Page 3 of Somebody to Love

“Quite a lot has changed in fifteen years, Bailey.”

She nodded, but said nothing more. Another change; the old Bailey Jones had filled every gap with words.

She started moving. Reaching his side, she stopped briefly, and looked up at him. Joe noticed a small crescent-shaped scar high on her cheekbone that hadn’t been there when she was thirteen.

“Thank you for reaching the Apple Sours for me.”

He made himself speak. Pushed aside the myriad of feelings choking him, and forced a smile onto his face.

“No worries, I know what your addiction to them was once like. It’s good to see that hasn’t changed. Nice to see you again, Bailey. I’m sure I’ll see you around.”

She gave another jerky nod, and something flickered over her face. Sadness, maybe? Whatever, it was soon gone. She managed a shaky smile. He remembered that too. The little girl who had taught herself how to hide away from things that hurt or upset her. She’d often hid her troubled thoughts behind a smile.

“Goodbye, Joe,” she added before leaving.

He had the foolish urge to go after her. Take her hand, make contact with her. Instead, he stood where he was, and inhaled. He did it again and again in an attempt to calm himself. Instead, he smelled her. A soft floral scent hung in the air.

“I’m fairly sure this is the confectionary aisle. Yoga is two over.”

“Ha” was all Joe could manage. He felt like someone had clamped a vise around his chest. Bailey was home, and she looked.... Christ, how did he explain even to himself how she looked? Beautiful, exhausted, haunted. How had he picked up all that in the few minutes he’d been with her?

“Hell of a scent in the air, and I like pickles,” Findlay Hudson said.

“Yeah, clean up in aisle three.” Joe ran a hand through his hair. He and Fin had been friends for a while now; both had pasts that were best left buried.

Tall like Joe, Fin had brown hair and blue eyes. He was the head ranger in Ryker Falls. He wore his khaki uniform of shorts and shirt, aviators pushed up on his head.

“You okay, bud? Looking a bit tense around the eyes.”

“Had my weekly run-in with Ms. Howard,” Joe said, instead of ‘I just walked into someone who had once been my savior, and we’re now strangers.’ “Usually it doesn’t bother me, today it did.” Joe shrugged. His friend knew him well enough to see something was bugging him, so he gave him a variation of the truth.

“The woman was born to hate, Joe, we both know it. She’s not happy unless she’s making someone else feel the same. You gotta sympathize with her husband.”

“True that,” Joe grunted. “I can handle her, but sometimes it just pisses me off more than others.”

“You’ve been back years now, Joe. There’s only a few who have long memories and aren’t willing to forget. Unfortunately, she’s one of them, and vocal about it.”

He nodded.

“So you’re good? Or is there something else you need to unload on me while I’m playing Dr. Phil?”

“You need to stop dating Mandy, bud. She’s making you way too in tune with your emotions.” Joe tried to lighten the mood.

“The hell you say!”

“Sissy is what you are. It’s damn unsettling to see it happening, too.” Joe felt the tightness ease inside his chest as he and Fin went at it like they always did.

Fin slapped his chest. “I’m a goddamned park ranger, Trainer, nothing sissy in that career choice. Unlike you going all soft on me and running a bar.”

“Which I happen to own, and if you want that table tonight, you better be nicer.”

“True that,” Fin sighed. “I’m bringing a date, so chuck on a white cloth and some flowers. A candle wouldn’t hurt either.”

“I live to serve, you know that,” Joe said. “Mandy?”

“Nah.”

“Who?”

---