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“I was worried about him.” He spat out the last word, and I had a strong feeling he was lying.

He’d never admit it, though.

I opened my mouth to tell him he should’ve been worried because that was the least of what I could do, but I stopped myself.

Things were a slippery slope with Gabriel, and I’m glad I hadn’t gotten back into the habit of sleepwalking to him. If I opened this door, I’d jump right back into bad habits just in time for him to leave.

“I . . . need to go to the shop.”

Gabriel blinked. “Are you sure? I could get you breakfast as an apology for holding you back.”

I wanted to say yes. I wanted to go with him so badly.

But I shook my head. “I’m fine. Really. You should go hang out with the girls. Things are getting better with them.”

I had to force my legs to move toward my shop. I had to force myself not to stay and beg him to take me to the diner anyway.

It was the right thing to do.

Yet, it felt so wrong.

18

GABRIEL

Strawberry Springs Neighborhood Watch

Kerry Winsor: Jade, you’ll have to forgive me for this. But did y’all SEE that drama on the square???

Comments:

Mark Bell: We’re all signing our death warrants, but yes. I don’t like that guy that keeps hitting on her. He’s fucking weird.

Kerry Winsor: Is that what happened? Was Gabriel jealous?

Mark Bell: He has been from the beginning. He also stepped in to save her when things went too far.

SherriffMike Finch: Jade doesn’t need anyone saving her. I saw the whole thing.

Kerry Winsor: She’s not going to get in trouble or anything, right?

SherriffMike Finch: Nah, if anyone else asks, I didn’t see shit.

I let Jade go, my lips forming a frown.

I still held out hope that she would turn around and change her mind. I hadn’t been to the diner since returning, but I could picture how it would go.

Jade would drag me in, and I would stop the girls from playing at the playground. We would all meet Tammy. Tammy would probably drop some insult at how long I’d been gone, but would get along with the girls just fine.

Obviously, Jade had different plans. I was disappointed. No, more than that. Ever since she had sleepwalked to me, I wanted more time with her. I was desperate to get even a moment that was like how it used to be.

It seemed that wouldn’t be happening today.

“Are you hungry?” I called as I turned to the girls. They seemed to really like the playground in Strawberry Springs. Every now and again, other kids would be near, and they would have someone else to play with. The ones in town seemed used to how wild Agnes and Beatrice could be, so they weren’t scared off by them.

It had been complete luck that I was here to see Jade fight with the man she’d been flirting with.

Agnes said bye to another kid she’d met and ran over to me.