When Snow Falls (Whiskey Creek #2)(69)
Author: Brenda Novak

“How should I know? I was half-asleep! I didn’t give her a drug test.”

Dylan pictured what he’d seen inside Anita’s room before they came to take the body. He guessed Presley had been on something. She’d probably left immediately after Anita died—confused, upset and maybe coming off her high enough to crave more. So she’d stopped by their house. “How much did you give her?”

“She was so freaked out and upset I just wanted her to leave me alone. I gave her a few points—all I had.” He sounded close to tears when he added, “Dyl, I need help.”

This admission frightened Dylan as much as all the rest of it. The demons Aaron was fighting weren’t ones Dylan could slay for him, so he wasn’t sure he could help. That was why he’d resorted to threatening Carl. At least it was something. “Getting clean starts with rehab. Only you can commit to that. Only you can change your life.”

“I know.” He blew out a sigh. “You’ve been trying to tell me for a long time. Maybe if I’d listened…Presley would still be here.”

Dylan said a silent prayer that this would be a turning point, that he wouldn’t lose yet another member of his family. He also prayed that it wasn’t too late to save Presley. “I’ll do whatever I can to get you what you need.”

A wry smile appeared on his brother’s lips. “That much I can count on.”

Aaron started to leave but Dylan stopped him. “What’s love, if not that?”

* * *

Joe hadn’t been able to reach Cheyenne all evening, but he’d enjoyed seeing his girls. They’d admired the tree, just as he’d expected, ordered pizza, watched a movie and sat up talking about Christmas, school, their friends. He was determined to show them a good time while they were in Whiskey Creek. He didn’t get to have them all that often, and missed being a full-time father. But concern for the woman he wanted to date had been hovering in the back of his mind all day. How was she taking her mother’s death? And who was around to support her, since most of her friends were on that cruise?

He knew Presley was less of an asset than she should be. And Gail hadn’t been able to reach her, either.

Once Josephine and Summer were in bed, and his father was home to watch them, he decided to go over to Cheyenne’s to see if he could do anything to help.

The stores were closed after ten, so he stopped by the Gas-N-Go to pick up a long-stemmed white rose and a card.

Sandra Morton was working. Slow as it was this time of night, she could’ve been sitting on the stool behind the register, reading a book. Instead, she was busy cleaning. She was one of their best employees. Her son, Robbie, worked for them, too. He was young, only eighteen, but he already had a baby to support.

“Hey!” she said when he walked in.

He smiled. “Wishing you could close early and head home to that grandbaby of yours?”

“Naw. I’m fine with staying till twelve. Little Dodge has a cold. Long as I’m here his mother has to walk the floor with him instead of me.”

Robbie and his wife, who was a year younger than he was, lived with Sandra. It was the only way they could make ends meet while he went to college in Sacramento, since his wife was still in high school.

“She doesn’t get up with him?”

Sandra rolled her eyes. “Not if she can help it.”

“Even while she’s on break for the holidays?”

“Any time.”

He didn’t envy Sandra the difficult position she was in. No parent wanted his or her son getting a girl pregnant before he could even legally drink. “Good thing you love that baby so much.”

She chuckled. “No kidding. The sun rises and sets on that kid.”

He selected a card and a pink rose since they were out of white and removed his wallet. He owned the store with his father, but he paid for everything he bought there, just like anyone else.

“Are you seeing someone?” she asked, eyeing the flower.

“Cheyenne Christensen’s mother died today,” he explained.

Her smile vanished. “I heard about that. I’m so sorry. Actually, she dropped in earlier and left a note for you. I didn’t expect to see you so I tacked it above your work desk. I would’ve forgotten if you hadn’t mentioned her. I swear my mind isn’t the same since Robbie had Dodge. That baby’s all I think about.”

Sandra kept talking but her words dimmed to background noise. Why hadn’t Cheyenne just called him back?

“I’ll grab it on my way out.” He wasn’t sure if he’d interrupted Sandra, but he didn’t particularly care. She’d talk all day if he let her. After taking his change, he headed into the garage, where his desk languished beneath a pile of work orders and auto parts.

It took a moment for the new energy-efficient lights to come on. When they did, he found a piece of copy paper with his name on it, folded up tightly and stapled shut, tacked to the bulletin board where he’d put up pictures of his kids, the shop calendar, invoices and various “to do” items he didn’t want to forget.

After retrieving it, he sank onto his stool to read what she’d written.

Thanks for all your messages today, Joe. It means a lot that you’re concerned about me. I’ve almost called you back several times, but I’m not sure I’d have the courage to come out with what I have to tell you, so I hope you’ll forgive me for doing it this way.

First of all, my life is completely upside down right now. I should get my head on straight before I start seeing anyone. More than anything I don’t want to mislead you or disappoint you. I’ve always admired you, will never forget how wonderful you were to me when I first came to town.

Joe couldn’t remember being “wonderful.” He remembered being angry at how her mother treated her and how his father had cautioned him to stay out of it. But that was all.

So I have to be up front with you. Remember when I said I was a virgin? I was—at the time. I know that wasn’t too long ago (uncomfortable laugh goes here) but since then I’ve slept with Dylan (yes, Dylan Amos). Dylan and I weren’t seeing each other or anything; it just happened out of the blue. I’m not quite sure how after thirty-one years! I know this probably isn’t what you want to hear, but you’ve already been through a lot, so before you start to care about me or build any expectations based on what I told you before, I thought it only fair to be as honest as possible.