“You did it yourself?”
She grimaces. “This final look is a la Jess at the salon. She’s a miracle worker.”
“Good thing you didn’t hack them off too short.”
She hands me a packet of mail. “I grabbed this for you.”
My stomach sinks to the floor when I see the letter on top.
“Is that him?” she asks.
I’m glad I told her, or I’d be explaining it now. A sour taste fills my mouth. I’ll still be lying to her. “Yes. He tries to keep in touch.”
“Can’t take a hint?”
“He just doesn’t care.”
She comes in and washes her hands. “Mind if I hang out with my big sister tonight?”
“No. Something wrong?”
“I have kids’ time at the library in the morning, so the guys don’t schedule me for very many Friday nights. Then I sit at home and write, but I also do that every night. Kind of starts feeling a little, I dunno, lame after a while. You know?”
“No,” I say wryly. “I have no idea.”
“Sister night!” She flashes me a smile and grabs a fresh apron out of the drawer. “What are we making tonight?”
Giddiness rises inside of me and I shimmy. “This is going to be so fun.” I get an evening with my sister, and I have a date on Sunday with my boyfriend. “Go ahead and start on the lemon curd. I know you love to make that.”
“Only because I get to eat a bowl when I’m done.”
I take the mail to the table and set it down. My happiness dips the longer I look at the return address of the correctional center Dwayne is in. On a whim, I rip open the envelope. I’m not letting him rain on my sister night with Clem.
Who’s the new guy?is the first damn sentence he wrote.
I angrily fold the letter up and shove it into the envelope, ripping the side as I do.
That asshole. He also dated it, and it was written before Damon’s visit. Damon must’ve been lurking around town, spying on me, before the second time he stopped in to harass me.
Seething, I turn around. Clem’s apron is tied and she’s studying me. “That bad?”
Worse. Instead of shutting him out of my life, he’s burrowing in deeper. From prison! I struggle to retain my light composure. It’s Friday, and I’m with my sister. I just talked to a man I’m crazy about. Fuck Dwayne. He can’t get to me tonight.
I aim a broad smile at Clem. “He won’t let go. Too much time on his hands, and I’m irresistible.”
“Naturally.” She does a curtsy. “It runs in the family.”
I table the letter and the money I need to raise. One day at a time. First, regular business. Then the street fair. After that, I’ll buy myself another month, and then I’ll have to face the problem I left five years ago.
Cruz
I knock on the back door, and it swings open to a harried Elodie.
“Sorry!” She gives me a quick kiss and ducks inside. An alarm clock is going off.
I step in and stay on the mat. It’s sprinkling out, and I don’t want to get her kitchen dirty. She takes out three rounds of cake and tosses the hot pads on the counter before inspecting her work.
I lean against the doorframe. “What flavor?”
