Page 4 of Outlawed

“Good choice. So, where are we heading first today?”

“How long do we have before the town meeting?” It still feels weird to think about being invited to a town meeting after how the last one turned out, but Sarah extended the invitation, and I find it increasingly difficult to say no to my friends.

“A couple of hours yet. Shepard mentioned last night that he was going to try to meet us there.”

“I figured he would.”

“Did Dawn tell you she was coming?”

I frown, not liking the idea of her being exposed, especially with my father out there, hiding somewhere. But I’m her friend, not her keeper. With Hannah spending the day with David and the girls, I can understand why she’s choosing today of all days to test the waters.

“No, but I get why she’d want to. Her voice was stolen from her. Now she wants to be heard, and I can’t blame her for that.”

“You worry, though.”

“You’ve met me. I worry about everything.”

“Not yourself, just those you care about.”

“I think you worry about me enough for the both of us.”

“Maybe,” he concedes with a grin.

“Let’s go to Jackie’s first.”

“Okay.” He makes the turn that leads to Jackie’s place as I take in the riot of colors we pass along the way. Crowhurst has clawed its way back from the brink of death, and I can’t remember a time when it looked better than it does right now.

Of course, there are plenty of places still looking worse for wear. Yeah, it’s places I haven’t been, not because I’m being selfish, but because I haven’t been invited or because I know the people who live there will be hostile toward me. I’m not going to put myself in danger for people who will never appreciate it. Hope spreads, so eventually their little plots of land will heal too, but it will take much longer than it did for those who have taken the time to either mend bridges with me, like Jackie, or get to know me for the first time, like Sarah.

The car stops, but I stay in my seat. Riggs gets grumpy when I don’t let him open the door for me. I wait for him to come around and help me out, smiling when the door to Jackie’s place opens and she appears on the top step with a wide smile.

“Calliope, Riggs. It’s so good to see you. I was hoping you’d drop by.”

I grab the tote bag of goodies from the footwell before walking her way. She pulls me in for a hug when I’m in reach. I don’t tense now, used to the feel of her arms around me. After everything that went down with Derek, I half expected her to hate me. Instead, she’s been so horrified and apologetic that for a while I was worried she was going to have a damn heart attack. I felt like shit that she’d been dragged into this, even though I knew it wasn’t any more my fault than it was hers. I let her love on me a little, knowing she gets as much from it as I do.

She pulls away, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, looking at me with wise eyes. My actions over the last few months haven’t been lost on her. I haven’t told anyone what happened. Not to spare Austin, but to spare me. I couldn’t go down that road again, painted as some scarlet woman, and Austin of all people as some poor, unfortunate soul caught in my web. For now, I need to let sleeping dogs lie.

Thinking about Austin is like touching a live wire, so I shake it off and grin when Riggs bends down for a hug, too.

“How are you doing, Jackie?” he asks.

“Better now.” She looks at me. “Where’s the rest of your handsome men?”

I turn away, but Riggs answers, covering for me. “Why, Miss Jackie, are you saying I’m not man enough for you?”

She slaps him playfully with the dish towel hanging from her shoulder. “Behave, we both know you are way too much man for the likes of me. You need someone strong like Calliope here.”

“I think you’re selling yourself short, but I won’t deny my heart beats only for my girl.”

She presses her hands to her chest and swoons, making me snort.

“Alright, Casanova, let’s get out of this heat. Jackie, I would love a glass of your lemonade if you have any ready.”

“If I have any ready?” She rolls her eyes at me like I just asked the most ridiculous question.

Riggs and I take a seat at the table as Jackie busies herself getting our drinks. The room hasn’t changed since our last visit, except for the large bouquet on the counter.

“Nice flowers.”