Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
They ordered, and while they waited for their food, Colt took Maren to play arcade games and select songs from the jukebox. Devy sat back and sort of zoned out. She could hear people around her, coming and going, laughing and having a good time, but they were all a blur. She had tucked herself into the corner, hoping to avoid anyone seeing or recognizing her.
“Fancy meeting you here.”
Her eyes cleared and focused on a little boy, and then she saw the man next to him. She sat up and cleared her throat. Hayden stood there with his hand on, presumably, his son’s shoulder. Her wish of being left alone had gone out the window, but she had to admit to herself it was nice to see another friendly(ish) face, even if the last time she’d seen him, she was crying her eyes out in his truck. Still, she wasn’t sure she was in the mood to socialize.
“Devorah, this is my son, Conor,” Hayden said proudly as he glanced at his boy. “Conor, this is Mrs. Campbell.” The young man stuck his hand out to shake hers. It caught her off guard, and she slowly extended hers.
“You can call me Devy,” she said quietly to Conor.
“Are you Maren’s mom?”
Devy nodded. “She’s in the back with her uncle.” She pointed toward the game area.
“Dad, may I go say hi?”
“Sure, bud. I’ll be right here.”
As soon as Conor ran off, Hayden sat down. Devy sat up straighter and wished she had said no to dinner. Being out in public wasn’t her idea of a good time right now, and having to put on a facade for Hayden didn’t register high on her social meter. Curled up in bed, wallowing in self-pity was more her speed at the moment. And Hayden seemed so chipper, which was in contrast to her demeanor. Why would he want to sit and talk with someone as down as her?
“How are you?”
She looked at him for a long moment, wondering how she was supposed to answer. “I don’t know,” she said, shrugging. Devy clasped her hands in her lap. “I’m here, which is something.”
Hayden looked around. “My dad said Colt had bought this place. How does he like it?”
“Loves it. He’s very proud of it.” Devy looked around and then back at Hayden. As soon as they made eye contact, she looked at the table. “Is your dad still the town doc?”
“Nah, he’s retired and living the dream.”
“Which is?”
“To annoy my mother.” Hayden laughed. “They travel a lot, or they did. I don’t know that they will until I get my house built.”
“Where are you building?”
“Do you remember the orchard?”
Devy nodded.
“I bought a couple of acres there.”
“And you’re building your house?”
“Not exactly. I’ll be there to hold a nail or two. I hired a contractor. I’m good with a hammer, but even I have to draw the line somewhere.”
“Where did you live before coming back here?”
“Wyoming. I was a deputy in a town smaller than Oyster Bay. When I wasn’t chasing horse thieves, I worked on a ranch for Sofia’s family.”
The waitress returned with her dinner, followed by Colt, Maren, and Conor.
“Mom!” Maren’s cheeks were flushed and her eyes bright with excitement. “This is my friend Conor. We’re in class together, and he just moved here too.”
Devorah smiled. “Maren, this is Hayden, Conor’s dad and Uncle Colt’s best friend.”
“So cool. Can they have dinner with us?”
Before Devy could say no, Colt spoke up: “Sure they can!” He moved a table next to their booth and sat down. The waitress came over, took Hayden’s and Conor’s drink orders, and said she’d be right back. Devorah wanted to go home and crawl into bed.
“Mr. Hayden, do you think Conor could come over this weekend? My grandpa won’t mind.”
Devorah opened her mouth to tell Maren they had plans. Before she could find the words, though, Conor spoke up. “I would love to.”
Despite wanting privacy, Devy wouldn’t tell her daughter no. She caught Hayden staring at her and offered him her weakest smile.
“Mom, can Conor and I go back to the arcade?”
Devorah nodded. “Go have fun.”
Eight
Hayden
Colt sat down next to his sister, slung his arm around her shoulder, and sighed happily. Hayden noticed Devorah shrink into herself, almost as if she didn’t want the attention from her brother. Her fingers played with the condensation on her glass, and she kept her eyes on the table.
Hayden had never considered himself a violent man, but he wanted to maim Chad Campbell for what he was putting his wife through. No one, not even the vilest people in the world, deserved to be treated the way Chad and his mistress had treated Devy.
Chad’s attitude or disposition was par for the course. Back in high school, he was a jerk. A rich prick who thought he owned the school and never got in trouble for any of the shit he pulled. One time, he and most of the football team TP’d the trees in front of the high school. Everyone in town knew it was Chad, but the administration refused to believe he would do anything of the sort. Instead, the entire team received marks on their school discipline records. Hayden had a hard time explaining it on his college applications. Had he come forward, he would’ve been branded a narc and would’ve been the pariah of the school. Since he didn’t come forward, he was branded a disobedient student. He couldn’t win.