Page 29 of Huckleberry Hill
“I’ve got a hot date with the slush pile,” Poet said. “Though they really should call it the flush pile. Where creative books go to die.”
“What about you?” I asked Salem. “Any fun plans tonight?”
“I actually have to change and go have a drink with my boss. Networking thing,” she said.
“So glamorous,” Wyn said. “I’m about to put on my under-eye patches.”
“Over and out,” I said before clicking off.
My phone darkened and I set it on the nightstand. I swung my legs over the side of my bed and sat there for a moment, letting the last of the sleep clear from my brain.
I finally got up and went to my closet to pull out an old hoodie that was two sizes too big. It was worn, faded, and so comfortable. Salem hadn’t allowed me to bring it to New York, but every time I was home, I lounged around in it.
Dad was sitting at the dining room table, glasses on the end of his nose as he looked over a stack of papers.
“Tell me why life gets summed up in bills and useless paperwork?” Dad asked without looking up.
“You could have everything sent electronically,” I pointed out. “Save on the hassle of having to shred everything.”
“And paper cuts,” he said, finally giving me his attention. “And do you really think I’m going to switch everything to a computer when I still have a landline?”
“You’re a regular time capsule.” I leaned down and kissed his cheek.
“You slept hard,” he commented. “I thought about waking you up so you wouldn’t have trouble sleeping tonight, but Muddy told me to let you be.”
“Thanks,” I said. “Need anything while I’m up?”
“Orange juice, please,” he said.
I wandered into the kitchen toward the refrigerator. “You wanted to talk to me about something, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I did. I had Declan and the boys ride out and place the trail cams so we can find where the bear is roaming. I don’t want you walking to the stables alone at night.”
“What makes you think I’ll go to the stables at night?” I opened the cabinet and pulled out two glasses.
“I know you,” he said. “Whenever you’ve got something on your mind, you go to the stables.”
“So what’s the solution?” I poured the orange juice and then put the carton back in the fridge. “I’m not going to wake you up in the middle of the night just so you can walk with me.”
“I said I don’t want you walking to the stables alone at night, but I also know that’s not gonna stop you from doing it.”
I brought the glasses of juice into the dining room and set his down away from the stack of papers.
“Promise me you’ll take the bear spray with you,” he said. “And if you don’t take the bear spray, you carry.”
“I promise,” I said. “Let’s hope I don’t have to use either.”
“From your lips,” he murmured. He took off his glasses and then gestured to the chair next to me.
“Oh no, we’re having a real talk now, aren’t we?” I quipped, but I pulled out the chair and took a seat nonetheless.
“Tell me what happened between you and Gianni,” he said.
I pursed my lips. “We ended our engagement.”
“Yeah, so you said.” He cocked his head to the side. “But why do I feel like I don’t have the full story?”
“Because you’re smart and I could never lie to you,” I said. “Not that I have lied to you. Salem says I can’t lie.”
