Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 122097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
“Now look, Collin—”
“No, you look, Jim Bob. Lowyn’s out, we’re out. And Sassy Lorraine will be singing at the Revival. It’s not a request, it’s a stipulation. You better give her good parts, too. And stay the fuck away from us. Because if you don’t, I will ruin Disciple the same fuckin’ way I just ruined Blackberry Hill.”
Then I end the call.
Ryan starts laughing. “Thanks, man. I don’t really need the money, but fuck it. I’ll take it.”
I let out a breath and look at Lowyn. “I’m not gonna be stayin’ in town anymore and I think you should move in with me.”
She stares at me for a moment. Then she nods. “I would love to. But I have one more request.”
“What is it?”
“Can I be in charge of decoratin’?”
All of us laugh. And let out a long breath too.
Then I scoot across the aisle, sit next to her on the bench, and slip my arm around her. She leans her head on my shoulder, still shaking a little, but trying to put it behind her. “Of course you can. If you fill that whole place up with junk, I promise to love every bit of it.”
Clover Bradley looks like the very same girl I last saw twelve years ago. Long golden-red hair, bright green eyes, and tiny body. Which makes me laugh because she’s one of those powerhouse short girls. Athletic, but very cute. She did gymnastics, cheer, track, horse showin’, and rifle club. The girl can do a flip off a pony while shootin’ a target from twenty yards out and never drop her pom-poms.
Well, that’s probably stretchin’ it, but if challenged to do that, Clover Bradley would find a way and she would nail it. She’s that kind of girl.
Unlike Bryn, who is just Lowyn’s sister, Clover was the best-best friend. So if I wanted to date Low back in high school, I had to get approval from Clover.
I mean, technically, this probably isn’t true for Lowyn. She loved me no matter what. I know that in my heart. But Clover could’ve made life difficult for me if we hadn’t gotten along.
Plus side to all this—I like Clover. Have always liked Clover. And she gets extra points for getting us a spur-of-the-moment, long-term cottage rental at her super-fancy-fancy hotel in Virginia, the Dixie Yonder.
Would Lowyn be safe in Disciple while our compound house is being remodeled? I have no doubt. But do I want her there? Hell. No.
I’m very much done with all those Trinity towns. Even the ones I might not even know about yet. Because I’ve been thinking about that cross analogy that Jim Bob was going on about and it has occurred to me that there are not four points on a cross, but five. Because everything meets in the middle, doesn’t it?
Now, though, it’s no longer my problem. Nor is it even my business.
It’s a relief, actually. To have that part of my life permanently put to rest. The moment I came into town I could feel the manipulation. Jim Bob is kinda slick, but he’s really not that smart. Still, he was pulling me back in and given enough time, he probably would’ve gotten me behind that pulpit.
“Oh. Mah. Gosh,” Clover says as she looks me up and down. “Collin Creed, as I live and breathe.” She looks over at Lowyn, who I guess did not tell her I was back when she called and asked for a cottage. “Where the hell have you been hidin’ him?”
“Believe it or not, he’s only been back in town a week.” Lowyn looks at me and we both laugh. What a helluva week it was.
Clover studies us both with a critical eye, takes a long, long look at Lowyn’s cheek, which is still red, then her eyes go to me. “Hmmm. OK, then. Welcome to the Dixie Yonder.” She pans a hand towards a path lined with flowerbeds and elm trees. “Follow me.”
That’s another thing I have always liked about Clover. She is confrontational, like Bryn, but she’s also quiet about it, like Lowyn. She’s not gonna bring up that handprint on Lowyn’s cheek. But she took note and she’s gonna tuck that fact away for a time in the future when she might need it.
I know she doesn’t think I did it.
I’m also fairly certain she has an idea who did. Because I’ve been thinking about that wedding up in the mountains and how Jim Bob managed to pacify those Blackberry Hill people so Lowyn could get out of it. And I have a pretty good hunch about how he pulled that off.
Clover pulls Lowyn away from me as we walk, hooking arms with her and leaning in to her shoulder. I dutifully pull our suitcases and let them get a few paces ahead so they can have their little whisper talk. And it all must check out, because when we arrive at the cottage, Clover shoots me a smile and says, “Make yourselves at home. I’ve already had dinner, but how about we meet up for breakfast tomorrow?”