Page 108 of Small Town Sizzle

“I appreciate the offer. She hasn’t replied to my texts and…”

“Remember, she’s not like a lot of people that respond within seconds. Sometimes her job doesn’t allow it,” I hear Laura interject.

“She knows?”

“Of course she does,” he teases. “I tell her everything.”

“He’s a worse gossip than any woman I’ve ever met,” Laura adds with a giggle. “Give her time, Garrett. She’ll reply. You guys are solid, but she has to put Alex first right now.”

“You’re right, you’re right,” I sigh. “She was so good with him today and with me. She told me to give him time, and I need to do that.”

“I know it’s not easy,” Ethan says. “If you need our crazy to keep you busy, the door is open.”

“Thanks,” I tell him as I hang up.

I can’t just sit here doing nothing. My eyes land on the clock. Dinner time. Maybe… maybe I can do something small or thoughtful to be helpful while also showing up for Alex.

Miss Betty’s diner pops into my head. Comfort food. She loves their chicken pot pie, and Alex always scarfs down their burgers like it’s his last meal. Jaz will never say no to a milkshake.

The decision is made. I grab my keys and head out the door. The drive into town is quiet, the streetlights flickering on one by one as the sun dips below the horizon. I try not to let my mind wander too far, but it’s impossible.

I have a fourteen-year-old son.

The look on Alex’s face. The anger, the hate, the…sadness that was written all over his face was like looking in a mirror back in time.

What if he gets in the car with a similar group of friends? What if he does something to ruin his future like I did?

I blow out a breath as I grip the steering wheel tightly.

He’s not me.

He’s fine. I’m sure he’s fine. I grew up in a time when men didn’t really talk things out or express their feelings, and it took a long time for me to be able to do that as an adult. From what I’ve seen, Alex isn’t that way. It looks like Maya is very good aboutgiving Alex and Jaz the space to come to her with their emotions or needs with no judgment.

As I near the diner, a sudden blur of flashing blue and red lights jolts me out of my thoughts. Five police cars speed past me, sirens blaring, their tires screeching as they take the next turn. My heart skips a beat.

“What the hell is that about?” I mutter to myself.

This town rarely sees more than a traffic stop, let alone that many cops in one place. I shake my head, trying to push down the unease creeping up my spine. Probably some kids pulling a stupid prank, or maybe a high school party that got out of hand. Nothing to worry about.

Please don’t let Alex be mixed up in that.

I pull into the diner parking lot and step out, the smell of fried food and fresh-baked pies wafting through the air. The parking lot isn’t very full, a rare sight for a Sunday dinner in Hicks Creek. This is usually the happening spot.

The bell above the door jingles as I step inside. The diner is busy but not chaotic, the usual mix of families, couples, and regulars filling the booths and counter stools. I scan the room and freeze when my eyes land on Natalie and another guy sitting in a corner booth, their heads close together, deep in conversation.

She already found another mark? Good. Maybe she’ll leave me alone.

I step all the way up to the counter, and that’s when I see that it’s not just any guy, it’s TJ.

My stomach twists.

It’s starting to make sense now. The anonymous text messages, the man saying that a woman pretended to be someone else. Natalie and TJ are working together?

My mind races, trying to connect the dots. TJ is working for an environmental agency, supposedly. Natalie knew all theinformation about the wetlands, and she always seemed overly interested in it when Mom was around. That would explain why TJ knew so much about it anyway.

Is that the real reason she is in Hicks Creek? And she just happened to run into me? She has to be the woman saying that the land was stolen from her family. Which isn’t true; she’s from California.

I move toward the counter, keeping them in my peripheral vision. Natalie hasn’t noticed me yet, so I angle myself just enough to hear snippets of their conversation.

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