Page 102 of Shattered Melodies

I blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift. “A fundraiser?”

“Yeah!” Liam said, leaning forward. “Like, a fair or something. In the barn. We could have games, food, maybe even a little concert. Get the whole town involved.”

I mulled it over, the idea taking root in my mind. It wasn’t half bad, actually. “Huh. That could work. We’ve got the space for it, and I bet a lot of folks around here would be willing to chip in.”

Liam grinned, clearly warming to the idea. “Exactly! And I could help out with the music side of things. Maybe even get some of my industry connections to donate some cool prizes for a raffle or something.”

I felt a smile spreading across my face, Liam’s enthusiasm infectious. “You’d do that? I mean, you don’t have to…”

He cut me off with a wave of his hand. “Of course I would.”

Sarah returned with our pie. “Here you go, boys,” she said, setting the plates down. “Enjoy!”

We dug in, the conversation turning to lighter topics as we savored the sweet, tangy flavor of the apple pie. It was good, really good. Just like I remembered.

As we were finishing up, I heard a voice from the booth behind us. “…looking for Corey King. Someone said they saw him in Oakwood Grove.”

I felt Liam tense beside me, his fork clattering against the plate. When I looked up, his face had gone pale, his eyes wide with what looked like panic.

“Liam?” I said, concern coloring my voice. “You okay?”

He shook his head, already starting to slide out of the booth. “I… I’m not feeling so great. Think I might need to head home.”

I frowned, thrown by the sudden change. “What? But we were just… are you sure you’re okay?”

Liam nodded, not meeting my eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Just… maybe something didn’t agree with me. Mind if we call it a day?”

I wanted to press, to figure out what had spooked him so badly. Whatever was going on, it was serious. But I didn’t want to pry.

“Of course,” I said, sliding out of the booth myself. “Let’s get you home.”

I threw some cash on the table, probably way too much, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. All my focus was on Liam, on the way his hands were shaking slightly as he pulled on his jacket.

As we headed for the door, I heard that voice again. “…swear I saw him. Corey King, right here in Oakwood. Can you believe it?”

CHAPTER 29

Discordant Notes

LIAM

Caleb’s truck rumbled to a stop in front of my house, and I could feel his eyes on me, searching for answers I wasn’t ready to give. I knew he wanted to come in, to make sure I was okay. Hell, part of me wanted that too. But the panic was still thrumming through my veins, making it hard to think straight.

“Thanks for the ride,” I mumbled, my hand already on the door handle.

Caleb’s face fell, just for a second, before he caught himself. “Yeah, sure. No problem. You sure you’re alright?”

I forced a smile, hoping it looked more convincing than it felt. “I’m fine. Just need some rest.”

He nodded, but I could see the worry in his eyes. “Okay. If you need anything…”

“I know,” I cut him off, softer this time. “Thanks, Caleb. Really.”

I climbed out of the truck before I could change my mind, before I could give in to the urge to spill everything. As I fumbled with my keys at the front door, I heard Caleb’s truck pull away. The sound made my chest ache in a way I wasn’t ready to examine too closely.

Once inside, I made a beeline for the kitchen. My hands were shaking as I yanked open the cabinet where I kept the liquor. Whiskey. That’s what I needed. Something strong enough to drown out the panic, the fear, the voice in my head screaming that everything was about to fall apart.

I poured a generous glass and knocked it back in one go, wincing at the burn. “Fuck,” I muttered, already pouring another. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

---