AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Was she talking about me? It was hard for me to think otherwise when she was looking right at me, but it’s not like there was anyone else there.
“Oh, okay. Just wanted to know.” I shrugged. If I was too afraid to ask her, I couldn’t get pissed if she didn’t tell me.
Aspyn glanced down at her watch. “Look, are we done here? I stopped by. We talked, and I get it, but I have to get changed before church.”
“Yeah, I guess we’re done. I’ve said what I wanted to say.”
She shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you, Alex. I don’t want to run you out of town or anything, but it’s gonna take me time to get used to you being back.”
I gave her a shallow nod. “Fair enough.”
She dropped a few bills for her coffee and stood. Without even a wave, she walked out of the restaurant. I watched her, lost in thought.
Aspyn hadn’t given me a name. Livingston wasn’t a big place, and it wasn’t like Aspyn hung out with a bunch of different people. If I’d known the guy, it seemed like she would have told me his name.
Unless it was me. I didn’t have to be some cop to think she was acting strangely. The minute I brought up her kid, she suddenly had to go.
She was hiding something. At least the dad’s name. It’s not like I had a right to know if it wasn’t me, but this talk had made things worse.
Chapter 13
Aspyn
“As always, we have coffee in the lobby,” our pastor said. “But I must apologize. There was a little mix-up, so no donuts today, but I can assure you, we will have donuts next Sunday.”
A few chuckles broke out along with a few grumbles. I wondered if a few people were only showing up to church for free donuts. Whatever it took to get them in the pews, I supposed. The noise focused me back on the present instead of the thoughts I’d been lost in for the last couple of hours.
I’d spent the entire church service not thinking about the sermon but thinking about the stupid man who’d just come back into town. Alex Kline.
Why couldn’t I stop thinking about him? I’d hoped meeting with him would at least let me relax a little, but if anything, it’d made things worse.
I rubbed my hands together nervously and rose from my pew. Because I had to run home and change my clothes, I’d come in late, so I hadn’t been able to sit next to Mama.
Kadie hopped to the floor, taking my hand. She’d always been such a good girl in church, even when she was a baby. Sure, she’d made a minor commotion when I entered, rising and heading back to sit with me, but that was more my fault for being late and having Mama go ahead to the service with her.
“No donuts, Mama?” Kadie said.
“Sorry, sweetie,” I said. “No donuts. Maybe next week.”
She nodded and grinned. “I need to go potty.”
“Okay, sweetie. Let’s go.”
After I’d taken her to do her business, we made our way back through the lingering crowds to the lobby.
Mama was there sipping on some coffee. I probably didn’t need more coffee, given how shot my nerves were, but I poured myself a cup and took a sip of the hot brew. Maybe we didn’t have any donuts, but the coffee was still good.
She looked over at me. “Are you okay, honey?” Must have been the expression on my face. She glanced around and then leaned in to whisper. “I get that it was a long sermon, but no pastor can get up there every Sunday and always deliver an interesting sermon.” She shrugged and shot a sad look toward our pastor across the room. “He does try though, bless his heart.”
“No, no,” I said, waving a hand. “It was great.” At least I hoped. “Just a lot on my mind. I was having some trouble concentrating on the sermon.”
“Uh-huh.” My mama leveled a gaze at me. “A lot on your mind, huh? I think you mean Alex Kline’s on your mind.” She clucked her tongue.
She always had been able to see right through me.
I winced and then spotted Perri across the room. “Mama, can you watch Kadie for a second?”
“Sure, honey. Take all the time you need.”
