I sighed. “It’s fine.”
“Oh boy.” He shook his head. “Fine never means fine.”
He wasn’t wrong. I sighed. “What do you need?”
“Some kids threw fireworks in someone’s mailbox last night. Patrol didn’t call it in. They didn’t really see anything other than a bunch of mailbox pieces. But we should keep an eye on it if they keep it up.” He shifted his weight. “Just wanted to put it on your radar.”
What in the world? I thought kids were all about playing video games and watching people play video games on YouTube, not starting fires and blowing up mailboxes.
“You good?” Dylan studied me.
I nodded. “I will be.” As soon as I figured out what the hell I should do.
I sat there staring at the doorway long after Dylan walked away. I tried to focus back on watching the footage, but I was only half paying attention again when my phone chimed and I lunged for it.
Hattie: Evelyn was just in here running her mouth about seeing your new man checking into the bed and breakfast with some blonde. I wanted to throat punch her. But why would Seth be checking into a bed and breakfast with some blonde?
Evelyn worked the front desk at the B&B, and I couldn’t see why she would make that up. Oh God. But why would he need to check into a bed and breakfast? He had his cabin up on the mountain he was renting.
Dylan appeared again. “Um, Seth is here asking for you. Is that okay? Or should I send him away?”
Regardless of the details, I had a feeling I really didn’t want to have this conversation. But whatever it was, I couldn’t avoid it forever. Should just get it out of the way. “No, everything’s fine. Tell him I’ll be out in a minute.”
“If you say so.” He shook his head and walked away.
I took a few deep breaths before standing and heading that way too.
SETH
“I don’t know what you did”—Dylan eyed me suspiciously—“but you are in so much trouble. She said everything’s fine.”
What the hell was he rambling about? I hadn’t done anything. And what did Violet say was fine?
My gaze locked on her as she stepped into the lobby. Shit. Maybe Dylan was right. She definitely looked pissed. But it couldn’t be at me.
“You okay?” I asked.
“Yup.” She crossed her arms over her chest. Her usual smile nowhere to be found.
I had no idea what I could have done to piss her off. It couldn’t have anything to do with Lucy. No one knew who she was, and the only person I had told was Owen. With his history, he was sympathetic and had no problem with me taking the rest of the day off.
“Can we talk?” I tried again as I observed her rigid posture and lips pressed into a tight line.
“Yeah.” The simple word held a definite bite to it.
Maybe she was having a shitty day. I hated that I had to give her bad news on top of it, but I also couldn’t wait. She needed to know.
“Um, not here?” I glanced around the lobby of the police station. “Can we go somewhere? Maybe the park?” I wasn’t sure how she would react, but regardless, I didn’t want to have this conversation here with so many prying eyes. “We can sit on a bench and talk.”
She sighed. “Sure.”
She was so quiet as we walked, and I didn’t know what to do with that. She was rarely this kind of eerie silent. “You sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Oh boy. There was that fine again. “Maybe Dylan was right,” I mumbled.
“What?” She glared over at me.
