Page 42 of Echoes of You

“I’m sorry I lost you a customer on my first day.” My fingers curled into my palms, nails biting into my skin. It wasn’t exactly a great first impression.

Aspen waved me off. “If you lost me him, I’ll thank you for it. There’s nothing I hate more than cruelty.”

Something flashed in Aspen’s green gaze. It was as if shadows flickered there for the briefest of seconds.

“I’m not a fan of it either.” I’d spent too much time in the presence of it over my lifetime. I didn’t need any more.

“Then I say we have a no-assholes rule at The Brew.”

I chuckled. “I can get behind that.”

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out to quickly check the screen. I’d put a call into the Victims’ Rights board to find out when my father’s parole hearing was since my mother hadn’t been forthcoming.

I hated the idea of him breathing free and being back here in the place that was supposed to be my refuge. But I wouldn’t give up Cedar Ridge for him even if he did get out. I wouldn’t give up family dinners with the Hartleys and time with Nash. And if I knew one thing about my father, it was that he wouldn’t stay out of trouble for long, so I doubted his parole would last.

I scanned the screen, my muscles tensing.

Unknown Number

You think you can block me?

I didn’t even have time to react before another message came through.

Unknown Number

You need to remember that I can get to you anywhere…

“Maddie?”

My head jerked up.

Concern filled Aspen’s expression. “What happened? You went really pale.”

My fingers fumbled at the side buttons on my phone, trying to turn it off. “Just my stupid ex.” I tried to force a laugh, but it came out choked. “He would not be allowed in here because he’s definitely an asshole.”

Aspen’s jaw tightened. “Do you think he’ll show up here?”

Dread pooled in my belly. God, I hoped not. “I don’t think so. His work pretty much consumes him.” But he’d hate what my leaving would do to his image.

“Maybe you should show me his photo just in case. That way, I can keep an eye out. I don’t want anyone giving you a hard time.”

I winced. “I actually deleted them all off my phone. I don’t even have a single one.”

A grin spread across Aspen’s face at that revelation. “A cathartic cleansing. I like it. What about social media?”

My thumb trembled slightly as I hit the app and punched in Adam’s username. I breathed a sigh of relief as the first photo that appeared was geotagged Atlanta. It looked as if he were at a fundraiser for his charity. The second photo on his grid was an old one of the two of us. It had been taken the day I moved to Atlanta. He was tipping me back in an exaggerated dip, and I was laughing with such abandon. How had all that promise turned tothis?

Aspen squeezed my arm. “I got a good look at him. You can close it.”

“Thanks,” I whispered.

She sent me a little smile. “Have you tried burning his clothes in a bonfire? I’ve heard that can be a good one.”

“You’ve got an asshole ex, too?”

Those shadows flitted across Aspen’s eyes again. “No, but I know the type.”

I leaned my shoulder into hers, wondering if she was telling the truth. I couldn’t imagine how hard it would be to get out of a difficult situation with an ex and have a child to care for at the same time. It made me feel like a bit of a wimp for the pity party I’d been throwing myself the past couple of weeks. “I’m sorry for whatever you went through.”

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