Chapter 14 Emotional Roller Coaster #2
As expected, things went back to normal the next day.
I gave Henry a quick call to check in on him after the terrors of yesterday, and they’d all calmed right down.
Sometimes it felt lonely eating breakfast alone in a big house.
So, I decided to go on a jog, which, thanks to the hills in Tarrytown, would burn enough calories to earn me a bagel and cream cheese from the coffee shop.
While locked in prison, I’d worked out twice a day.
There was nothing else to do. Since I’d been home, other than sex and or a morning swim, I didn’t go out of my way to exercise.
Walking slowly back up the hill, I enjoyed my bagel and observed all the decorations displayed on the front of every house.
The neighborhood looked different on foot than when driving past in a hurry.
Especially now, when all the houses were decked out for Halloween.
Cloth ghosts hung from trees, while bats swung from porch lights.
I smiled at the skeletons that stuck out from behind the hedges.
An idea for one of my Halloween costumes came to me.
As I continued toward my house, I waved at a few of my neighbors and returned my attention to the spooky outdoor décor.
The carved pumpkins on every single porch during my walk seemed to be the one must-have item of the season.
Some jack-o’-lanterns were smiling; others looked frightening, each with its plastic candles still on, competing with the sunlight.
Further down the driveway, I noticed Melissa’s sports car and sighed.
Deep down, I knew what I had to do, but I was dragging my feet.
I considered jogging back down the hill, away from my house.
But I couldn’t hide from the woman forever.
I braced myself and pushed the door open.
When I walked in, I followed the sound of the television, knowing that was where I’d find her.
The news reporters were discussing the upcoming Tarrytown Halloween parade, and Melissa shook her head in disgust.
“What are you doing here?” I asked weakly.
She turned around and turned off the television. “Well, you’ve been avoiding me, but I want to pin you down so we can talk. The wedding planner—”
“Be serious, Mimi. You must know by now I’m not marrying you.” It probably came out a little sharper than I meant it to.
Best to rip the Band-Aid off in one quick pull.
Rising to her feet, Mimi faked shock. “You’d rather pass on a million-dollar inheritance than marry me?”
“I’ll get what’s mine. I just don’t need you.”
A vein popped in Melissa’s forehead. She clenched both hands into fists. “I knew it from the very beginning.”
“Yes. You did. I never told you any lies about loving you.”
Mimi’s face softened. “Your father won’t agree. He wants us to get married.”
“Melissa, go marry my father, then. I’m not interested.”
In that moment, it seemed Mimi and Summer morphed into one, as this time it was her cussing, yelling, and shaking her hands.
Out of courtesy, I listened to about five minutes of her ravings before ordering Aston to show her the door. I had to get to work.
Later in the afternoon, I decided to leave work a little early and called Henry to see if he wanted to meet for a quick slice at the pizza place, as Wylie was with his mother.
He didn’t take much persuading, and as I jumped in the car and drove into town, I tried not to obsess over Summer and how she softened yesterday.
The restaurant was busy with late-lunchers, but Henry had already grabbed us a table at the back.
After ordering and then wolfing down a few slices at breakneck speed, we spotted Daisy in a corner enjoying her own pizza.
She must have sensed us watching her as she looked up and caught our eyes before standing up from her table and walking over to us.
Henry played nice. “Hey, Daisy.”
She smiled. “Hi. Glad to hear you guys found Wylie. Sorry to hear about you and Ashley.”
I suppressed a frown. Was she really? Daisy was a mystery to me.
I never knew what she was really thinking.
I’d appreciated her telling me about Clive all those years ago, but she still called herself Summer’s best friend, even after throwing her under the bus like that.
If Henry committed a crime, you wouldn’t find me placing any damn phone calls.
“Thaddeus, I’m happy you’re home.”
I nodded at her and went back to my food as she returned to her table.
“She’s still looking over here,” Henry noted.
I shrugged. “So? She’s been gawking at me long before I ever met Summer.”
Henry took a swig of soda. “Thought she would’ve outgrown that crush.”
Not eager to discuss this any longer, I took a few more bites of pizza.
When I first arrived at the prison, I’d asked Henry to convince Eden to connect Summer with a therapist, largely because I was questioning the sincerity of Daisy’s friendship and loyalty to her.
Figured I’d taken her father away, and Summer’s only support network was a snake, so she needed someone who would always be reliable.
Henry didn’t tell Eden that it was my suggestion, and I heard that this Marni woman helped Summer through some hard times.
“Thad, are you listening at all?”
I shrugged. “If it were important, I would’ve heard it.”
Henry rolled his eyes. “I was just telling you about a surprise I’ve arranged for you to say thanks for yesterday. You, my friend, are coming on a brewery tour with me after this. It’s all booked.”
“Am I now? Be rude to turn you down, I guess. I mean, now it’s booked and all.”
We both chuckled and hurried to finish our meals.
I liked beer as much as the next man, but I didn’t need to see how it was made.
Hanging with Henry was what was most important.
We had a lot planned for the next few days.
When we got our gun licenses at age twenty-one, Henry and I had often enjoyed shooting at the range.
If things hadn’t turned out the way they had all those years ago, that’s probably what we’d be doing after this.
However, with my conviction, I wasn’t allowed around firearms, so that activity was out of the question.
Ironically, it was my practice and the range that had enabled me to kill Clive.
“Let’s get going; the brewery will start the tour soon,” Henry announced, getting to his feet.
I followed and noticed Daisy was still looking at me. My feet froze. What was it? Was there some pressing news she wanted to tell me? Did Summer have a long-lost uncle who’d run over my father this time? That one might mess up my inheritance, but I’d survive.
“Everything okay, Daisy?” I said as we walked past her.
She looked around, and my heart sped up. Her furtive glances in every direction told me there was indeed a secret. Henry and I stared at her, waiting.
“Y-Y-Yes. Everything is fine.”
She was lying. That was clear by the stuttering, but it can’t have been about Summer. There was nothing left for her to do to me.
“Like before, you know my number. If there’s something I need to know.”
Daisy nodded and looked behind me. I turned to see her best friend squinting as she approached. My stomach flipped.
“Thad, we’re going to be late,” Henry said as he waved at Summer.
She was glowing. The sort of glow that made me think she was getting dick on the regular.
Leave it to Summer, who I heard in passing had practically walked around like a nun while I was away, to start getting regular sex the second I got back.
I wondered if it was the bartender; he’d seemed very possessive.
“Thad!” Henry yelled.
I hurried to the car but not before noting the women inside the pizza place with their heads together, whispering.
“Maybe she’s recruited Daisy in a new plan to kill you,” Henry said jokingly as he joined me in watching them.
Chuckling, I started the engine and checked my side-view mirror for approaching cars so I could pull out of the parking spot. “Push comes to shove, I’ll use my cock to save myself again.”