Page 29 of Secrets Bared
“It’s awesome to meet you. And I’m serious, come find me anytime.”
“I will. It was great meeting you, too.”
Chapter 8
Lukestretchedhisneckfrom side to side as Grace swept Maggie up in her whirlwind. “I don’t think Grace has ever met a stranger.”
Felix chuckled. “Nope. Some things don’t change.” His expression darkened.
“No, they certainly don’t.” Luke eyed his friend. It was obvious to Luke that his childhood friend still pined for Grace. “I didn’t get to catch up with her as much as I’d like. What’s she doing these days?”
Felix took the character sheets from him and placed them into a folder. “She went to culinary school, was away in Philly for several years, then one day she came home and opened Too Sweet.” His eyes gazed into the distance. “She acts the same in some ways, but in others she’s changed.”
“How?”
“Well, the first time she came home for a visit, she had a boyfriend.”
“That’s nothing new.” Grace had always had a string of boyfriends in high school.
“The next time, she had a ring.”
“Oh yeah.” Luke clocked Felix’s scowl from the corner of his eye. “I forgot she got married.”
Felix shook his head. “Divorced. She came home to stay a few years ago and opened the bakery.”
He pushed the chairs in around the special gaming table and helped Felix put the leather cover over top. “I’ll have to check it out. Support the locals, you know.”
“Yeah. I go in there every morning.”
Of course he did.
They strolled up the stairs together, Felix turning the lights off as they entered the main store. “Your mom supports her, too. When she first came home, before she got the storefront, your mom insisted on her supplying the desserts for Busy Bee.”
“Go, Mom.” He’d have to talk to Mom about ordering supplies soon, anyway. That might be something she could do from home, so she didn’t feel so useless.
At the front door of the shop, Luke watched Felix lock the door. “You don’t have any security cameras?”
Felix shrugged. “It’s Hawthorn Hills. Who’s going to break into a book and games store?”
“Sorry. Forgot where I was for a second.”
His old friend patted him on the shoulder. “You’ve been away too long.”
Luke sighed. “Don’t I know it.” Aaron was a man now. Mom was getting older. And his friends had moved on and built their dreams without him. He rubbed at the ache in his chest.
“Well, you’re here now. You should come with me to my parents for dinner sometime, they’d love to see you.”
“Sounds great.” They parted ways, Luke back to his car and Felix to his.
As he drove back to his mom’s house, he wondered what staying would look like. Perhaps if he was staying, Maggie woulddate him. He scowled to himself as he pulled into the driveway. Was that why she refused his invitation?
No, she had all the telltale symptoms of someone living in fear. But was she frightened of him specifically, or men in general? He’d seen the scum of the Earth while working for the FBI. If there was a God, he didn’t know how they could stand by as humans did such horrible things to each other.
He wiped his feet on the mat and let himself in the door. The television was on, some infomercial playing on low. Mom was asleep on the couch, her foot up in the air.
The notepad on the refrigerator had times listed in both her handwriting and Aaron’s. She was up to date on her pain meds, and he hated to disturb her sleep. At least Aaron was doingthatmuch. Luke pulled a blanket from the back of the couch and laid it over her, then turned off the television. He locked the door and left his shoes on the mat.
Up in his room, Luke stripped down to his boxers, and was asleep before his head hit the pillow.
