Page 6 of Secret Sins

"Van?"

No such luck. "Hey, there."

I smiled when she smiled and then watched her hesitate before leaving, with Charlie trailing after her.

Gulping my coffee and finishing the last of my breakfast, I cleaned up the table and pushed my way out the door.

Liam's store, Of the Ocean, was near the water and the warehouse where I worked. Not only had I promised him I'd stop in, but I was genuinely curious. The convenience store back on Jefferson sold mostly snacks and drinks, smokes, and magazines. Chris had given me directions to the chain grocery store further inland, where I'd gone for dog food the first week, but this was hopefully something different.

The exterior was sky blue, the sign a backdrop of waves with the careful lettering painted black. Rays of sun hit from the side, slanting across the windows and blinding me. The woman moving briskly down the main aisle when I entered was nearly Liam's height, sporting a head full of blonde dreads. Silver beads of some nature glinted under the shop lights as she moved.

"How can I help you today?" She had the type of voice that made me want to tell her to clear her throat. At least she stopped a few feet away from me, which was more than I could say for others in this town.

"Liam buys fish from the place where I work, and I wanted to come in and take a look around."

"Oh, that means you're Van!" Putting her fingers between her lips, she whistled loudly.

"Yeah, Ro?"

I heard him before I saw him, but then he was standing in front of me with his hand held out. After shaking it, I put mine in my pockets. "I'm curious what you have, and I need groceries."

"Yeah, man, let me get you a bag. We only use this reusable kind, and the first one is free."

Liam showed me the wooden crates lining the shelves, tilted at an angle and mostly filled to the brim. Potatoes, onions, carrots, and much more tempted me. How long had it been since I'd enjoyed green beans? Radishes?

"Rory is a genius when it comes to growing absolutely anything. We have a few greenhouses, but mostly this is from raised planters stacked along the hill in our backyard."

I let him talk, humming here and there, picking up freshness and wanting desperately to hoard it. They also sold bread, though they didn't make it themselves, and goat's milk products made by a local. So I picked up cheese and goat yogurt—I was brave, after all—only interrupting when he began talking about fish.

"I don't think I can ever eat fish again."

Liam laughed, deep and genuine. "Can't blame you. What we don't have, you can find at Croft's or the QuikStop."

I thanked him profusely as I left, nodding at his wife on my way out. Something told me he'd underpriced my goods, but I let it go. It was as though he sensed I needed help.

Since I didn't have much, putting it away only took minutes, including tripping over Heidi. After a quick walk to let her do her business, I made myself a grilled cheese sandwich and shared bits of it with my girl. Full and satisfied, I sat on the end of my bed and rubbed absently over Heidi's back.

There had to be more to my new life than sitting around a claustrophobic apartment. I hadn't struggled so hard, sacrificed so much, to mope around with nothing but a dog for company. Then again, people made me nervous. Deciding Heidi made a good buffer, I hooked her leash to her collar and headed out the door.

The sun had risen further, showing us all that it would soon reign in this part of the world. For now, it was in the mid-60s and warm enough that I didn't need my jacket. Tugging the brim of my gimme cap lower on my forehead, I wandered with no clear destination in mind. Heidi wanted to lead, so I let her. Crossing through the park, she yipped excitedly at a bluebird until it fluttered to the top branches of a Douglas fir.

"Now look at what you've done."

The tone was agitated, but it was none of my business. Someone was clearly pissed at someone else, but I lowered my gaze to my scuffed shoes and continued on my way.

"What the hell, Larry?"

Larry was obviously an asshole, if the woman's words were any indication.

"You're such a fucking idiot, Andrea."

"You're hurting me!" she shouted.

Goddammit, Larry. Why couldn't you keep your hands to yourself? All I needed was to stick my neck out for someone I didn't know. But Heidi had spotted them too, and growled low in her throat while focusing solely on their exchange as it grew louder.

"I don't care, you stupid whore! Why haven't you learned your lesson?"

Sighing loudly, I wrapped the handle of Heidi's leash more securely around my wrist and gathered the length in my other hand as I approached them. "The lady said you're hurting her," I said calmly.