“Jeez, Tash, why hadn’t you told me all this before?”
“I didn’t want to worry you.” I reached across and took hold of her hand. “I totally understand if you want me to move out. I’ll pack today. The last thing I want to do is cause you trouble.”
“No, you can’t. It’s not safe.”
“There’s more.”
Her shoulders collapsed as if she couldn’t bear to hear more.
“I was in the truck with my dad when he died. I don’t know how I survived or what happened after the accident, but I was in the truck when he went off the road.” I stopped for a second trying to decide if I should tell her the rest.
She looked at me expectantly, her face smooth with concern.
I swallowed. “I think Alcott Wolfe knows what happened, but Jem can’t get information out of his dad.”
She sat back. We fell silent as the server set down our plates. Everly stared down at her French toast. “Suddenly, I’m not all that hungry.” She looked up at me. “Tash, please don’t be mad when I say this. All right?”
I had no idea where this was going, but I was waiting for her to tell me to get back on the bus and go back to The Grog.
“I need to find out what happened,” I blurted before she could tell me to leave.
“I don’t blame you, but it’s not worth your life.” She looked out the window toward Jem’s house, then turned back to me. It was obvious the words she had for me were hard for her to say. “Don’t you think it’s a coincidence that Jem was at the mill ready to save you? And then at the bar? We hadn’t seen him all evening and then all of a sudden he’s there in the hallway?”
I blinked back tears as I leaned back away from the food that was now making me nauseous. “That’s just you jumping to conclusions because of your lifelong mistrust of him.” I spoke confidently, but in truth, her suggestions were poking at my heart. “He saved me both times.”
“Maybe this has all been just to scare you. Maybe they don’t really want you dead.”
“Who’s they?” I asked sharply. “My god, this town is just bursting with evil people, isn’t it?” I grabbed a napkin to wipe away my tears.
“No, I’m sorry, Tash. I didn’t mean to upset you. But you said yourself you think Alcott had something to do with your dad’s accident. Just maybe Jem’s trying to protect him.”
“No, you’re wrong. You have to be wrong, Ever.”
We both sat there staring at our plates, watching the steam slowly dissipate as the butter melted into the food. Everly didn’t have to ask. She waved the server over. “Can we get these plates to go?”
We placed our untouched food into containers and walked outside. The thunderstorm had left behind air that was so clear it almost hurt to take a deep breath. We walked silently to the car. Everly stopped to put the key in the car door. Her eyes rounded as she looked past me.
“Hey, Woodstock.”
The knot in my stomach tightened more as if someone was wringing out my insides. I turned around. Jem was walking toward me with that pale brown gaze that reached right into my chest. Everly’s words were playing through my head, picking at my brain. I’d thrown my trust and my affection, heck even my love to this man without thought. He’d swept me right off my feet, and I’d let him. Even with Everly’s persistent warnings. But he’d saved Finn and he’d saved me. I was nearly shaking with confusion by the time he reached me.
He sensed something was wrong instantly. The crooked smile on his mouth straightened. “What’s up, Tash. I was about to pick you up. It’s a nice day for a ride on the bike.”
“Yeah, I’m feeling kind of hungover from last night. Couldn’t even eat my breakfast.” I held up the box as proof. “I think I’m just going to head back to bed.”
He looked over the top of the car at Everly. Then he took hold of my arm and pulled me a few feet away from the car so she couldn’t hear. I couldn’t lift my face to his, so he pushed up my chin with his fingers. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”
“It’s nothing. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.” Tears threatened again, but this was no time to cry.
“What about tomorrow morning for work?”
I looked away. “I’ve got a lot to do in the office. I think I’ll take the bus and get there early.”
He stood there staring down at me, but I couldn’t look at him. My heart was splintering in every direction.
“Right.” He looked over my head. “Hey, Everly, fuck you and your fucking lies. You think you know me, but you don’t.”
“I know you’re just like your dad,” Everly shot back.
“Yeah, and you’re just like your uncle. Guess we both didn’t fall far from the tree.”
He brushed my hand with his fingers. “Don’t do this, Tash. I need you. I fucking need you, and I’ve never needed anyone in my whole fucked up life.”
The tears flowed freely now. “I just need some time to think.” I turned and stumbled to the car. He stood and watched as we pulled out of the parking lot.
Chapter 24
Jem
I’d ridden the bike fast and hard, with no destination in mind. I just needed to get out of Blackthorn. It hadn’t done much to clear my head. I doubted anything would. It shocked the hell out of me—my reaction to Tashlyn’s coldness in the diner parking lot. I knew she’d taken hold of my heart, I just hadn’t realized how badly until she couldn’t even look at me. The fucked up thing was I had no idea what I’d done. All I could think was that Everly had finally convinced her not to trust me.
The bike rolled along Phantom Curve as I headed back into town. As my dad got closer to meeting his maker, he was letting more secrets slip. Our last conversation had solidified in my mind what I’d always known. My dad was somebody else’s grunt. He was doing the dirty work for someone else. In my mind, I’d always imagined some high caliber urban dwelling mob type calling the shots over the phone. But more and more, it seemed I’d been ignoring the obvious, that someone right here in Blackthorn Ridge was in charge. His comment that I should leave it alone or be killed seemed to prove that theory. But who the hell could it be? Everyone in town had always been scared shitless of my dad.
I turned off onto Main and rolled through town. Sundays were always quiet, and aside from the diner, the only place open was Gregor’s Market. I wasn’t sure if Tashlyn would ever speak to me again, and I needed more than ever to talk to her. Especially now. There was so much to tell her. But first, I needed to find out who was behind all of this. And I knew where to start.
I pulled the bike up in front of my Great Aunt Alice’s shop. The store was closed, but she’d be inside, organizing her collection. Alice was one of those people who fit the idyllic, storybook setting of Blackthorn Ridge. There were a few people in town worthy of this beautiful place. I knocked on the door and peered down into the window on it. I knocked again, a little louder. Dane and I had no other relatives in town. We hardly ever visited Aunt Alice, which was shitty of us. Alice had tried for awhile, when we were young, to keep an eye on us and let our dad know when she thought he was doing something wrong or that we were getting out of control. But Dad had too big of an ego to listen.
The louder knock had urged Alice out from the backroom. She had on her wire rimmed glasses and her tight school teacher bun, which always reminded me of Mrs. Claus. She peered for a long moment through the window and looked slightly alarmed.
“Aunt Alice, it’s Jem.”
It took her a second to recognize the name. She smiled and pulled her keys from her apron pocket. She opened the door, and I stepped inside.
Alice looked up at me. “Jem, look at you. Did you get taller?” She laughed. “Or am I shrinking?”
I hugged her. “I think it’s just been awhile since you’ve seen me. I’m sorry I don’t come around much. How are you doing, Aunt Alice?”