Page 144 of Before We Break

“I’m not staying.”

“Noah.”

“Let them have some time alone. I’ll be back after the town meeting, and we’ll figure everything out.”

Jonah sits on the couch with Auggie on his lap, his dark curls hanging just above his shoulders. They’re longer than they used to be, and he has a few new tattoos, a scar through his left eyebrow and a nose piercing he didn’t have the last time I saw him. We lock eyes for a few tense seconds before he nods once, and I return the gesture.

I linger in the entry for another minute, watching Auggie talk animatedly about everything under the sun as if he’s going to fill his dad in on every moment he missed over the last year. If I still had a heart, it might break, but all I feel these days is empty.

I walk into the town meeting to a mix of dirty looks and curious stares, sitting in the middle row next to Ben and Quinn. She stands and puts several seats between us.

I lean in close to Ben and whisper, “Did I miss something? What’s everybody’s problem?”

Ben gives me a sidelong glance. “You really don’t know?”

“If I did, I wouldn’t be asking.”

He lets out a humorless laugh. “This is gonna be good.”

“What—”

Gramps bangs the gavel, officially calling the meeting to order. “Welcome to the Willow Valley town meeting,” he says in that familiar gravelly voice. “Karen, you have the floor.”

Karen Parker stands behind the podium with a folder in her hand and her typical fake smile. “Good evening. As many of you are aware by now, the house on Darling Street was listed for sale a while back, and several offers have fallen through over the intervening months. If it fails to sell within the next three weeks, the house will be put up for auction. I have a flyer here for anybody who wants one, and we will be having an open house next Friday. Everyone is welcome to come. We’ll have fresh baked cookies and beverages available.”

She steps down from the podium and hands the stack of papers to the first person in the front row, who then passes them on down until I’m staring at a black-and-white photograph of my childhood home with a moderate price tag plastered across the paper. A memory flashes from that night with Clio when she talked about putting down roots, but I shove it down. With one last glance, I fold the paper and tuck it into my pocket.

Milton bangs the gavel once more, and Janet stands this time. Her piercing gaze lands on me for several tense seconds before she speaks. “The next issue that has been brought before the council pertains to Noah Weston and his former partner, Clio Marsden.”

I hate the way she says former.

“Clio arrived in Willow Valley nigh on two years past. She was the breath of fresh air this town needed.”

Why the hell are they eulogizing her like she’s dead?

“More than that, she was the kick in the ass Noah needed.” She glares at me from the podium. “Two weeks ago, Noah broke that girl’s heart and drove her clear out of town. I would like to address him now on behalf of everyone here. Does anybody have any objections?”

Chatter erupts, but nobody objects on my behalf. I nudge Ben with my elbow, but he shakes his head.

“Should’ve brought popcorn,” he mutters.

“Fuck you.”

“Shh,” Quinn says amusedly. “My favorite show is on.”

“S’cuse me. Pardon me.” Hayden shuffles down the row to sit beside Quinn with a bucket of popcorn in his hand. He holds it out to her, and she takes a handful. “What’d I miss?”

“Nothing,” she mumbles around a mouthful. “It’s just getting good.”

“Oh, hell yeah.” Ben leans over and steals a fistful for himself.

Janet clears her throat and the crowd quiets. “As I was saying. Noah, I don’t think I have to tell you how special Clio is. I think you already know that. What you might not realize is how you changed because of her. When you were together, there was a lightness to you most of this town had never seen before—I certainly hadn’t seen it since your mama used to bring you to the library when you were just a little thing. And don’t think we didn’t notice you dropping those pennies on the sidewalk just so she could pick ‘em up.”

Landry turns around in the row ahead of me. “You use all five hundred of ‘em yet?”

I narrow my eyes at him. “Shut up, Landry.”

Janet finishes her speech and takes a step down, but not before inviting everyone else to speak their piece. One after another, people from all walks of life take the podium and talk about all the amazing things Clio has done for Willow Valley. Simple things like providing tie-dye shirts for the high school musical, knitting hats and mittens for her class, or collecting donations for a family who lost everything in a house fire.