Page 61 of Lavender Lake
We got out of the side-by-side and headed toward the group of people standing outside the double wide.
“Declan!” the older man greeted, holding out his hand. His smile warmed his weathered face.
“Hey, John.” Declan clasped his hand, and then dropped it so he could hug the woman. “Good to see you, Stella.” He stepped back and gestured to me. “Everyone, I’d like you to meet Salem, Hadley’s twin.”
“Nice to meet you,” John said. “Let me introduce the family.”
“Maybe we should make name tags,” one of the younger men said, winking at me.
“That’s Harlan,” John said. “And it’s best if you ignore everything he says.”
I laughed.
“Grady, Killian, and Chase.” John pointed to the other three. “And my wife, Stella. She keeps us all in line.”
“You’re heathens,” Stella said with a smile, and then looked at me. “It’s a full-time job.”
“Looks like it,” I said, enjoying their easy familiarity. “Declan says you’re from Sandpoint?”
John nodded. “We’re not that far from home, but—” He gestured to the RVs. “This will make our extended stay a lot more comfortable, and cut down on unnecessary travel time.”
“How long areyoustaying?” Harlan asked, running a hand through his dark hair.
“Just for the wedding,” I said, looking at Declan. “And then I’ll go back to New York.”
“New York?” Grady repeated as he scratched his scruffy jaw.
“Yeah.” I clamped my mouth shut, not wanting to have to tell a group of strangers about my father in the hospital.
John took the social cue well. He cleared his throat and addressed Declan, “I’d like to talk to you about some things.”
Declan nodded. “Of course. Salem? You mind driving back alone? Someone’ll give me a ride when I’m finished.”
I let out a breath of relief. “Sure thing. It was nice meeting you all.”
“I hope we see more of you,” Harlan voiced a bit too enthusiastically.
Stella smacked his arm. “Professionalism, Harlan.”
“What’s your role in the family business?” I asked Harlan.
He grinned. “I’m the one in charge of blowing things up.”
“In more ways than one, I’ll bet.”
With a chuckle, I walked back to the side-by-side and climbed in. I’d learned to drive a side-by-side long before a truck, so I was very familiar with it.
I was thankful for the noise blasting from the vehicle, but my conversation with Declan was at the forefront of my mind. I had to keep my shit together—for Hadley’s sake. How I felt about Jane, among other things, didn’t matter.
Only Hadley’s well-being mattered.
I was instantly ashamed. I had to do better. I had tobebetter.
Bowman was nowhere to be found when I got back to the house and parked. I was just about to go inside and call my boss when I heard, “Son of a bitch!”
I turned and looked for the source of the yell, but couldn’t see anyone. I walked around the side of the house and saw two human legs sticking out from underneath the back porch and a pair of boots digging into the ground.
“Bowman?” I asked.
