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Will I be over him by then?
My stomach flips over. An unwanted answer.
Gran pokes her head through the doorway as I’m stewing with my thoughts, wearing her usual knowing smirk. “More cake? We’re celebrating, aren’t we?”
“If you want to call it that, I guess. It’s a pretty big bad guy going down.”
“Oh, heavens, no. I’m talking about you coming to your senses, June bug,” she says cheerfully, carrying over two heaping pieces of strawberry shortcake. “We’re going to sit and figure out how you’ll kiss and make up with that fine young man.”
* * *
The police don’t getin touch over the next few days.
It’s back to business as usual.
The papers online aren’t revealing much either, but it’s making me antsy. How weird is it that I’m more bothered by the radio silence than the fact that I could’ve been openly targeted by hitmen?
Of course, everyone’s talking about it at the shop—and talking about me.
I don’t catch much besides muffled words that always stop as soon as I step into the room.
But that’s how you know—it’s the hissing whispers and wide-eyed looks whenever I turn my back or when they don’t think I’m looking. The sidelong glances, the obsessive interest, the oozingsympathy.
I definitely don’t need more sympathy.
Dexter and I are done.
Even our involvement in the same harrowing crime case feels like an echo from the past.
“Well,Iheard Haute hired a big-time lawyer for over a million dollars,” Sarah whispers to Emmy. Now that Emmy and Jake are officially dating, the two girls have made up remarkably fast.
“Just one mil? I reckon it was more like two.”
“He’ll do anything to stay out of prison. It’s almost like saving face when Big Fish kicked his butt.”
“Well, yeah,” Emmy says, rolling her eyes. “He’s the one who got Haute arrested, right?”
I keep rolling pastry in the kitchen, fighting to tune them out.
Roll twist. Roll flip. Flour.
They don’t notice the door’s open and I can hear every word. Maybe they don’t care.
But I just don’t have the energy to face them, to see the questions dancing on their faces, let alone the pity.
“I can’t believe he was so brave. He always seemed like the type who wouldn’t get his hands dirty,” Sarah says.
“Yeah, I’m surprised, too. The man’s filthy rich and way too polished,” Emmy huffs out. “But for Junie, I guess he reverts back to caveman.”
“But she wasn’t there…”
“Does it matter?” Emmy sighs wistfully. “You just know he was thinking of her. I bet she’s all he thinks about. I knew it when I saw his eyes.”
“Seriously?” Jake pipes up from the back. “You guys have been talking about this case all week.”
“Because you’re jealous, boy,” Sarah teases. “Better step it up and save Emmy from zombie muggers or something if you ever want to be top dog around here.”
Emmy laughs.
