The parking lot wasn’t busy, just a few cars scattered around. A couple of women stepped out of the store with shopping bags and climbed into a car a few spaces down. A man crossed the other side of the lot, too far away to make out details, then disappeared behind a delivery van.
Her pulse picked up. She looked around the lot again. Nothing. Still, she stayed in her locked car with her phone in her hand.
A text came through. Triple A had arrived and was in the lot. She got out of the car and waved. Twenty minutes later, the driver confirmed it was a nail. It made sense.
What didn’t make sense was her unease. But she was on her way home. No one was following her. By the time she pulled into The Hammocks at Haywood, dusk had settled. The streetlights glowed softly, and warm lights from the condo spilled out onto the quiet streets.
She parked her car and saw a little head appear at a window. When she opened the door, Luke barreled into her legs. After getting a sweet kiss from him, Lainey bid Tara good night and watched her get into her car to go home.
“I found a movie,” Luke shouted from the living room.
Lainey smiled as she opened the fridge. “Great. Help me make the pizza and we’ll watch it.”
He bounded over, dragging a chair to the counter. Together, they layered the dough with sauce and cheese. Luke scattered pepperoni like snow. Into the oven it went. The scent of garlic and melted cheese filled the air.
After dinner, they curled up on the couch, Luke tucked against her side. He picked one of those silly animated movies with clucking chickens and chaos. Laughter filled the air, some from the movie, some from Luke.
Lainey took a sip of wine, allowing herself to relax. This was how a day was supposed to end. Good food, a glass of wine, her favorite boy, and a hug that made all the world’s problems disappear. At least for a moment.
Fat Jack’sRoadhouse pulsed with loud music, clinking glasses and the low hum of conversation. Finn hadn’t been here in a while. It was part dive bar and part hangout, but it was exactly what he needed. Familiar.
It was a cavernous room with a long wooden bar, a stage, a dance floor with tables filling the space, and booths along the back. Couples were dancing and just enjoying themselves. He spotted the guys at one of the back booths and waved to Sunny Jack, who was waiting on customers.
Sunny was a sweetheart. The bar was named after her husband, Jack, who passed away shortly after they opened. Finn had seen a picture of Jack by the register. He was a skinny guy! So much for truth in advertising.
He slid into the booth.
“Heard anything else from Tex?” Caleb asked.
Finn shook his head. He took a long pull from the bottle and set it down. “No. I’m concerned. Not only that, Lainey is still hiding something. I can feel it.”
“Any idea what?” Dex reached for a few chicken wings that the server had placed in front of them.
“Not a clue,” Finn replied.
Across the table, Caleb smirked. “You show up out of the blue and you think she’s going to tell you her whole life story?”
“No. But something is bothering her.” Finn glanced toward the stage, where a young woman was singing something low and smoky. More couples got up to dance, holding each other close, whispering things that weren’t meant to be heard.
His mind drifted to senior year.
October. After the homecoming game, he and Lainey ditched the bonfire and drove out to the overlook, their favorite spot. They looked at the lights of the city twinkling below, the stars twinkling above, and felt like the only two people in the universe.
She’d been quiet all night.
The night was cool, and she had his letterman jacket wrapped around her shoulders while snuggling into his arms. The silence between them was comfortable.
“God, my mother insists I come to Sunday dinner even though I told her I had plans.”
Lainey chuckled. “Don’t complain. Your family actually like each other. That’s kind of nice.”
Her smile faded.
“You ever hear from your dad?” he asked gently.
She huffed. “A couple cards a year. Sometimes. Birthday. Christmas. But that’s all I can count on.”
Finn didn’t say anything, just waited.
