Chapter 6 #2
For a while, I’ve been hearing rumors surrounding Chuck Emerson and some sketchy men. Most of them gather at Emerson Manor and gamble. It’s one of the reasons Greer started hanging out with us in school.
Turns out, she had a lot of rebellious ideas to try, including vandalizing the neighboring towns’ windows. She wanted to cause a fight between their mayor and ours—her dad.
“What’d I miss?” my sister, Saylor, asks, sliding into the seat next to me. A large tote hangs off her shoulder. As she tries to move it, she bumps the chair in front of her. Everything about her movement is loud and chaotic.
A voice clears over the microphone, snapping our attention to the podium. Chuck Emerson shoots daggers at our row.
“Why is your sister always a disaster?” Levi gripes next to me.
Saylor nudges my shoulder. “Look, it’s Wren.” She smiles, waving wildly at Wren, who’s looking in our direction. “Have you had a chance to talk to her?”
Heads turn in the row in front of us. “Would you shut up?”
She rolls her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. Forever the brat.
“Now, I don’t have anything major to talk about.” Chuck continues, his beady eyes staring at my sister. “Except it’s planting season, which means more machinery on the road.”
Saylor lets out a small gasp, her hand gripping my forearm as my spine straightens. I stare ahead, watching Mayor Emerson talk about awareness for planting season as if it’s any other event in this tiny town.
“As you know, machinery takes up more of the road and operates at a slower pace. Let’s keep our distance and be patient with their slow speeds. We want to avoid any accidents.”
The way he talks about accidents makes my skin crawl. And to say it’s nothing major has my teeth grinding.
Yeah, there’s nothing major about farm machinery on the road except that my father died due to a car versus tractor accident. His death could have been prevented if it weren’t for an impatient driver.
My spine tightens, and I seek out the one person I should be avoiding.
But when my gaze lands on Wren, she’s already looking at me.
Forehead creased in concern, her eyes are soft as she looks at me.
I hate myself for giving her this attention, but she’s always been the one to calm me.
She was my best friend way before we dated.
Before I broke her heart, and she broke mine.
As Mayor Emerson drones on, I zone out. The last thing I should be doing this time of year is wasting time in a meeting. Equipment needs to be checked, hay fields need fertilizing, cattle need to be rotated to fresh fields all before planting season begins shortly.
“Now, that’s all I have for tonight. We’ll meet—”
“I’ve got something,” Jacob Pierce interrupts, standing at his seat.
Mayor Emerson’s face deepens into a shade of red. The man hates being shown up, especially in front of the town. I’d love to find a way to show how horrible he is.
“Go ahead, Coach Pierce.”
Pierce turns away from the mayor and addresses the crowd.
“As you all know, the Silo Bay Athletic Boosters host an annual casino fundraiser in May. Since…” He pauses, clearing his throat and looking toward the Drummonds.
“Since Hannah’s passing, we’ve been trying to fill her role, but the truth is, the woman was incredible.
She took on far more than a single person should have, and while we have most things handled, we could use a few more volunteers.
If anyone is interested, please talk to me or my wife, Abby. ”
Abby Pierce waves, their youngest daughter strapped to her chest.
“If that’s everything,” Mayor Emerson adds, looking around the crowd before hitting a gavel, as if this is a courtroom. “Meeting dismissed.”
Chairs scrape against the mat-covered floor as conversation rises.
“He gives me the ick.” Saylor shivers.
“Pretty sure he gives everyone the ick.”
We shuffle out of our row, moving toward the back of the gym.
“Baker playing tonight?” I ask Levi, who nods, typing away on his phone, probably checking in on Audrey.
“You coming, Saylor?”
She shakes her head. “No, it was a ten-hour shift today. I’m dead on my feet. A cold bevvie and some me-time sounds like my kind of night.”
Wrapping my arm around her shoulder, I pull her in for a hug. “Be safe driving home.”
“Will do. Call me if you need a ride,” she mumbles in my chest.
“I live within walking distance.”
“I meant from Wren’s house.”
I shove her away. “You’re delirious.”
She laughs devilishly, wiggling her eyebrows. “Have fun, big brother.”
“Bye, little Riggsby,” Heath calls out, and I glare at the motherfucker.
“Off limits,” I snap, and he chuckles, clapping me on the back.
Fifteen minutes later, I’m nursing a bottle of beer on a barstool.
Sunset Shore Resort and Grill smells like every good night: tangy bar mats and the lake beyond the patio.
Its damp breath sneaks in on every gust of wind from someone stepping through the patio door.
It’s too cool a night to have the sides and door propped open.
The place is already buzzing. Two stories of weathered wood painted bright, the whole vibe trying like hell to convince you we're in Key West and not rural Ohio.
Palm trees in big planters line the property.
Banana plants sag in the corners. String lights are looped across the open beams, glowing gold against the dark lake.
The crowd hums inside the covered patio as it always does when Neon Tailgate plays.
Baker and three other guys started this band after we graduated from high school.
The guy could always strum a guitar and belt out lyrics, but he never did anything with it while we were in school. Now he’s a town staple.
His band is tuning up on the stage, guitars and drums mixing through the speakers. Voices rise, laughter cutting across the music. Metal barstools in every shade of neon scrape against the concrete floor as people shift and gather.
I tune back into my group gathered around a twelve-top high table. My attention snags on where Heath leans against the bar, his golden retriever grin shining. His arms fly wide as he tells a story, one I'd bet my money is half made up, to a pretty brunette and her friend.
“Motherfucker is never going to grow up,” Levi says, his beer raised halfway to his mouth.
“And we wouldn’t have it any other way.”
People cut behind us, clapping our shoulders and nodding in greeting. You’d think it was a Saturday night and not a Wednesday. Even though most people have to work tomorrow, everyone celebrates the end of a town hall meeting with a night of dancing and laughter.
“So, have you given much thought to talking to Wren?”
I shake my head, taking a pull of my beer. “Where’s Auds tonight?”
“Don’t change the subject.” He huffs a laugh. “But she’s with my parents. They wanted to have dinner with her.”
I nod. “I can’t believe she’s wrapping up her freshman year of high school. Do you remember how we were in high school? Hell, I learned my antics from watching you.”
“We were wild. Thank God, she’s nothing like us.”
“As far as you know,” I say, and Levi grunts. “I’m kidding. You’ve done a good job raising her. She’s a special kid.”
“Riggsby!” Heath shouts over the crowd, making his way toward us, the brunette and her friend in tow. “When’d you get here?”
“I’ve been here the whole time, Pierce.” I tip my head toward his friends. “You’ve been a little distracted.”
Smirking, he takes the seat across from me, the girls snagging the empty seats to his left. “Where’s Greer?”
I glance around the packed patio to look for our friend.
The heaters glow from the corners, taking the edge off the lake chill.
Even with the walls up, you can feel the breeze coming off the lake.
Baker steps up to the microphone, strumming the chords to Dwight Yoakam’s “Fast as You” and causing the crowd to cheer in celebration.
It’s rowdy, but comfortable.
Until it isn’t.
I see her before anyone else does.
She steps in from the back side, and the air shifts. It’s hard to breathe. I can tell a part of her feels like she doesn’t belong here, but leave it to her to appear confident on the outside. Wren Drummond owns every space she enters.
She’s walking in with Greer, both girls smiling, but Wren’s smile feels forced. Apprehensive. I hate that for her. This is her hometown; she shouldn’t feel nervous in public.
Heads turn and whispers start as they move deeper into the patio toward our table.
Heath is the first to notice where my eyes have strayed. He lets out a low whistle. “Well, shit. Hello, Miss California.”
“And the night’s getting interesting,” Levi adds, grinning like the cat that ate the canary.
“Don’t start,” I warn, even though I can’t drag my gaze off her.
“Too bad I’ve got to get out of here. School night.” Levi stands and claps me on the shoulder before walking toward the opposite exit.
Wren’s scanning the room until Greer nudges her, pointing in our direction.
She says something to Wren, but I can’t read her lips.
Her mouth curves into something like a half-smile, half-dare.
The years collapse, and suddenly, I’m seventeen again, watching her walk into a bonfire party as if every flame bowed to her.
“Can someone get Riggsby a napkin to wipe up his drool?” Heath jokes, searching the table for a napkin.
“Shut up,” I bite back.
The two of them round the table to my side, since Heath and his lady friends take up the other. There are still two free stools next to Levi’s empty one.
“Ladies,” Heath greets, waggling his eyebrows.
“Settle down, Pierce.” Greer laughs. “Anyone sitting here?”
Heath shakes his head. “Only the two prettiest girls in Silo Bay.”
“Now who needs to settle down?” I grumble.