Page 44 of Back in the Country
“Know anything about why the Sheriff’s department was driving real slow past the shop this morning?”
“No.” His posture remains relaxed except for the way his arms flex against his coveralls. I feel like an ass for bringing it up and make a mental note not to mention it again before apologizing.
“Sorry.”
He ignores me.
“I just want to make sure that you’re serious about her, Waylon. I don’t care that you are my brother. You break her heart again and we’ll have problems.”
“She’s my whole world.”
“She’s always been your whole world. Try again.”
“What do you mean try again?”
“Words mean nothing if you’re not going to back them up with actions.”
“I’m going to marry her—is that what you want to hear?”
He shrugs. “It’s a start.”
“Yeah, well I just have to figure out how to tell her brother I’m dating her so I can get his blessing, and then I have to convince her to stay.”
Hank tilts his head to the side but remains silent. I hate that he’s judging me. I hate that he feels the need to judge me. Marlee told me that she still talked to Hank regularly while the two of us weren’t really talking.
I don’t like it. The time I missed being with her—all of it—still weighs on my mind. Things will be different this time, but I just need to be smart about it. She’s my forever, and I need to show Sorren how serious I am about her and how being in Clementine Creek won’t hold her back.
My phone buzzes again, and I unlock it to scroll to the end.
SORREN:Just got to the house. Give me a little bit to settle in before you bring her here.
CASE:I’ll drive her
OTTO:Why can’t I drive her?
CASE:Because you have no chill and we need her as chill as possible
SORREN:Preach
OTTO:Don’t do that
SORREN:My b
OTTO:Or that
SORREN:I forgot how exhausting you are
OTTO:Thank you (smiley face emoji)
CASE:Just dropped her off.
No other messagescome through after that, and I can do nothing but hold my breath and wait to see how this next chapter of our lives will unfold. Taking one more look at the beloved auto shop sign, I make my way back inside and start an oil change on a sedan that is going to be picked up this afternoon.
18
MARLEE
It has been a few days since Sorren arrived at home, and things have been…tense. We are stuck in a constant cycle of me trying to help him and him snapping that he is fine and doesn’t need help. The result is more than one blowup and me escaping the house to go for a walk in the orchard.
