ll see you around.”
I start to walk past her but she stops me with a light touch to my shoulder. “I accept your apology,” she says softly. “Thank you.”
I nod appreciatively, glad to know I’ve successfully checked one difficult conversation off my list.
“Listen, I got something else I need to do but, we should have a redo—a proper girl’s night.”
Simone smiles brightly, showing off a straight line of pearly white teeth. “I’d like that.”
We go our separate ways, and as I make my way toward the movie theater at the end of the block, it feels like I can breathe a bit easier.
Chapter Thirty
AIDAN
There’s a knock on my door early Monday evening. Brenda knows I’ve cancelled her appointments, so I assume it’s a deliveryman or solicitor of some sort.
I try to yell, “Fuck off!”, but my throat and mouth are so dry it comes out as a scratchy whisper instead. I’ve been stranded on the sofa for the past two days with a now melted homemade ice pack pressed to my burning forehead and tissues crammed up my nose, holding in the blood that won’t stop leaking from it.
My entire body hurts, and I’m cold, like I was shoved into an ice bath against my will. Every muscle spasms and aches so deep I can’t do anything to stop it. My bones feel fragile, and there’s a pounding in my head that hasn’t stopped since I got back from the festival. My only sense of time is the digital clock tucked into the bookshelf across from me that displays the date.
At this point, I can barely lift myself from the position on the sofa, and I’m starting to lose sensation in my extremities. Earlier today, I watched a spider crawling on my arm, and I hadn’t even felt it.
The knocking persists, but there’s no way I can make it to the door. Whoever it is will just have to get the message.
Just when I think my visitor has given up, the front door creaks open. I hear urgent footsteps pad across the tile in the foyer.
