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So, Josh had to go to the party. And he wanted to go, he really did. Deep down, he knew he wanted to see Hannah, no matter what, no matter where. But she was so perfect, sweet sixteen and squeaky clean. And he was not. He wanted her, no doubt. But he knew that he didn’t deserve her. If only … if she only came from a regular family, it might be doable. Even a family like the Andersons, Josh could probably manage to handle. But Christ, the McIntyres? What the hell was he thinking? She was so far out of his reach it wasn’t even funny. And he was going to make himself sick thinking about it. Could his damn life get any worse?
Josh had the answer to that question some ten minutes later after his uncle had spoken to the sheriff. His uncle stood ready to leave, and when he came to his feet to do the same, the sheriff requested a moment of Josh’s time. His uncle paused and gave the sheriff a thoughtful look. “Mind me asking what for?”
“Not at all. Josh is in no trouble, nothing like that. My girl Mandy is a senior this year and I’d like to pick his brain for a moment or two.”
Josh and his uncle exchanged pointed looks, and Josh tipped his head just slightly to let his uncle know that it would be okay if he left him alone with the sheriff.
“That’s fine, then. I’ll go check on my brother and be back with y’all in a few minutes.” David Turner gave the sheriff a narrow stare. “Will that be enough time with my nephew?” The words were spoken in a deep Texas drawl, with enough depth to them to let the sheriff know that that was all the time he was going to get with Josh.
“That’s fine.”
Josh’s uncle gave the sheriff one more speaking glance, and then turned and left the office, shutting the door behind him.
Josh looked at the sheriff with a question in his eyes that he couldn’t contain. What the hell was this all about? What the hell had he done now? He’d been so damn careful, he tried to be respectful, constantly tried to shake the image of his father that other people might superimpose on his features when they looked at him. So what the hell could the sheriff want with him? Because he didn’t buy it for a second that this had anything to do with Mandy.
The sheriff wasted no time and got down to it. “Jeff McIntyre visited me a few weeks ago about Jesse Whitaker. He was evasive, but I got from that conversation that you have a problem with Whitaker. Is that true?”
A moment of relief hit Josh that this wasn’t about him, but rather, about Jesse Whitaker. “Yes, sir.”
“Mind if you tell me what Jesse did?”
“Mr. McIntyre didn’t tell you already?”
“Nope. Just said that you were worried about Hannah and that she wasn’t safe around the Whitaker boy.”
“She’s not safe around him,” Josh bit out.
“Does that go for all girls? Is my girl Mandy in danger? Are all the girls in danger?”
A bitter expression passed over Josh’s features. “Yes, sir. I wouldn’t trust my dog with him. He’s a sexual predator and as soon as he can be locked up and put away, I know I’ll feel better.”
The sheriff began nodding his head as if that was the confirmation he was seeking. “That’s what I figured. You at liberty to tell me what happened? And who he hurt?”
“No, I’m not. But you can put two and two together. I shouldn’t even say that much, but you need to know so you’re aware and can be watching him.”
“Thank you, son. That information won’t go any farther, I promise you that. You try to get that girl some help if she needs it. She’s lucky to have family like you. Hopefully, she’ll be strong soon enough to press charges against him. The boy needs to be punished, and the girls around here need to be safe.” The sheriff paused and studied Josh as if he had something else to say but didn’t know how to go on, but then continued in a low, gruff voice. “You had a crappy start to life … a bum deal. But you’ve come out ahead of the game. You’re a good kid, Josh. Your aunt and uncle are good people. You try to remember that it’s not where a person comes from that makes him who he is. A man chooses how he makes his own life, and it’s fairly damn obvious you’ve chosen the right path. You’re a good kid,” the sheriff reiterated.
Josh sat in stunned silence for a few seconds as the sheriff’s words penetrated the fog in his brain. He had a moment of pleasure, satisfaction even, that the sheriff wasn’t putting any blame on him. Relief spread through him and then one thought and one thought only popped into his head and he voiced it before he could stop himself. “Good enough for Hannah McIntyre?”
The sheriff looked surprised for a moment and then let out a bark of mild amusement. “What are you asking me, son?”
“Are you going to arrest me if you see me with her?”
“Why would I do that? You planning on hurting her in some way?”
“Never.”
Sheriff Thompson studied him and Josh knew he’d sounded tortured. “Then why would it be my business if Hannah is a friend of yours?”
“Her father won’t like it. None of her family will.”
“You know, son, men can be particular about their baby girls. And I know from raising a teenage daughter, the first boy a girl brings home is the hardest one to swallow. I’m not going to sugarcoat this for you. Jeffrey McIntyre is a harsh man and he loves his daughter. But he’s a fair man. You treat her respectfully, have her home when he tells you to and all that, and I think you’ll be okay.”
“You won’t be looking to throw my butt in jail next to my father?”
“Not if you don’t break the law.” The sheriff looked thoughtfully at Josh and then slowly asked him, “You know what Texas statute says?”
Josh knew exactly what the sheriff was asking. “Yes, sir.”
“Just to make sure we’re on the same page here and you don’t get into trouble. The law says—” The sheriff paused as if not exactly believing he was having this conversation, and took a breath.
Josh decided to have mercy on the older man and inserted quickly, “Seventeen.”
“That’s right. Until then, you keep that in mind, and like I said, you be respectful … nobody will have a problem with a friendship between you and the McIntyre girl. It’s my understanding that she’s sixteen now and Jeff can’t keep her locked up forever, anyway.”
Josh had a moment where if felt as if a vise had let go of his heart. He took a deep breath and stood to his feet. “Thank you, sir.”
“No problem, son. I appreciate your help. I’d also appreciate it if you let me know if anything else comes up with Jesse that I need to know.”
“Will do.” Josh shook the sheriff’s hand, and with a lightness he hadn’t felt in weeks, turned and walked from the office. Evidently, his life didn’t suck as badly as it had twenty minutes ago.
****
On Saturday afternoon after her birthday, Ava warned Hannah to dress up before she came over to spend the night, and Hannah knew something was going down. She had only a vague idea what it could be, and she took care with her hair and make-up.
She’d worn tight, low-rise jeans with a bright pink, lacy camisole and a see-through, short sleeve white blouse over it. She’d left the top few buttons undone, and the pink of her cami peeked over the top of her blouse. She wore wedge sandals on her feet to add a few more inches of height, and she’d straightened her hair and used exaggerated, but not too much, make-up.
Ava had already seen and loved the new car, and now Hannah parked it in the driveway and walked up the path leading to the front door of the Anderson home. Her nerves were jumping wildly, and she kept reminding herself that nothing humiliating was about to happen to her, that she was walking into the home of friends and that everything would be okay.
She slid a hand down her hair, smoothing it down her shoulder, and then knocked on the door. Ava answered it at once, and it wasn’t until Hannah had walked all the way into the center of the room and was surrounded by people that a loud cacophonous ‘Surprise!’ began ringing in her ears.
She looked around and began blushing profusely. She saw Ty, Ethan, and
of course, Ava, immediately. Ava’s parents were standing under the threshold leading to the kitchen and smiling at her, as well. And then Hannah noticed Steven, her math study partner and two other boys from their trig class as well. Kayla was also there, standing close to Ty and she was talking to Katie Turner.
Katie was smiling at her, and Hannah smiled back. Her eyes moved slowly around the room as everyone began shouting and laughing at once. She looked around, but she didn’t see the one person she desperately wanted to see.
And then there he was, coming in from the hallway and staring directly at her with hot, fierce eyes. Hannah’s heart fluttered and her knees went weak, but she was snapped out of it by a laughing Ava, who led her to the dining room to show her a pile of cards, the decorations, and a birthday cake as well as cupcakes.
It was obvious that Ava and her mom had gone to a lot of trouble, and it occurred to Hannah that it didn’t matter how many friends she had, as long as she had a few true friends, then that was all that really mattered.
