Page 20 of Secret Sins

"That's right." I picked up a breadstick, hoping she'd leave me in peace to eat.

She rose, and I said a silent thank you. "I'll bring you some tiramisu on the house as a welcome to town."

"You don't have to do that," I called after her as she walked away.

Obviously, the townspeople would eagerly smother me with kindness. Every single one of them would end up with a place in my heart, more to mourn when the reaper came to call. It didn't seem as though I could stop it; like a tsunami, they all crashed over each other in a competition to be the most thoughtful of the bunch.

The pizza was excellent, not only because the crust was clearly homemade, but because someone else had made it for me. It was hot, cheesy, and I didn't have to come up with the recipe on my own. Knowing it was probably stupid, I saved some of the crust to bring home to Heidi. It wasn't exactly healthy for her, but she deserved a treat now and then, too.

"Here you are." Anna set a dessert plate on the table across from me.

"That looks amazing."

"Thanks. The recipe has been passed down through my mother-in-law’s family for generations."

She looked up when the door opened, and I went back to eating as she greeted the new customers.

"Alex, Ellie! Come on in."

Fuck me.

"How are you, Anna?"

They spent a few minutes chatting, and the man from the picture on the menu came out from the back so they could all talk. More than ever, it hit me how interconnected these people were. They all knew each other, likely from childhood, and they spent their money in their fellow neighborhood establishments in solidarity with supporting small businesses.

The four of them talked animatedly, and it was similar to how I'd assumed they all sat around whispering about my every move. No one could speak out of turn without the whole town knowing by the end of the day. From what I could hear from where I was sitting, apparently Andrea had filed a police report, and Larry had been arrested earlier in the day. The four of them batted around opinions about how long he'd be in jail and whether any of them would have to testify.

Suddenly, I realized I was guilty of eavesdropping on their gossip. Instead of listening further, I focused on the TV in the far corner playing reruns of Law & Order. Ironic.

Ellie stopped by my table as I finished the last bite of dessert. "Hey, Van, how are you?"

"I'm well, thanks, Ellie."

A grin covered her face. "I'm surprised you know my name."

"It's hard not to know everyone's name by now." I made an attempt at a smile that hopefully looked friendlier than a grimace.

"True." Nodding, she gestured to the tall man striding up next to her. "My husband, Alex. The genius behind our baked goods."

There wasn't anything much more uncomfortable than sitting with a man standing over me, so I stood. "Nice to meet you. Name's Van."

Alex stuck his hand out, and I accepted the shake. His hair was down since he wasn't elbow-deep in flour or whatever, and it reached his shoulders in waves. "I've heard so much about you."

Story of my new life. "I'm sure you have."

"Nothing bad, don't worry. But you'll get used to the gossip."

Will I? "Have a nice evening, you two."

Dismissing them, I went to the counter to get a box for my leftovers. A walk along the shoreline seemed the best course of action for evening entertainment, but not until I went home to get my girl.

Heidi scarfed down the pizza crust, as I knew she would, and I added kibble to her dish to top her off. While she ate, I cleaned up the kitchen and put what was left of my pizza in the fridge.

Clipping her leash to her collar, I tried not to smile at her exuberant tippy taps, but I failed. She simply made me happy in a world where not much else did.

"Are you ready for your walk?" I asked in a silly voice.

That made her jump up and try to lick my face, so I opened the door with a laugh.