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Haddie nodded. “Bye, Mommy.”
Scarlett smiled at her daughter, a burst of emotion making her feel suddenly weepy. She pulled her forward, wrapping her arms around her precious girl and hugging her tightly for a moment before letting her go. “Go ahead and check out that craft. I bet it’s really cool.”
“Okay, Mommy. See you in a minute, Millie,” she singsonged turning the corner into the living room.
“Is everything okay?” she asked Millie, a concerned frown creasing her brow.
Millie nodded, but she looked uncertain. “It is . . . I just . . . Haddie’s just the sweetest little girl, so I wasn’t sure whether to even mention this but—”
“I always want you to be honest, Millie, no matter what. If it has to do with Haddie, I want to hear it.”
The girl nodded, another flicker of doubt passing through her eyes. “Well, yesterday, we walked over to the ice cream stand a couple blocks away.”
“Yes, I told you that was fine.”
Millie nodded. “Haddie was very sweet. She has such good manners.”
“But?”
“We were walking home, and all of a sudden Haddie let go of my hand and went running across the street.”
Scarlett blinked with confused worry. “Why?”
“There’s a boy—Roger Green—who lives a block over. He’s in a wheelchair. Haddie ran straight for him, and then bent down and said something to him. I was too far away to hear what it was, but . . . well, whatever she said made him start screaming and shrieking. He was so upset, he almost hurled himself straight from his chair.” She paused, glancing over her shoulder toward the room where Haddie waited for her. “Whatever she said to that boy scared him silly.”**********Could this day get any worse? Scarlett wondered, glancing around the interior of her car for some wood to knock on. There was none, which, of course there wasn’t, because yes, this day probably could get worse. Not because she hadn’t knocked on wood—she wasn’t that superstitious—but because that seemed to be the trajectory of her life at the moment.
Scarlett pulled into the hardware store parking lot where she had an appointment to meet with Mason so she could pick out the industrial kitchen appliances he was going to order. She got out of her car and walked toward the front entrance. Millie’s words repeated in her mind. Whatever she said to that boy scared him silly.
Acid pooled in her stomach and she felt tears threatening. What was going on with her daughter? She didn’t get it. She hadn’t questioned Haddie after Millie had talked to her on the front porch. Frankly, she didn’t feel emotionally stable enough to do so. Scarlett took a deep breath, attempting to get her roiling emotions under control as she turned the corner from the parking lot to the sidewalk where the front of the store was. She’d give it the day and ask Haddie about it later. Had she lied about the other little boy at the church daycare when she’d said she didn’t mean to hurt his feelings? Was there some streak of meanness in her after all—brought on by the current upheaval in their lives—that Scarlett didn’t see because she was blinded by love?
Scarlett pulled the door open and ran straight into someone’s chest. He took hold of her upper arms, steadying her as she let out an embarrassed laugh. “Oh my gosh, I’m so . . .” Her words dropped off as she looked up, realizing who it was. Camden West.
She’d wondered if this day could get any worse.
Answer? Yes. Decidedly so.
“Sorry,” she murmured, stumbling back a step onto the sidewalk.
The door opened wider and another man in a sheriff’s uniform with short-cropped salt and pepper hair and deeply tanned skin appeared behind Camden. Camden stepped forward so the man could exit too. Though he was older, he was very fit, and definitely handsome. He smiled widely at Scarlett. “Well, hello.” He held out his hand and when she took it, he gave it one firm shake. “You’ve gotta be Ms. Lattimore.” He nodded backward to the store. “Mason was just telling us about the project out at Lilith House, and that he was expecting you. It’s nice to have a new face in town. Especially one as pretty as yours.”
Scarlett managed a smile. She glanced at Camden who stared at her silently, his gaze piercing. Jerk. She raised her chin and looked back at the older man in uniform. “Thank you, sir. You must be Farrow’s sheriff?”
“That I am. Lowell Carson. How are you liking our little town so far?”
“I like it. You know, for the most part.” She enunciated the last four words as she looked at Camden who was still staring at her. She followed with a tight-lipped smile, which he didn’t return. He raised his hand, sliding on a pair of sunglasses.
