Page 24 of Savage Heart

And I guess that’s still true.

Because she’s been the town pariah all these years and raised a son alone.

Guilt niggles at me, but I push it aside.

She killed my best friend.

The thought crashes through me, vicious and immediate, and every muscle in my body tightens.

“Thank you. Really,” she says.

I nod once, unable to look at her anymore.

She gets into the car and starts the engine. And as she drives down the gravel road, I regret opening even a hairline fracture to her.

Fractures spread.

And Iris Sullivan has always been the one person who could split me wide open if I let her.

Chapter 6: No Matter What

Iris, age eight

“Go away, Iris. I’m too tired to deal with your questions right now.”

My mom pulls her covers as high as they’ll go, and I stare at her for a minute before tiptoeing out of her room.

Some days she laughs too hard, or she sleeps too long. Other days, she cries in the bathroom with the door locked, and I sit on the carpet outside it with my ear to the wood, wondering what I did wrong.

Today she doesn’t want to get up, but it’s okay. Evelyn is picking me up in a few minutes, and we’re going to the ranch. She called my mom last night to see if I could play with Maverick and Lincoln, and Mom said yes, so I don’t really have to wake her up anyway. I just wanted to check on her and tell her bye.

I go outside to wait, and Otis pulls up. He works at the junkyard and sometimes drives a car home to test it out. This time, he’s in a big red truck that rattles, and he waves after he’s parked in front of his trailer.

“Whatcha doin’, honey girl?”

“I’m waiting for Evelyn. I get to play with Maverick and Lincoln today.”

“Is that right?” He walks over and grins at me. “Well, you’re gonna have a big ol’ time.”

“Maverick says his mom is about to pop.” I giggle.

I love his brothers and little sister. Charlie is the cutest—she follows me around when I’m in the house. I hope Evelyn is having another little girl, but Lincoln hopes it’ll be a little boy. Maverick says he’ll be happy with whatever comes.

“Maybe she’ll have that baby while you’re there.” He winks and nods toward my trailer. “Your mom okay this morning?”

“She’s very tired. I tried to tell her I was leaving, but she was too sleepy.”

“She knows you’re going, though, right?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. I’ve got time to wait with you before I get back to work. And I’ll let your mom know you got off safely if I see her,” he says, standing next to me.

“Thanks, Otis.”

He whistles when he sees the large shiny SUV drive into the trailer park. “Whew, that’s a pretty ride.”

When Evelyn stops in front of my trailer, Maverick hops out and runs over. Evelyn and Otis talk for a few minutes, and I get in the back with Maverick.