Damn small town. Damn gossips.
He helped me buy items I need to fix some stuff around my house. We drove to the store together, but he had to stop at his house and take care of his dog.
Optics, Daisy.
Eesh. He's using my name. He only does that when he's exasperated.
I know, and I'm sorry.
The best thing right now would be for me to show up there, come inside, and then leave with you hand-in-hand.
What? How in the world am I supposed to explain that to Peter?
I lift my phone to type, but there's nothing for me to say. Duke is right. I messed this up, and now I'm going to have to fix it.
Head over to Hugo's rental house. That's where he's staying. I'll figure out what to say to Peter.
I tuck my phone in my back pocket. I hate this. I really, really hate it.
"Hey, Peter?"
Peter gives me a one second signal, his eyes scanning his email. "Send," he declares, making a big show out of clicking the button. He grins proudly. "Do you want me to read it to you?"
"Yes, I do but first, I just wanted to let you know that Duke's coming to pick me up."
Peter's brow furrows. "Why? Is everything okay?"
"Yes, yes. Everything is fine. I forgot we had something planned."
Peter is not buying it. His eyes tighten. "Daisy." He says my name cautiously. "You can tell me anything."
I bite the side of my lip, unsure how to proceed. I can't tell him the whole truth, but I can offer partial honesty.
"One of your neighbors saw me walk in here with you and got the wrong idea. I don't know how the game of telephone went, but apparently they told somebody who told Duke that I'm here." Peter opens his mouth like he's going to say something, but I stop him with an upraised hand. "Duke knows nothing isgoing on. He trusts me. But in an effort to avoid further chatter, he's going to come here and pick me up."
Peter closes his laptop, bracing his palms on the table as he pushes to stand. "What about all the stuff in my truck? Do you want me to put it in his car, or bring it over later, when it's dark? I can park around the corner from your house." He grins crookedly. "Maybe send a carrier pigeon."
Relief fills me. If he's being playful, it means he's not upset about this. Something tells me he wants no part of the Olive Township rumor mill.
Duke knocks on the front door a few minutes later. Peter answers right away, a fake smile plastered on his face as he steps back and welcomes Duke inside. It's awkward once the door closes, the three of us standing in the foyer, staring at each other.
"Hey, Peter," Duke says, extending a hand in greeting. "Thanks for taking Daisy to buy whatever it was she needed for her house." There's a manufactured friendliness to his tone that immediately makes me suspicious.
"Sure, no problem," Peter responds with the same tone. "I'm out there fixing up the Bellamy house and I needed a few items, and then it turned out Daisy did too, so we went together."
Slim Jim trots over, sitting down beside Peter.
"He looks like an assassin," Duke says, eyes cast down on the dog.
Peter grunts. "Given the circumstance, he could be."
What the hell is going on? Peter made it clear he hated Duke, but I thought some of that was tempered after their pleasant interaction at King's Ransom. Most concerning of all is Duke's low-key hostility toward Peter. Peter came to Olive Township with dislike locked and loaded, but where did Duke get his?
I put a hand on Duke's upper arm. "Do you think it's safe to go out there now? We'll make a show of it."
"We'd better," he grumbles. I don't think he's mad at me, just the situation. "It was my dad who called me."
I grimace. "Oh, that's bad."
