“You’ve been missed,” her mother announced, setting a hand on Amy’s shoulder as she moved past her to return to her seat. “The dog is just better at showing it than the rest of us.”
Her throat tightened again. And for the first time since she’d returned to Heartache, she wondered if it might be more difficult than she anticipated to leave town again. Her family hadn’t stopped loving her just because she’d moved away. All but ignored them for years on end.
Her home and her family were still here. Missing her.
She’d spent years being lonely, losing her unborn babyand mourning all by herself. Did she even know how to be a part of a family anymore? Could she even call herself a loving family member when she was too scared to give testimony that might help send Heather’s attacker to jail for good?
Sam sure wouldn’t think so. He was a man who viewed the world in black and white, his choices simple because right and wrong were so clear to him. And Amy’s decision to keep her secrets was, in his eyes, wrong.
Burying her face in Luce’s soft, dark fur, she wiped the sudden moisture on her cheeks, knowing she couldn’t stay in Heartache just for her family. She needed Sam more than she realized, and a life here without him would never be enough.
Chapter Fifteen
BAILEY CONSIDERED WHO to confide in. Her dad was moody and quick to anger, so he wasn’t on Bailey’s list. Her mother didn’t live with them anymore, and she’d phoned earlier to say she’d turned over her cell phone to the cops after receiving a threat to Bailey. So getting in touch with Mom wasn’t an option, either.
That meant if she was going to come clean with someone about what had truly happened between her and J.D., her friend Megan ranked as her best outlet.
She’d made the decision the night before while lying in bed, unable to sleep. Torn between excitement over the news that Dawson liked her and embarrassment over having to confide in someone about J.D. hitting her, Bailey had finally decided she’d rather be honest and have a chance to see what happened between her and Dawson.
Now, pulling into the driveway of the Hastings’ house for their babysitting gig, she tried to recapture some of last night’s bravado. Megan was her best friend. She wouldn’t judge her.
Except what if she did? Her stomach knotted as sheparked the Volvo. Megan hadn’t ridden with her today because she’d been out of school. Her protective dad had insisted she avoid any place she might run into J.D., and he’d been at Crestwood daily. Bailey hated seeing him too, but he’d ignored her completely, to the point where she stopped holding her breath every time they were in the same hallway or classroom.
The pile of brightly colored bikes outside the Hastings’ house seemed smaller than normal, and she guessed the younger boys must have ridden to friends’ houses after school. Dawson had already told her that he was meeting with the guidance office today, so he wouldn’t be around. Stepping out of the Volvo onto the gravel driveway, she gave a small, awkward wave at the police officer on duty. He nodded back. He had his window rolled down, but even so it was tough to gauge the man’s expression behind his dark aviator shades.
She hurried inside, hoping Megan’s dad had already dropped her off. Now that Bailey had made the decision to tell her friend the truth about J.D., she wanted it done and over.
“Hello!” Lorelei Hasting appeared in the doorway, her patchwork boho-style bag in one hand and car keys in the other. Her long, dark curls were scraped back into a ponytail that trailed over one shoulder. “So glad you’re here. I’m running late for my appointment with Dawson and the guidance counselor over at the school. I let the boys go to a friend’s house for a few hours, so you’ll be on your own with the baby until I get back.” Lorelei brushed past her, her heavy leather shoes slapping the flagstones as she hurried by. “I told Officer Stallworth to keep an extrasharp eye on you.”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine.” Her conversationwith Megan would be all the easier without anyone around to overhear. “But where’s Megan? She’s not here yet?”
“You didn’t hear?” Lorelei turned, her patchwork bag swinging out as she moved. “Her father took her up to Franklin to stay with his sister. He’s going to homeschool her until the trial’s done to keep her away from that boy who assaulted her.”
That was what Megan had wanted to talk to her about on the phone, but Bailey hadn’t called her back. Had she even checked her messages? So much had happened since her mom and J.D. had gotten out of jail. Bailey felt her whole world tip sideways even more. Megan was her only friend. And while she’d been okay without her in school, she’d assumed she’d at least be able to see her at work or on the weekends. Now?
She’d have to keep her silence about J.D. a little longer. And somehow, she’d have to get through the days without her bestie. Hard to imagine when she’d been hanging on by her fingernails as it was. Someone had threatened her life this week, for crying out loud.
“I’m surprised she didn’t text me.” She went to check her phone before remembering that was rude to do in the middle of a conversation. She let the phone fall back in her leather purse. “She must have been busy packing.”
“I think it was very spur-of-the-moment.” Dawson’s foster mom continued toward her car with a wave. “The baby monitor is on the kitchen table, but I doubt Aiden will sleep much longer.”
Pulling herself together, Bailey returned the wave and rushed inside, locking the front door behind her. She couldn’t believe Megan would be out of town for weeks. And who knew how long the trial could stretch on?
Chewing her bottom lip, she slid her backpack to thefloor and grabbed the nursery monitor off the kitchen table, wondering if it would be totally tacky to sneak a peek at Dawson’s room.
Yes. Absolutely.
Her feet wandered that way anyhow, curiosity getting the better of her since she’d been thinking about him a lot. They’d texted a few times after his visit to her house, but she hadn’t seen him in person.
And he liked her.
A really genuine, good guy liked her. Amazing how, in spite of her mom moving out, her father ranting about her constantly, her best friend abandoning her and her own life being threatened, the thought of Dawson still made her feel like twirling in circles and singing.
Reaching the top of the stairs, she peeked into Aiden’s nursery. He was still sleeping under a mobile of brightly colored circus animals, so she continued past the room the younger boys shared toward Dawson’s door at the end of the hall.
Bang.
A sound like the screen door slamming made her pause.
