Page 15 of The Edge of Summer
I round to the end of the register, helping the cashier pack the groceries and then loading them back in the cart. Meanwhile, Delilah’s eyes burn holes in the side of my face. Scrutinizing me. I choose to ignore her.
When the final bag is placed in the cart and Delilah has her receipt in hand, I accompany her and Sophia to their car. Wordlessly, I help place the paper sacs in the trunk. Her movement is stifled by the child at her side, so I do most of the heavy lifting.
“Soph,” Delilah says gently, trying to pry her away, “it’s okay. You’re not in trouble.”
More tears glisten in Sophia’s eyes, and then they start to fall.Fuck. In this moment, she reminds me so much ofAbbie, my heart squeezes. I don’t even think before I drop to a knee on the asphalt. I wait until she lifts her chin to meet my eyes.
“Hi, Sophia. I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Luke. I work at the fire department.”
She looks like she wants to shy away from me, but then, despite the tears, her big blue eyes grow curious. “Like a firefighter?” she asks quietly.
“I’m actually the boss,” I say with a wink. “I get to tell all the firefighters what to do.”
She lets out a small giggle. Some tears still track down her face, but she looks happier than she did before.
I gesture with a thumb over my shoulder, back toward the store. “What happened in there was a mistake. Good people make mistakes. I’ve made mistakes, and I’m sure your sister has, too.”
Sophia’s eyes widen as she looks up at Delilah. “Really?” she whispers.
Delilah nods. “Oh, yeah, I’ve madeloadsof mistakes. You didn’t know the rules, so it’s not your fault that you broke them. But now that youdoknow, it’s your job not to do it again. Okay?”
Sophia nods. “Okay.”
Delilah squeezes her shoulder. “Can you get buckled in your seat? I have to talk to the chief for a minute.”
Sophia agrees, finally releasing her hold on Delilah’s shorts. Once she has shut herself in the vehicle, the woman in front of me finally meets my gaze. It’s probing, the way her grey-blue eyes search mine. Like always, I let nothing slip.
“Thank you,” she eventually says.
I tip my chin in acknowledgment. “Gordon is a renowned shit disturber, but he shouldn’t bother you again. You will, however, likely receive an icy glare the next time you’re here.”
She shrugs. “Nothing I’m not used to. Paul Blart can try, but he’s not going to run me off.”
I allow my lips to quirk upwards at the nickname.
“I’ll, uh, see you around,” she says.
“See you around,” I echo.
I stay rooted to the spot even after Delilah gives me her back, ducking her head into the passenger side of her vehicle to check on Sophia. It isn’t until she rounds the hood that I finally move, heading back toward the store.
She’s just a tourist. She’ll be gone before I know it. Yet a million thoughts volley in my brain. A million questions. One, however, sticks out among all the rest: who the hell is Delilah Delacroix?
And why do I want to find out?
CHAPTER
SIX
DELILAH
Our first weekon the island has been nothing short of interesting. The incident at Sunnyside Market made me miss ordering groceries online and having them delivered. Perks of now living in a small town and shopping at a mom-and-pop grocer instead of a chain.
The moving truck with our belongings arrived two days after we did. Although the place is a bit cramped, it feels more like home now that it’s full of familiar things. The pink house is a whole lot smaller than ours in James Bay, so most of our furniture sold with the house or was given away. The rest of our stuff was shipped across the country to our new home.
After Parker refused to go back to school in September, he was enrolled in an online program instead. Our internet isn’t set up yet, so Parker, Sophia and I have spent time each day at the little library downtown so he could finish the last of hisassignments.
We exit the library, Sophia’s arm swinging our joined hands between us. We veer left while Parker veers right.
