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She glanced up to his face. “Yeah, a few times.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I tried, Brendan,” she implored. “Remember?”
Did she? He didn’t remember. Brendan had a sinking feeling that he’d fucked up. Big time. He couldn’t wait. He had to go fix it.
“What’re you doing, Bren?” Chloe still wrung her hands.
“Going to get some answers from Kelly.”
When he’d given himself permission to imagine an end to this fucking nightmare, he never once thought he’d be walking into another one. He only thought of her. Everything he did was for her. She had to know that.
It never occurred to him that Katelyn wouldn’t be here. Why would she leave? What was she thinking? What about school and Kelly and Beanie’s? It didn’t make any sense.
Nothing made any fucking sense.
He shrugged into his coat and went out the front door. Early March wind bit into him, cold and damp, chilling him to the bone. Brendan slipped through the gate into the park, and passing the spot on the trail where he first saw her, he felt for the hammered silver plate on his wrist and hurried his steps.
Kelly and Leo were behind the counter. He could see them through the window. And was that frat boy? What the fuck was he doing here? Brendan felt the tick in his jaw before he even opened the door.
Leo noticed him first. He elbowed Kelly and tipped his chin in his direction, then she noticed him too, and her face took on a scowl. Frat boy leaned against the counter, oblivious to his arrival.
“Brendan.” She cocked her head.
Frat boy turned around.
“Kelly.” He didn’t have time for bullshit. “Where’s Katelyn?”
“She isn’t here.” Kelly held her hands out to emphasize the fact.
“I know she isn’t here.” He shook his head, exasperated already. “She with her folks?”
She crossed her arms over her chest and didn’t answer.
He moved closer to the counter. “C’mon, Kelly. You know I’m just going to drive out there anyway.”
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. My brother-in-law just might shoot you on sight.”
Drew likes me. He wouldn’t do that, would he?
Brendan could understand Kelly being upset with him, but this seemed like more than that. She was downright venomous. “Why did she leave? Is she okay?”
“Why do you care?”
He wasn’t getting anywhere with Kelly. If she wasn’t Katelyn’s aunt he’d have told her to fuck off by now. What the fuck was he wasting his time here for? He should just go, get in his car, and get his girl back. Why did he feel like he had to make her understand?
“Kelly, you know I love her.”
“Really? Is that why you tossed her out like trash?” she spat out.
Is that what she really thought? Is that what Katelyn thought? Because nothing was further from the truth. God, she had to know that.
“That’s not what happened.”
Kelly popped her hip. She didn’t try to mask her disdain. “Sure seems like it to me.”
“What would you have had me do, huh?”
