“Of course.”
I left Lucas on the path and headed straight to my room. A part of me wanted to hate the Freemans for taking our home, even though it wasn’t rightfully ours. But I couldn’t hate Lucas if I tried.
* * *
I followed Austin to his surprise spot. It didn’t take long for me to guess where we were going.
Fanny’s Pond. Where we first started our lovers’ tryst.
Although, I’d once believed it was the real thing.
He found me walking one of the trails alone and teased me that I had dropped off a letter to the Matchmaker. Little did he know, I was picking them up from our little wooden Matchmaker box. Everyone who knew about it let it be. Not knowing who the Matchmaker was gave them something to talk about in this quiet town. Their heads would probably explode if they found out it was the Reed women.
We parked, and Austin hopped out of his truck. “Feel like walking our trail?”
I didn’t get out of Blush yet. “I thought this was a non-date.”
“It is. Just like when we first talked.” He scratched the back of his neck. “I thought that maybe we could start over—get to know each other again?”
I flung my head back and silently groaned to myself. “Alright, but you keep your hands to yourself.”
He smirked. “We could always get Hank and Frank to cuff ’em if you don’t trust me.”
Hank was the sheriff and Frank was the deputy, and the only cops this town had. Frank had been voted in as deputy mainly for the joke. The locals still chuckled when someone threatened them with the duo.
You keep giving me lip, and I’ll call Hank and Frank.
I got out of the car. “I’ll go if you don’t tell another Hank and Frank joke.”
“Aw come on, you know it’s funny.”
“Maybe the first few times.”
“Alright, no Hank and Frank.”
We started on the grounds near the picnic tables.
“Hey, isn’t that your aunt, Lainey?” Austin pointed over by the willow tree where she was headed.
I froze and watched as she lifted the rock. “I gotta leave. Now.”
“What?”
“Just follow me.” I booked it to my car, started up Blush, and got the hell out of there as fast as I could. I didn’t know where to go, but I kept driving up Willow Road, my heart beating a mile a minute.
One Last Hope was Lainey?
I never knew she felt like that. I always thought she was content with her hobbies and her life the way it was.
Austin honked and waved for me to pull over. His truck rolled up beside me. “What happened back there?”
“Nothing, I just don’t want her to tell my grandmother I’m out with you.”
He smiled and shook his head. “How about we head over to Nessie’s Farm? I’ll buy you a coffee cone with chocolate jimmies.”
“I like strawberry now,” I said.
“Alright, a strawberry one.”
