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The man had been a fixture in her life forever, the dad of her best friend. Bile rose in her throat, thinking about it.
How did nobody know?
Aunt Cassie was convinced that Sheldon gave the police just enough information, and they didn’t press too hard because of his fame. Remembering the hell her dad and Stewart went through made her furious.
“Here, Mulberry.” Her grandmother passed her a tumbler of ice water.
Her mom and Aunt Cassie were going to spend Christmas with her grandparents. Grace was shooting a new movie in LA, so Mulberry came out to the orchard early, wanting to spend time with her grandparents, and Emma came, happy for the escape.
The orchard was different than she remembered as a kid. The groves were smaller, and the activity was less, but the greenery was beautiful, and the smell was exactly like she remembered.
“Let’s go check on those pomegranates.”
“Sure, Grandma.”
Her grandma’s dog, Charlie, bounced beside her, and Mulberry ran her hand through his soft fur, her throat thick.
This grove had been in the family since the ’30s, but since disease ate half the crops, they had pivoted to growing pomegranates and kale to keep the operation afloat.
“You have to adjust and adapt,” her grandmother said. “So, any plans for the new year?”
“I thought I’d spend it here.”
“Here? What would a girl your age want with spending it in a quiet little grove? Go out and party.”
Mulberry shook her head. It’s not like she had anyone to party with. Sometimes being Grace Stevens’s daughter sucked.
“We can’t control where we come from or who,” her grandmother said. “Only where we go and who with.”
“Grandma!”
“Well, it’s true! I think I’ve waited long enough,” her grandmother said, peering at her with her sharp blue gaze. “What happened with you and that dashing young man?”
“Dashing?” Mulberry giggled “Am I supposed to say ‘sex on a stick’?”
Mulberry snorted, her grandmother laughed.
“I don’t know. I thought he liked me.”
She knew it was more than that. Nick had said he loved her.
Twice.
And she said it back.
But when he said he was her protector to Dylan…it made her feel like what they shared wasn’t real.
The man felt something, though, judging by the number of voicemails and text messages he’d left.
What did she want him to do? Declare his love for her right in front of Emma, Dylan, the men on the floor and the big guys from Axis Management?
She knew she was being unfair.
“He was by your side every time I clicked the entertainment section on the thing that popped up when I opened my computer.”
“I thought you didn’t look at that.”
“Your mother doing a new series is exciting. Ever since you were taken, I hadn’t looked at that, but it felt normal with your mom doing what she loves to do. I guess it doesn’t now, huh?”
