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"Jackson," she murmured, staring at me.
"What are you..." I stopped mid-sentence, lost in her eyes.
The sound of my name falling off her lips sent a wave of heat through my body. We stood in silence, staring at one another, and in those few moments, I had completely forgotten what it was I was even doing here and what I'd even wanted to see her for.
Greg cleared his throat and stepped in. "Miss," he said, looking up at me and frowning. "we wanted to have a few words about what took place here tonight. I understand that you were the one who called the police after the fight broke out. If you have a few minutes, we have a few questions we'd like to ask you."
Her eyes never left mine as Greg continued speaking. She stood there nodding at everything Greg said, but I doubted she was even listening. My suspicions were confirmed when he asked his first question. She just nodded and never answered the question, so Greg asked her the same question once again, this time a little louder, and she jumped at the sound of his voice, but finally, her eyes left mine and she began answering what he wanted to know. She took her time answering the questions he had, while I stood there, continuing to stare at her.
"Thanks, miss, that will be all. If we have any more questions, we will be in touch."
I hadn't moved until I felt Greg pull me by the arm. I lifted my hand to wave good-bye to Bailey and followed him outside. As soon as the cool, fresh air finally hit me in the face, it was like I woke up.
"What the hell happened to you in there?" Greg asked as we stopped just beside my car. "You obviously know her. Some sort of history between you?"
Greg was new to Sunnyville and had no idea about the history between Bailey and me.
"Let's not talk about it! It's in the past all right."
"Didn't seem that way." He shrugged.
Ignoring his comment, I walked around to the driver’s side door and ripped it open. Climbing in, I pulled the door shut, shoved the key in the ignition, and started the car.
"You planning on walking back to the station?" I yelled as I rolled down the passenger’s side window.
"No."
"Then get in," I barked as Greg pulled the door open and climbed in. The door had barely closed and I had pulled away from the curb, taking off in the direction of the station and in the opposite direction of Bailey Scott.
5
Bailey
I'd spenta few hours after I'd gotten home last night going through my old scrapbook of Jackson and me. Seeing him again had brought on a need to revisit old memories, so when I got home, I cracked a bottle of wine and sat cross-legged on the floor of my bedroom, picture album in my lap, flipping through years of memories with tears in my eyes. Pictures of us when we were younger, prom pictures, pictures of the camping trips that Jackson, Connor, and myself had gone on over the past summers. I revisited the swearing-in ceremony all police officers go through, both Connor and Jackson looking so handsome in their uniforms as they took their oaths.
Soon, the bottle of wine I'd opened was gone, and I had flipped into some sort of alternate universe—the year after my brother had died. Then, finally, I flipped to the very last picture Jackson and I had ever taken together, and that was when I lost it. Tears streamed down my face as I closed the book. I climbed into bed and cried myself to sleep just like I had done for the first two years after I'd moved away.
A heavy feeling surrounded me this morning and my head ached. I approached Better Buzz, took in a deep breath, and pulled the door open, the familiar surroundings of my favorite coffee shop putting a smile on my face. It was the first time I had been there since I had returned to Sunnyville.
I glanced around the room and saw Cara, sitting in a corner booth waving frantically at me. I lifted my hand in a wave and began approaching the table when she jumped out of her seat and wrapped her arms around me.
"Been in town almost two weeks and you haven't even come to see me yet. It's about time you got here," she said as she squeezed me tightly to her.
"Sorry, it’s been an adjustment, and this morning I had to stop at the pharmacy and pick up Mom's prescription. There was a line," I said, shrugging.
"Well, forget about it. You’re here now. I ordered our coffees, but I didn't order any food because I didn't know what you would want. They have fresh blueberry muffins, apple cookies, and cinnamon sugar scones."
"Oohh those scones sound like something to die for. Let’s get those," I said, laughing and grabbing my wallet.
"No way, put that wallet away. You moved all the way back here for me. The least I can do is buy you a scone and coffee," Cara said, nodding to my wallet. She grabbed hers instead and headed to the counter. Seconds later, she returned with two warmed cinnamon scones.
I took a bite and closed my eyes, savoring the flavor.
"Good huh?" Cara asked.
"So good!" I murmured, taking another bite.
"So I heard about what happened last night at Hooligans. Are you okay?"
