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“No.”
“They’re giant masses of waste, formed by non-biodegradable solids, like wet wipes, mixing with fat, oil, grease, stuff like that. They get huge and block up city sewers. They’re massively gross. So never, ever, ever flush wet wipes, OK?”
“Got it. Thank you for the information that I will do my best to forget as soon as possible,” Harper says.
“You’re welcome.” My eyes go to Sophie, who’s still working the lollipop. “If you grabbed that from the shelf, you better pay for it. Why do you have that, anyway?”
She shrugs. “It’s a new look I’m trying out. I thought after we do your thing, I might go to Elmsburg, hang out by the country club, see if I can get myself a sugar daddy.”
Harper looks at her sideways. “And thank you for the second piece of gross information that I’m going to do my best to forget as soon as possible.”
“You better pay for your flirtatious sex sucker, Sophie,” I repeat. “I’m serious. After the break-in the other day, Mr. Dunkhauser is on high alert for anything that messes with the bottom line. I wouldn’t be shocked if he was watching you through a security camera right now.”
“I’ll bet he is, the dirty old man,” Sophie says, popping the sucker in and out of her mouth intensely. She even licks the tip.
“Gross. Stop it. I really hope you didn’t come down here just to interrupt me working just so you could buy some wet wipes and flirt with my boss. Also, why are you buying wet wipes?”
“They’re for you, actually,” Harper says, smacking the pack. “Because you are going to shit yourself when you find out how well I came through for you.”
“You mean you really found someone that can get me the…” I drop my voice to nearly a whisper, even though Maggie is on the other side of the pharmacy counter and deeply engrossed in paperwork. “Gun?”
"Shh!" Harper hisses, glancing around nervously. "Not so loud. But yes, I did. My cousin's boyfriend's brother knows a guy. We can meet him tonight if you're up for it."
My heart races. This is really happening. I'm actually going to get a gun. The weight of what I'm about to do suddenly feels very real.
But I have to do this. I have to protect myself, and Jay has proven that he’s willing to go above and beyond simply threatening to make my life hell. How much longer until he decides he doesn’t like the fact that I’m alive and with someone else? What if he isn’t content to just hurt me, but goes after Hunter, or even Charlie, too?
"I... yeah. Yeah, I'm up for it," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "What time and where?"
"Eleven o'clock. He runs a gun shop on the edge of town, but does stuff on the side, too, you know? Once you finish here, go to an ATM and get out five hundred, then we’ll swing by my bar, have a drink, then go do this meeting. I need a beer and a shot," Harper says, her voice low. "You sure about this, Em? It's not too late to back out."
I take a deep breath. "I'm sure. I need to do this."
Sophie stops her lollipop antics and gives me a serious look. "Just be careful, okay? This isn't exactly the smartest thing. And think who you’re hearing that from.."
“You’re plenty smart, Sophie. And I know. I will be careful," I assure her. "Thanks for setting this up, Harper. I owe you one."
"You owe me several," she corrects with a smirk. "Now ring us up so we can get out of here before your boss, Carl, decides to make an appearance and see if Sophie’s willing to fulfill her lollipop promises.."
I scan the wet wipes and Sophie's lollipop, my mind already racing ahead to tonight. As I hand Harper her change, I can't help but wonder what I've gotten myself into.
But there's no turning back now — I will buy that gun and I’ll use to make sure Jay never threatens me again.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Hunter
I can’t see you until real late. Working on the paper. Text you when I’m free.
Emily’s words sit on my phone. I scan them again, feeling both glad that I don’t have to lie to her about where I’m at, and, at the same time, wishing I were with her. This work has to be done, but there’s something that happens in my heart when I’m around her and Charlie. It feels like a hunger that I never even knew I had is being satisfied.
And when she’s not around, I feel an emptiness deeper than I’ve ever felt before.
Is this what love is?
“Stop staring at your phone. We have heads to break.”
Diesel’s words make me start, then shake my head. What am I doing? I have to keep my edge, because if I let my guard down, I’ll lose everything that’s made me happy. “You’re right.”
