“I’ve missed her too,” I admit. “She’s the one person who really took care of me. And I can never forget that.”
Violet’s smile widens as she shifts in her chair to face me more directly. “Yeah, she’s one of a kind. She’d probably adopt you if you needed it.”
“She made the best chicken soup. No one’s ever come close.”
Violet shakes her head with mock disbelief. “You’ve been deprived. You need a little Alice in your life right now, that’s for sure. She’s going to love seeing you again. I can’t wait to take you around.”
I glance at her, chuckling softly. “Yeah, let’s make a plan for that. Although she’ll have more questions than anyone.”
Violet pauses, eyes softening with understanding. “You know it. But only because she adores you so much.”
I don’t respond right away, the words too heavy. Just then, the sound of Charlie’s excited voice breaks through my thoughts.
“Will I meet Violet’s mom, too?”
I ruffle his hair. “Oh, she’s going to love you.”
Violet grins at the thought, her eyes lighting up. “My mom will be thrilled to meet you, Charlie. She’s a sucker for kids. You’re in for a treat. You’ll love her right back.”
Charlie, with his boundless enthusiasm, gives a little fist pump and takes another bite of pancakes. “I can’t wait! Does she make cookies, too?”
“Absolutely,” I reply, smiling at the memory. “She makes the best cookies. But her chicken soup… now that’s the real magic.”
His face lights up, which makes my heart skip a beat. He loves a lot about this town, I can already see it. Charlie seems lighter in Colter Creek.
I’m going to feel horrible when I have to take him away.
CHAPTER SIX
Sawyer
The day startsthe same as any other. Numbers, spreadsheets, nothing out of the ordinary. I’ve got everything in front of me. It’s quiet, and I prefer it that way.
No surprises, no drama. Just the numbers and me.
But then Clint bursts in with the look of a man who’s just swallowed a live hornet, upending my entire day.
“Clint?” I glance up, already feeling the shift. “You good?”
His jaw’s tight, his shoulders stiff. I don’t like that look in his eyes one bit.
“There’s been some damage on the west side,” he snaps.
He doesn’t sit down, just stares through me, waiting for me to get it.
“How bad?”
“Fencing’s torn down. Couple posts broken.” He pauses, watching my reaction closely. “Doesn’t feel right, Sawyer.”
I put my pen down and close the laptop, scanning his face for something more. Anything to explain the urgency. But Clint doesn’t get worked up unless it’s real.
I stand. “You think someone did it on purpose?”
Clint doesn’t look at me when he responds. “Could be. But I’m not taking chances.”
“Alright. Let’s go see it.”
We’re out of the office and heading down the hall without another word. We drive toward the west side. The land is quiet, too quiet. The kind that makes you feel something’s waiting to pounce.
