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I’ll wait until you’re ready to talk.
Boone
I was going to throw them out but instead took them to Stacy Clausen. I figured with her husband on deployment, she could use some cheering up. It also gave me a chance to touch base with Tally.
The next step for her was to enroll in an online class at the community college, which she was saving up for with the hotel job. We’d looked at some of the options. In a way, she reminded me of myself at a younger age. With a few courses and the tutoring I’d offered, she wouldn’t be condemned to a dead-end job in this town.
The next day it was a dozen pink roses and a dozen red. The card was the same. I delivered those to Zelda at the bank and asked her to hand them out to customers who came in.
The third day was three dozen red once again with the same annoying card. I figured Rita at The Boathouse could put them out on the tables.
That afternoon, I refused to call him directly, but I asked Pris to tell her brother to cut it out with the flowers. They wouldn’t change my mind, no matter how many arrived.
She delivered the message, and the next day a new pair of sneakers appeared on the porch—in my size, of course, and with the same card as before. Pris had heard me complain about my worn-out pair, but she denied having anything to do with the new ones showing up.
Those I stashed in my bag for when I left. Sneakers were appropriate, because as much as I tried to avoid it, Boone kept sneaking into my thoughts. The bastard wouldn’t let me ignore him and forget he existed.
Then this morning another mysterious box had showed up on the porch. This one was gift wrapped and accompanied by the same white card.
“It looks more expensive. It could be the key to a new car,” Pris joked.
I set it down on the counter. “Whatever it is, I don’t want it.” But I couldn’t resist the urge to glance out the window—no car there.
“I saw that,” she chided. “You were hoping for a car.”
“Only so I can get farther away from him.”
She picked the box up and shook it. “Maybe it’s full of money?”
“Dream on.”
She set it down in front of me. “Go ahead. Open it.”
I gave in and found a set of silk pajamas inside. Running my fingers over them, I understood the sayingsmooth as silk.
“You can’t say my brother doesn’t have class. I’m going to demand he get me a set of these for Christmas.”
* * *
Boone
I woke with a headache,a full bladder, and a dry mouth. My tongue felt like it had grown a coat of fur. I’d drunk my pain away last night, just as I had every night since Angela left.
Over and over, I regretted what I’d done. The football betrayal had been long enough ago that I should have been able to let go of it anyway, yet I hadn’t, and my words of accusation—which were ultimately based on a lie—had blown up everything between us.
She hadn’t kept the flowers I’d sent, and so far the presents weren’t getting any response either. But right now aspirin was my first order of business.
After a hot shower, I dressed and mentally prepared for the inevitable barrage of comments my aunt would launch over breakfast.
Thankfully, the aspirin was kicking in by the time I headed downstairs. I turned on my phone, hoping for just a simple thank you from Angela—anything but this damned silence. Instead, my head started to pound when I saw the message that came up.
ROSELLA: You didn’t do the Cicero order! Again! I can’t keep going on like this just because you want to spend time on your precious hotel. I’m not working any more nights.
The next one was worse.
ROSELLA: I’m done with this and I expect my final check in two weeks.
Now I was triple fucked. No Angela, and soon no Grace or Rosella.
