“Why’d you have to sell it so fast that you couldn’t come to me or Jake?”
He was a smart man, Buster Griffin. She just sometimes forgot that because he was so quiet.
“I’m not big on confiding, Buster. You know that.”
“Me either.”
Buster also understood the power of silence. He just said what he thought needed saying, then shut up. Annabelle hated silence; she constantly felt she needed to fill it.
“It’s Coop,” she blurted out. “But I can’t tell you about it until I talk with Zach, okay?”
“He’s the reason you sold your car?”
“Kind of.”
“You could have come to me for help, you know that. Me, Jake, Branna, Newman, Cubby… Hell, Annabelle, there’s so many of us who would do anything for you.”
“Yeah, I know, but it all happened so quickly, and I was…” How could she tell Buster that she didn’t want anyone’s pity, and that she wanted Cooper’s reputation to stay intact in Howling? “I just needed the money and Ethan told me he could sell my car, which he actually didn’t, but that’s another story. That’s the reason why I’m going to his sister’s wedding.”
“I’m gonna be real angry if you don’t come to me next time, Annabelle. You got that?”
“Got it.”
“All right, then.”
“How about you? You okay, Buster?”
“Yup, peachy,” Buster said. “I actually managed to fool Branna this week. She never guessed even one of the ingredients in my mystery muffins.”
“Nice work.”
They were about ten minutes out from Brook. The day was cooler so Annabelle had worn a jacket over her jeans. Her boots had heels because she needed to make sure the Texan couldn’t look down at her.
“You guys flying out right away?”
“Pretty much, I think. Ethan said he wants to get there before dark,” Annabelle added.
The city of Brook was pretty, bigger by a long way than Howling, and had plenty of shops and fast food outlets. Buster drove down the main street and around the lake and then turned right to where Ethan’s apartment building was.
“You coming in?” Annabelle asked as he pulled up.
“Yeah. You know how I like to go a few rounds with him when I see him.”
Buster carried her bag and she followed.
“Hi, Roy,” she said to the doorman, who was seated behind his desk like last time.
“Good morning, Ms. Smith. Go right on up. Mr. Gelderman is expecting you.”
He gave Buster a friendly nod which her friend returned without the smile and soon
they were in the elevator going up.
“So money buys you a friendly doorman. Wonder what else you’re going to find out about him?” Buster said.
“Should be interesting, and I’ll be sure to fill you in,” she said, checking her appearance in a mirror she’d pulled out of her purse. But she’d only be sharing the things that Ethan wanted shared; the rest she’d keep locked away until he was ready to share them. Annabelle had told Branna that she thought things weren’t rosy with Ethan’s family. His reactions when she’d tried to talk about them had alerted her to that, plus the fact that Ethan had called his father an asshole.
She’d worn blue jeans, a white sweater and a black leather collarless jacket. She’d wrapped a blue and pink scarf around her neck. Color gave Annabelle strength, and while she might not show it outwardly, she was nervous today. Nervous about what was awaiting her in Texas.
