AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Lily snapped her mouth shut.
Jenna went to college with Rachel and missed her dearly. Rachel was lucky to have a woman like Tena who loved her so fiercely. And frankly, Tena was right—Tom was a doorknob.
“But speaking of moving home, Lily dear, I saw your brother the other day. So glad he’s back.”
Jenna tried to ignore the flutter of her heart when Colt was mentioned. But her reflection in the massive mirror showed just how pink her cheeks were.
“He is back, for the summer at least.”
“I don’t know why that boy won’t just set down his roots,” Tena said, waving her scissors in Lily’s direction. “This is his home. Everyone loves him. Said he’d come in for a haircut, you know?”
Lily nodded. “Yes, ma’am, he mentioned that.”
Tena nodded, as if Lily’s reassurance eased her. “Good. Because I can hardly hang my new sign without his picture.”
“Sign?” Jenna asked.
“Yes. I got me some of that billboard space over on Main Street. Going to hang my advertisement: ‘Colt McCade likes permed poodles.’”
Lily nearly spit out the Diet Coke she was drinking and Jenna just choked on her own inhale.
“If that doesn’t bring in business, I don’t know what will,” Lily said, laughing and wiping tears from her eyes.
“That’s what I was just saying to Sue-Ellen!” Tena smiled happily and went back to cutting Jenna’s hair. “Perhaps he’ll be in today?”
Lily raised a shoulder. “I don’t know, Miss Tena. Today isn’t the best day…”
“Oh, child, please forgive me. Silly woman I am, I forgot what day it was.”
That’s when it hit Jenna. Today was the anniversary of the McCades’ death. Unfortunately, it also happened to be their wedding anniversary. Killed in a car accident by a drunk driver on their way to an anniversary dinner.
“Everything is on me today, girls.”
“Oh no, Miss Tena, you don’t need to do that. Really, it’s okay. It was so long ago.”
“Hush. I said it’s on the house.”
No one had ever been successful in arguing with Miss Tena, and today didn’t look to be the day things were changing.
“You okay?” Jenna asked, looking at Lily through the mirror.
“I’m fine.” Lily leaned over, her voice quiet. “But Colt didn’t come home last night. I haven’t seen him all day, either.”
Jenna’s heart skipped. Lily shook her head.
“I dealt with it a long time ago, but Colt never did. He moved, joined the circuit, and has been busy keeping his mind on other things and other places. He’s managed to be anywhere but here on this day since they passed.”
“Do you think he’s all right?” Jenna asked, not caring that her voice sounded strangled and laced with worry.
“Yes. Colt is tough, I just think he needs to find a way to let go of his anger.”
“Anger?” Jenna knew Colt took it hard—who wouldn’t—but anger?
Lily nodded. “It took me a long time to figure this out, and honestly it wasn’t until I had Alex that things clicked. Colt saw our parents the same way I did. Perfect. The kind of love they had for each other was incredible.”
Jenna nodded. She had spent most of her time at Lily’s house when they were young. She saw how much they loved each other. Like they never left their honeymoon. Their presence had been powerful and engulfing.
“It was the reason I fell so hard for Alex’s dad. I wanted that kind of love. I still do. But Colt, he went the other way. It’s like anything about them, or our lives before they died, he stays away from.”
