Home to Whiskey Creek (Whiskey Creek #4)(77)
Author: Brenda Novak

She stood, intending to walk around the rest of it, but tripped over an obstacle she hadn’t seen. It hit something, which fell against the door she’d used, and the resulting thud…smack seemed deafening. Afraid the noise would bring Stephen to the garage, she hurried to get out even though she’d wrenched her ankle. But a set of bedrails had fallen against the door and they were now wedged behind a freestanding cabinet. She was frantically shoving other stuff out of her way so she could hoist those rails straight up when the light snapped on.

“What are you doing here?”

Stephen stood shirtless in the doorway leading to the house, squinting against the brightness. From the marks on his face and the state of his hair, he’d been in bed. He was still attractive, however. Fit, too.

Addy pressed her back to the wall. Unfortunately, the button that raised the main garage door was on the other side, near him. Unless she could clear the path she’d used to get in, she wouldn’t be able to leave.

“I—I have my phone,” she warned. “You…you’d better stay where you are, or I’m calling the police.”

He rubbed a hand over his face as if he was half-asleep but trying to focus. “What do you want here?” His expression darkened. “Are you trying to get my DNA so you can take it to the police?”

“I just wanted to see your truck. That’s all.”

“Why?”

She didn’t say anything.

“Why?”

“To find out if you were the one who dragged me to the mine!”

Seeming to relax, he scowled and scratched his chest. “Wasn’t me.”

She eyed the vehicle in question. “You’re the only one with a white truck.”

“So? I didn’t do it.”

“You’re saying it was one of the others?”

“Maybe. Tom wouldn’t hurt you. Kevin would, if he thought it was in his best interest, but he’s asked us not to do anything, so I doubt he would. My guess would be Derek.”

“Now you’re trying to be helpful?”

He shrugged. “Why not? If you were going to come forward you would’ve done it by now. That begs the question, Why haven’t you?”

She wanted to lift those bedrails so she could escape his garage. But she knew unblocking that door would take both hands, and she wasn’t about to put her phone in her pocket. He could be on her in a matter of seconds. “A lot of reasons.”

“Is Cody’s death one of them?”

Her heart jumped into her throat. “I don’t—I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, you do.” He studied her rather dispassionately. “You know opening your mouth about grad night will ruin your life as well as ours, and I’m betting you’re too smart for that. The others are all shitting their pants, wondering what you’ll do next, but…revealing the past isn’t the reason you came back to Whiskey Creek.”

She gripped her phone more tightly, even though she knew she’d never make a call, not after what he’d just said. “Then why did I come?”

“To help your grandmother, like you’ve been telling everyone. Having you back makes for an uncomfortable situation, because it puts us all in close proximity again. But I know Milly means that much to you. And I, for one, am willing to let sleeping dogs lie,” he said, and went inside.

* * *

Addy wasn’t feeling so good when she woke up the next morning. Rehashing various conversations—with Clyde, with Noah, with Stephen—had kept her up the few hours she might’ve slept. So she was none too pleased when her mother waltzed into her room bright and early and raised the blinds.

“Mom, it isn’t even eight o’clock,” she complained.

“Rise and shine!” Helen sang out.

“Because you’ve made breakfast?”

“Don’t be sarcastic.”

Addy let her fake smile wilt. “I didn’t think so.”

“It’s time to share all the juicy details from last night.” She perched on the edge of the bed. “Noah’s cute. I mean really cute. And he comes from money. So?”

Addy barely resisted pulling a pillow over her head. “So what?”

“How’d it go?”

“He’s nice. He showed me his bike shop, which is also…nice.”

Her mother rolled her eyes. “That’s all he showed you? I take you to get your hair and nails done and bring you home so gorgeous you could turn Gandhi’s head, and that’s all you’ve got to say? He’s nice?”

He was also good in bed. But she didn’t have a lot to compare him to, so she didn’t consider herself much of an expert. “What did you expect? We’re just friends.”

Her mother wagged a finger at her. “Oh, no, you don’t. You don’t get to play it both ways. You said you liked him. Really liked him. And I could tell by the way you looked at him last night that it’s true.”

Adelaide avoided her gaze. “He has commitment issues, Mom. Whatever is going on between us will be short-lived.” Even shorter than her mother thought, since she wasn’t sure she’d see Noah again.

“You never know where it might lead.”

“Actually, I do,” she said. That was what frightened her.

“What are your plans for the day?” Helen asked.

“I have to go to the restaurant.” And deal with Darlene, although she wasn’t looking forward to it.

Clearly not excited by her answer, her mother pursed her lips. “Work, huh?”

“That’s what most people do with their time, Mom.”

She clapped her hands. “Okay, I’ll go with you.”

Adelaide rose up on one elbow. “You’ll what?”

“I’ll go, too, and help out. You’re not the only one who ever worked in that two-bit diner, you know.”

“But…why?”

“I’ve got to have something to do, don’t I?” She shrugged as she stood, but the effort required to feign interest in an activity she’d never normally be interested in was a bit too obvious.

Adelaide kicked off the covers. “Oh, boy, you and Neal are splitting up.”

Suddenly deflated, her mother grimaced. “He kicked me out.”

“Right before you came here.”

“Of course. Wouldn’t even let me take the dogs.”

“What about the money you spent on me?”

At this, she smiled. “He hasn’t made it to the bank yet to close our checking account.”