“Yes, I knew that. He made a mistake, but he’s a good man.” I raised my voice, ignoring Zoey’s raised eyebrow, mouth-openedgaze.
“Where is he?” I said in my most authoritativetone.
“Headed to the airport. If not, the MPs will be here tomorrow.” Sheriff Milton rocked on his heels. “Best you move on with your life. He chose to leave you behind again. Take thehint.”
The deputy moved forward but didn’t look at the sheriff, only at us. “You can catch him. He had to return the truck to his buddy. He’ll be on the road back this way anyminute.”
I looked to Zoey, to the deputy, to thesheriff.
Sheriff Milton rounded the desk and marched toward me, but the deputy stepped forward. The sheriff stopped, but he looked like a bull ready to charge. “If you go after him, I’ll put him back in that cell and he won’t have any way out oftrouble.”
Zoey put an arm around me and nudged me toward the door. “You forget… We’re part of the Dumont family now. We’ll have the best lawyer bymorning.”
“Won’t change the fact that he found trouble. Any mark on his record will still haunt him. Especially after I give the MPs mystatement.
My blood ran cold, but my skin was hot. I wanted to slap the man across his smug face, but it wouldn’t do any good and would only land me injail.
Zoey led me out the door and back to hercar.
“Did he really leave me again?” I gulped down a cry. “Everyone leaves,” I mumbled under my breath, barely able to find the energy to move, let alonespeak.
“Don’t do that. Listen. I have something to show you.” Zoey popped her trunk, and inside were a bunch of flowers and streamers and all sorts of party supplies. On top was a sign that read,Will You MarryMe?
Zoey pointed at the party supplies. “Dylan thought that if he got the entire town to back him and all of us by his side that you’d see that he wasn’t his father and that he would never leave youagain.”
A lump rose in my throat. The sight of Dylan’s terrible script in the most beautiful yet terrible words I’d ever seen made me waver on my feet. “But he left meagain.”
“Then go after him. Hon, he isn’t running away from you. He’s doing what he thinks is best for you. It’s different than Mom and Dad, who left for selfish reasons. Dylan loves you so much, he’s willing to be miserable without you so that you can have a good life. I would do anything to have a man who would fight for me likethat.”
I looked at thesign.
I looked at mysister.
“You’re running out of time. What is it going to be? Are we going after the love of your life, or are you going to let him goforever?”
