Clem pushes into the merch store. “Hey, bosses. I’m taking off. Just wanted to say bye before I relieve my sister.”
“Relieve her for what?” I ask so suddenly, Clem blinks.
“She took my dad to an eye doctor appointment in Billings. Mom had a bout of vertigo and couldn’t go with him. Elodie said she would take him while I came to the party. I told her to text when she got to town, and I’d go hang with them.” She points to her eyes. “He got his pupils dilated, and his vision stays blurry for a while. I’m going to make them dinner, and Elodie can come here.”
“Let us know if we can do anything,” Lane says.
Clem cocks her head toward the gathering. “Jamison told me to take them some cake, but Elodie keeps our parents stocked in goodies. She’s probably getting dinner in the oven even though I said I’d make them something. I’d better get going.”
“Nice seeing you, Clem,” I say, even more excited that Elodie’s arriving soon.
When she’s gone, Lane studies me. “I don’t have to ask if you’re taking off. I doubt we could haul you away before Elodie shows.”
I shoot him a scowl. “I really like her.”
“I can tell.”
“She won’t talk about what’s going on, but I think someone’s hounding her for money.”
“She in debt?”
Sure, she could be, but my gut says what she owes is out of the ordinary. “I saw a letter in her mail from a correctional facility in Colorado.”
His nostrils flare. “Interesting.”
“Isn’t it?”
“Dad called me last week.”
I stiffen and clench my teeth like usual when I hear about him. “You talked to him.”
I’m not asking. He always does. For the kid who was left with a lot of tasks our parents should’ve handled, he doesn’t carry the grudge against our father that I do.
He rubs his chin. “Things are the same for him. Won’t be seeing him soon.”
“Next time, tell him he can save his ink and quit writing me.”
“He won’t. Stubborn bastard.”
“Yeah.” He’s the reason why I found the letter at Elodie’s so damn interesting. And why I wish she’d talk to me, to someone, but mostly me. I might understand in a way not many others would.
Elodie has me all twisted up. My thoughts are verynot friendlywhen it comes to her, but I want to help, and I can’t do that if she keeps beyond arm’s length. “She doesn’t trust me.”
“Then try being a friend who doesn’t grope her.” Lane keeps up with my subject change. He’s used to it when it comes to our dad.
“I wasn’t groping.” Fondling, maybe. Licking and sucking. She was grinding.
He shrugs. “Never seen you like this, but you’ve gotta play the long game if she’s skittish. For what it’s worth—your little baker wants to be more than friends with you.”
“She might, but she’s decided not to.”
“You fluster her like no one else. And when you’re not looking at her, she’s spying on you. It’s like watching two middle schoolers figure out what flirting is.”
“Ha ha, jackass. This isn’t easy.”
“Good. You’ve worked for all the good things in life. Elodie’s no different.”
Isn’t he a sage old asshole? I don’t feel better after our talk, but I could’ve used it earlier. I should’ve taken my own adviceand turned to Lane instead of spinning myself in circles all night in bed.
