Sweat gathered at the base of my spine, fear digging in that I’d screw this up, and Maddie and I would be ruined for good.
The smile slipped from Lawson’s face. “Hey, where’d you just go?”
I swallowed, my dry throat sticking with the movement. “I just—I don’t want to screw this up. And you know that’s what I’m good at.”
Lawson’s brow furrowed. “Nash, you like your fun and harmless trouble, but when it comes to the things that matter, you always come through.”
I wasn’t so sure about that. “I’m not the one people turn to for help. The dependable one. That’s you.” My family never asked me for anything other than a laugh.
“I’m the oldest. I think that’s natural. But no one thinks you’re undependable.”
I shrugged, not agreeing or disagreeing.
Lawson leaned forward to rest his arms on his desk. “You’re a good brother and son. I don’t know where you got the message that you aren’t, but it’s bullshit.”
A lump formed in my throat. “I can’t lose her.”
Lawson’s expression gentled. “You’re not going to. That doesn’t mean you’ll get things perfect every step along the way, but you and Maddie will figure it out. When you screw up, you’ll apologize and make things right. You forget that she’s known you practically your whole life. You’ve both messed up before, and you always work things out.”
A little of the pressure in my chest loosened. My brother had a point.
“Just take things one day at a time,” he said.
“I can do that.”
Lawson’s phone rang, and he picked up. “Chief Hartley.” There was a brief pause. “Hello, Mayor.”
Lawson’s grip on the phone tightened, and his expression went blank. “You know what this is about. Petty jealousy. He’s nothing but trouble—”
My brother’s words cut off as he listened to the mayor, his jaw hardening. “Yes, ma’am. I understand. Of course, we’ll cooperate completely with the investigation.” Another pause. “Talk soon.”
Lawson hung up.
“What was that about?” I asked.
He met my gaze. “Someone filed a complaint against you with the mayor’s office.”
A trickle of unease slid through me. “Adam?”
Lawson shook his head. “Dan McConnell. And the mayor’s launching an official investigation into your conduct.”
29
MADDIE
“Thankyou so much for giving me a ride,” I said to Aspen as she pulled to a stop outside my cabin.
“It’s no trouble at all. You’re on our way.”
Cady bounced in her booster seat. “You should come to our house. We’ve got so many animals. Cats and a dog and a goat and two lambs and a gerbil and…what else we got, Mama?”
Aspen chuckled. “We’re a bit of a menagerie over there.”
My eyes had widened with each new addition to Cady’s list. “It sounds like it.”
Aspen gave me a sheepish smile. “I’ve got a soft spot for critters that need a home.”
A deep longing took root in my chest. “Me, too. Well, dogs especially.”
