“I have to go,” Reese said. “The snow’s starting to stick.”
“Sure, yeah. Good idea.” He shoved both hands back into his jacket and started walking toward the SUV she hadn’t recognized.
She turned and got into her car, numb, her mind reeling. What had her father done? Was Roan telling her the truth?
Threatening Walter’s farm? It was evil. Had he really wanted Roan out of her life that badly? And what did it mean that Roan accepted it so easily? Just off he went. Leaving her in a thousand pieces.
She hated him. She might just hate her father too. Even if he was dead.
She cried all the way home.
5
ROAN
Roan set three large pizzas he’d picked up from Sugarville Slice on a folding table tucked into a corner of the gym. He looked around the room, worried the decorations he’d found in the storage closet looked tired. Wayne had left a small, plastic Christmas tree, a few dusty garlands, and a set of twinkling white lights. He’d hung the lights in the front windows. The tree occupied the front corner. After some thought, he’d tossed the garlands into the dumpster in the alleyway. Walter had dropped off folding chairs and the sodas and cooler earlier. Now, Roan tugged the cooler under the table. According to the group chat, Reese was bringing a few bags of ice for the soda.
Mrs. Chen had managed to get all four of the kids to agree to come to the gathering. She must have been particularly convincing. At that age, he’s not sure he would have wanted to attend a party organized by a school counselor and a pastor.
Grace had set up a group chat so they could all communicate easily. It was not lost on Roan that Reese never addressed him directly. How were they supposed to work together when she could barely look at him?
The door opened, bringing in a gust of cold air and Reese with bags of ice in her arms.
“Hey,” Reese said. “Sorry I’m late. The grocery store was packed.”
“Hey. No problem. The kids aren’t arriving for a few more minutes.” Roan moved toward her instinctively. “Let me get that.”
“I’ve got it.” But she let him take it anyway, their fingers brushing before she pulled away.
He dumped the ice over the cans of soda, then closed the lid of the cooler. When he straightened, Reese was in the process of shrugging out of her long coat. She had her dark hair down this evening, cascading down her back, and wore a red cashmere sweater, with jeans tucked into riding boots. She was the most beautiful woman in the world. Always had been.
“You nervous at all?” Roan asked, hoping to distract himself from staring at her.
“A bit, yes. I really hope the kids want to be here.”
“The pizza should help,” Roan said.
“Did you see the game instructions in the group chat?” Reese asked, hanging her coat over the back of one of the folding chairs.
“Yeah. Seems pretty simple.”
For the next few minutes they discussed how they would structure the evening. They’d encourage the kids to grab a few slices of pizza and a drink and join them in the group circle.
At each chair, Roan had placed a small paddle made from a paint stirrer with card stock circles glued to each end. One side was blue with a large “A” written in black marker. The other side was green with a “B.” Reese would ask the questions and everyone would have a chance to answer by holding up their paddle.
“But only if they want to,” Reese said. “We’ll tell them they can pass if they don’t feel comfortable.”
“Sure, yeah. That’s a good idea.”
“If they’re anything like us, they’re not going to want to speak too openly in front of adults they don’t know.” Color spotted Reese’s cheeks. “I mean, us as teenagers.”
“Right.” He nodded, though hearing her sayusmade his chest ache. There hadn't been anusin fifteen years. His fault. His shame.
The first kid arrived, saving Roan from having to say anything further. He was tall and lanky, with dark hair that fell in his eyes and needed a good trim. His shoulders were hunched under a black hoodie, his hands shoved deep in his pockets and his gaze directed at the floor, avoiding eye contact.
Mrs. Chen introduced him, her hand resting lightly on Cody’s arm. “This is Roan and Reese. They’re going to be running things tonight.”
“Hey, Cody,” Roan said, keeping his voice casual. “Glad you could make it.”
