Page 46 of The Map Home
“Yes, thanks,” Kota replied in a wry tone. “I have, indeed, finally pulled my head out of my ass.”
Boone’s almost-fiancée let out a quiet shriek of joy, then rushed to wrap her arms as far as she could around them both and hug them tightly. Tad caught the bemused expression on Kota’s face. He really had no idea how many people loved him and would be happy that he was happy.
“I’m so happy for you. Now if I could just figure out what’s up with Boone.”
An unfamiliar chime sounded, and Amanda stuck her hand in her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She glanced at the screen. “I’ve got to go. Smooches, you two.”
“Um, good luck with Boone,” Tad called after her.
He and Kota piled into the front of Tad’s pickup. Turning the engine on, Tad carefully pulled out of the parking lot. He didn’t want to damage his precious load.
“What do you think’s up with Boone?” Kota asked over the rumble of the engine.
“I have no idea. He loves Amanda, so that’s not the issue, for sure.”
They were driving down Main Street, and Tad’s apartment was just a few blocks away now. The white glow of the lights draped around the town tree cloaked everything close by with a cheerful glow—or, it could just be the intense happiness Tad was trying to keep somewhat contained. About half of the shops they passed were still open, presumably trying to lure those shoppers who didn’t have time to browse during the day. Tad planned to remember this moment forever.
Ahead, the traffic light turned red, and Tad slowed to a stop behind an SUV. He glanced over at Kota, who was looking out the side window.
“What are you looking at?”
Kota turned toward him, and Tad was surprised by the incredulous expression on his face. “Shit. I think I just saw Boone in Village Jewelers.”
Tad frowned. “Why would he be at the jeweler’s? He has our grandma’s ring, and his idea of jewelry for men is a fancy bolo tie.”
“Fuck,of course. It makes total sense.” Dakota was still staring at him, his eyebrows raised. “What if Boonedoesn’thave the ring?”
The light turned green. Tad gently pressed down on the gas pedal and crossed through the intersection. The implication was almost more than he could wrap his head around. What if the problem was not cold feet but that Big Boone had managed to “misplace” their grandmother’s ring?
“Dude,” Tad whispered.
“Definitely, dude.”
“Okay, so if he doesn’t have Grandma’s ring, where is it?” Their mom was going to be so pissed.
“That I shouldn’t speculate on, but I’m going to anyway.”
Tad kept his foot on the gas pedal and kept driving down the salted street. His apartment was right there, and he wanted to get the tree up. But right now, right this minute, he wanted to hear what Kota had to say even more.
“Spit it out. I wanna hear it.”
“You’re going to think I’m crazy.”
“Kota,” Tad said warningly, “tell me.”
“I think I know where itwas. I think it was tucked inside one of the bears Penny donated to the community kids’ program. I think Boone put the ring in one of the bears to give Amanda when he asked her to marry him—it’s something cheesy he would do, probably saw it in a Hallmark film—and then, like the Boone he is, he left it with the other bears. Then your folks took them all into town and donated them.”
There was a spot open just down from the front of his building, and Tad eased into it. “Keep talking.”
“When he realized what he’d done, instead of telling anyone and maybe asking for help, he broke in and took the bears, but for whatever reason, he didn’t find the ring.”
“Duuuude.” Tad knew Kota was right. Even with the lack of concrete evidence, it was obvious to anyone who knew his older brother and Boone’s decided lack of common sense sometimes. After setting the parking brake, he turned the engine off again, but he didn’t climb out right away. He was too stunned. “Boone lost his sunglasses last summer and they were on the top of his head.”
“So, either the ring is still in one of the bears in the evidence room at the station”—Kota shrugged—“or it’s in the field. Or it never left your folks’ house and we’re totally wrong.”
“He is never, ever going to live this down.”
“Nope. You know,” Dakota said after second or so, “a Santa Claus flipped me off at the tree lighting.”
