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Tom turned from his game. “Can I get waffle fries?”
“Of course you can. Mom, do you want to come? My treat.”
“I can pay for myself.”
Harper shook her head. “I’m inviting you. You can pay next time.”
“Let me go grab my purse.” Her voice lilted with excitement and Harper forced down the overwhelming emotion that tried to force its way to the surface.
For years, she’d wanted this. Years, she’d begged Mom to get sober. She had her days, but there were always the underlying signs that made Harper lose hope for good. Little by little her hope was renewing. She wished Milo were here to witness this. He would have made a joke about being the ref and getting a day off. She smiled thinking about it.
“How’s Milo?” Mom asked as she came back into the living room as if she was reading Harper’s mind.
Harper shrugged. “He says he’s fine, but I don’t know. He doesn’t seem…fine.”
“Then he’s probably not.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I’m not saying I know him better than you do, but Milo has a tendency to hide from any emotion, especially if he’s afraid of hurting you.”
He was the one held at gunpoint, why would he be afraid of hurting her? That made no sense. “That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it? When he got hit by that car, he always put a happy face on for you. He didn’t want you to worry.”
“How do you even know that?” She’d only visited Milo in the hospital once as far as she knew, and Milo had still been whacked up on drugs. He couldn’t even form a coherent sentence.
“Sweetie, that boy has been in love with you for as long as I can remember. Even a drunken mess, I could see it. Just keep an eye on him. This time, he needs you.”
Chapter 23
Sweat prickled down his spine. Ice cold fear flowed through his veins, freezing his muscles and limbs. A lump formed in his throat, and he couldn’t speak. The gun pressed harder into his skin, pushing against the tendons in his neck.
Please, whatever you want. Just take it. The words echoed in his head, but no matter how hard he tried to force them out he couldn’t; they were stuck like fish in a frozen pond.
He couldn’t sit here and allow this dangerous man in his town. He had to do something. What if he got out of the car and went onto Main Street and found Mr. Anderson getting in his car, or the Greenes making their nightly run in their golf cart? What if he came across Harper walking between the alley of The Book Nook and Pie in the Sky?
Anger tightened his jaw, and he leapt toward the assailant. He grabbed his wrist and struggled, forcing his arm away, but the guy was too strong. He fought back, overtaking Milo little by little. The gun dug into his stomach. A loud bang echoed in his ears; he screamed and jolted awake.
His breath came in short gasps as the dream faded into reality. He sucked in air as he tried to ground himself in the now. He ran a hand over his damp hair. Sweat dripped down his forehead and into his eye. A sharp sting forced his eye shut.
The bedroom door flew open, and Harper and Jasper ran in.
“Are you okay?” Harper asked.
“I heard a scream,” Jasper said.
“Me too,” Harper concurred.
He opened his eye despite the sting and focused on Harper and Jasper. “I’m fine.”
“Why did you scream? Were you having a nightmare?” Harper moved into the room. “It’s perfectly normal to have nightmares after what you went through.”
He didn’t want to admit that his dreams had become a playground for his fears and weaknesses. She didn’t need to know he was a coward.
“I’m fine,” he said.
“Mi, you don’t have to put on an act for us,” Harper said, and he shook his head. She could never leave things well enough alone. He glanced at Jasper, hoping he’d be the voice of reason.
