Page 79 of By the Book

“Wes,” I yell, my voice echoing off all the marble surrounding me. It’s just Hayden I would be disturbing here, and it’s a safe bet he’s down in the surf right now. “Wes!”

He comes strolling out from the direction of the kitchen, a scowl on his face. “What do you want?”

“Are you fucking with me? Do you really not know?”

“What?”

“Maybe check your phone and you’d know that your family has been trying to get ahold of you.”

“I don’t want to talk to them. Or you,” he says plainly.

“So, you’re just going to hide from everyone at Hayden’s forever? Or are you going to run off to South America again? Get your head out of your ass and check your phone. You’ll see some messages about the fact that your sister was taken hostage at gunpoint last night.” I don’t sugarcoat it. I deliver the blow bluntly, so it wakes him up.

And it works, I watch his face fall. “She… what? Is she okay?”

“Yeah. I was there, and I would have done anything it took to make sure she walked away unharmed. And this morning your parents have come by, and her friends. Yet she asks aboutyou. So do what you want, but I think it’s bullshit that you’re tossing aside the rare bond you all have. I would kill to have a family like yours. Anyway, she’s at my house, if you were interested.”

I don’t wait for a response. Turning on my heels, I head right back out the front door. I just want to get back to my girl.

Ivy

“Are we sure we should go to this?” I ask, turning towards Tripp inside his SUV.

“You don’t want to? But it’s Fall Fest, I thought you were looking forward to eating caramel apples and getting lost in a hay maze with me?”

“I would love to get lost in a hay maze with you! So long as we don’t have to explain last night to everyone. I hate the idea of the whole town knowing and bombarding us with questions.”

He takes my waist in his hands and tugs me closer. For a moment, I think he’s about to pull me onto his lap while we are parked right here in the center of town. And when I look into his eyes, I’m considering climbing right up. But when a family walks across the street before us, he stops tugging me closer and instead leans in to brush a hand down my hair.

“We don’t have to go. But if you do want to, we won’t have to explain anything to anyone. It’s you and me, enjoying your favorite time of year. That’s what today is about.”

“You and me,” I nod, imagining walking hand in hand with him between booths. “And caramel apples and kettle corn?”

“Of course,” he smiles.

“I guess it can’t hurt to stop by the festivities,” I concede. “But if people talk?—”

“I’ll handle them.” From the look on Tripp’s face, I would not want to be those people. Climbing out, he comes around to my door and pulls it open. “Deal?”

“Deal.” I accept his hand and climb out to the aged brick street. The sound of children playing mingles with Halloween themed music as we head towards town square. Orange, gold, and rust-colored flags hang from the lamp posts, and corn stalks and pumpkins adorn the stop signs at the street corners. The roads around the square are blockaded by hay bales and people freely mill about between stands.

The smell of fresh kettle corn fills the air, and I inhale deeply until it chases the doubt from my soul. Tripp is right, Fall Fest is my favorite. And we are going to enjoy our first town event together.

I look over at him to find his eyes already studying my face. “What do you think, Sherlock? Find the baking contest and do some tasting? Or are we cutting and running from this crowd?”

Linking my pinky with his, I turn towards the townspeople casting us curious glances. “I believe you promised me a caramel apple and a hay maze, Sheriff.”

A grin spreads across his face. “I certainly did.”

We step into the fray, together. Making our way through the square, I’m spurred on by the amount of people who nod and smile at Tripp. They don’t ask questions, they’re simply happy to see him. A few even murmur hello and thank him.

“Sheriff Forester!” Barney—the attendant from the harbor calls—bounding down the gazebo stairs towards us. “I wanted to let you know how much we all appreciate you wrapping up this vandalism. I mean, Chuck, damn.”

“Yeah, it was a big surprise,” Tripp replies calmly. His face gives no emotion away, while beside him my stomach is beginning to turn at the mention of Chuck.

“Well thanks again, it’s a relief for us all.”

As I watch Barney walk away, I’m anything but calm. I break apart our pinkies and clasp my hand around his bicep. “I hate hearing his name,” I admit. “But at least everyone is finally seeing you the way they should,” I smile up at him, determined to focus on the good.

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