“They’re just employees, nothing more. Let’s try not to fight. We’re trying to see if we can make this work for Katie. Remember?”
David stares at me, and I get an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Am I making the right decision?
David unlocks his truck and opens the door for me. I stand there and debate to myself if I’m making the right decision or not. There’s a funny feeling in my stomach, and maybe I should pay attention to that. But right now, all I’m thinking about is Katie and how the preschool teacher said she’s been having issues since the divorce. I love my daughter, and I’ll do anything for her. Even if that means trying to keep a relationship with someone that I know is not going to make me happy.
I just need to try, for Katie’s sake.
2
Bart
I get into town and stop by the bakery to say hi to Carrie. It’s been a while since I’ve seen my sister, and the word in the family is she’s found “the one.” I may be in Forest Grove for mostly business, but I still need to check in with my little sister.
“Bart, I didn’t know you were coming today!” she says as she comes around the bakery case of goodies. She’s surprised to see me.
“I told you I would be coming in,” I tell her. She is smiling ear to ear, and I’m trying to remember if I’ve ever seen her look this happy.
She waves her hand in between us before pulling me in for a hug. “I know. I just didn’t know it was today. So what brings you to town?”
Well, there’s no way I can tell her the whole reason because I don’t want to worry her, so I keep most of it to myself. “Ya know, a little work and a little relaxing. I could ask, but I don’t think I need to.”
She looks confused. I look at her, and I swear she looks as if she’s glowing. “You’re glowing. I guess things are good with you and the sheriff?”
Her blush is immediate. “Yes, Scott and I are doing well.” She busies herself, walking to the counter and pouring coffee before grabbing a cinnamon roll. She sets it all down on the table next to us and gestures for me to sit down.
I bypass the coffee and go straight for the roll. “Mmm. This is so good. I heard you were doing great things here, but I had no idea. This is really good, Carrie.”
She just shrugs. “You don’t know. Aunt Patty could have made that.”
I start to choke. Aunt Patty is great, and her pastries are passable. But this is way too good to be Patty’s. We just smile at each other, like we’re sharing a secret before I jump in. “Well, I met Scott this morning.”
She looks taken aback. “You’ve already met him? Where? How?”
I keep my face passive, and I can tell she’s holding her breath, waiting on me to comment. “Yeah, he seems like a good dude. At the precinct. It was business.”
“You’re going to love him.” She rolls her eyes. “Even Mom likes him.”
I laugh at that. It’s common knowledge our mom doesn’t really approve of a lot of people. I hear she’s working on that though. “Well, that is saying something. So what else is new?”
“You actually just missed Chrissy. Do you remember my friend Chrissy?”
I try to keep my face void of all the thoughts going through my head. Do I remember Chrissy? Of course I remember Chrissy. She’s been Carrie’s best friend for as long as I can remember. She and Carrie used to be little pains in the asses and followed me everywhere… until she turned sixteen. I was eighteen and about to graduate high school, and all of a sudden she wasn’t my little sister’s friend anymore. She was a beautiful girl that I started to have feelings for. Something changed then, and I knew I had to get out of town before I did something stupid. To this day, I know that leaving Forest Grove was the only thing that saved her from me. She was definitely too tempting. I clear my throat as I realize Carrie’s still staring at me, waiting for a response. “Yeah, uh, I think I remember her.”
Carrie smirks like she’s on to me. “Well, she’s divorced now, and her husband is trying to get back together with her. It’s a big mistake. I know it is.”
I try not to look or sound too interested in what she’s saying about Chrissy and David, but if I were sitting, I’d be on the edge of my seat. “Really? Is she going to give it a try?”
“Yes! Isn’t that crazy? I know David is bad news, I just know it.”
I pat my sister on the shoulder, because obviously she’s really upset about this. “If she loves him…”