Page 15 of Outlaw Heartstrings
I hold in a groan. So much for keeping a low profile.
Excited chatter begins to rise up in the room.
“Holy crap! It’s Easton Raines!”
“Welcome back to town, dude!”
“Hey! Can I get an autograph for my brother?”
“My kid would just kill for a photo with you.”
As the crowd grows, I paste on an uncomfortable smile, my brain still trying to wrap itself around all the new information I just learned.
Normally, I don’t mind the pictures and autographs thing. Actually, I usually enjoy meeting hockey fans. But this is terrible timing. Between my injury and my current quest to figure out what happened with Alba’s family, my head’s not quite in it.
Still, I scribble out a handful of autographs, slap a few high-fives for the kids, and then I duck out as quickly as possible on my crutches, pulling my hood up over my head.
I don’t even realize that I forgot about my coffee until I’m outside.
Not that it matters. I’m too keyed up for caffeine anyway, overwhelmed with shock and confusion as I try again and again to process the pieces of this twisted tale.
The hockey coach—that’s Alba’s father—was having an affair with the pastor’s wife—that’s Christopher’s mother. They stole money from the church bank accountsandfrom the Anderson family savings. A judge put the local Bonnie and Clyde in the naughty corner for a court-imposed time-out. And now Alba’s running around town, peeking over fences and dressing up as a fairy.
Right. I guessthatmakes sense.Not.
I’m even more confused than I was before.
All I know is, I feel this incredible need to see Alba again. I’m pissed that I let her run off the way she did after she showed up on my property. With the church gone and everything being so completely weird and different, I’m left wondering how the heck I’ll track her down again.
Glancing around the hospital parking lot, I don’t see Lincoln anywhere. But my luck must be turning for the better. Because when I gaze across the street, I spot a familiar head of coppery curls and a hot little ass entering the public library.
My heartbeat speeds up instantly.Bingo!
7
ALBA
Ienter the library with Jagger’s small hand clasped in mine. He’s excitedly jabbering on about the book series they’re supposed to be covering in his summer reading group today. He’s on a dinosaur kick right now, and it’s fun to listen to all the interesting facts he’s been learning.
I’m on my way to my house cleaning gig before my waitressing shift this afternoon. But first, I have to drop Jagger off at the library. My mom will pick him up afterward, while I’m still at work.
Jagger has acquired my love of reading, and that something I’m so grateful for. I love our visits to the library, where we both get lost among the cluttered shelves for hours.
Today in particular, I wish I could skip work and hang out here all day long. I don’t want to face reality. I don’t want to deal with the fact that Easton Raines is back in town. But I’ve only got a few extra minutes before I have to get going.
My nephew gives me a quick hug, before he darts off toward the kid’s section. “I’ll be in the romance section, but I’ll come say bye before I leave, Okay?”
He pauses. “Okay, Mimi. Love you!”
“Love you, too, Bud.”
“Twenty-four-seven. All the time,” we say in unison.
Jagger grins at me before he runs off again. As I stand there, watching him quietly scamper away between the bookshelves, I have to admit to myself that Jules is right. I’m realizing I need to tell Jagger’s father about him. It’s the right thing to do. Even though I’m scared out of my mind about how Easton will take the news.
I really,reallydon’t want him to break that sweet, little boy’s heart…the way his own mother has.
I just wish Raya would answer my messages. I’ve been trying to get in touch with her since last night and she hasn’t even read any of my texts.
