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“Tomorrow is Ryder’s birthday party. Are you still bringing Sky?”
“My mother and aunt planned to. But I think we should wait before she finds out who you are. I don’t want to ruin Ryder’s day.” Something settles deep in my soul that she cares for my son this much, but I’m not going to let her deny my family any longer. “No. You come and we can tell her after the party.”
“Fine.”
There is a knock on the door. Scout opens it, and I see my sister standing there with a knowing grin.
Scout starts doing her job as owner and president of her club. I sit in the corner of the bar, nursing a coke and praying she’ll let me stay the night with her. I can’t wait to get back into her body. I’m obsessed with it already.
TEN
SCOUT
The wind hits my face and I sigh. This weekend was just what I needed. A small respite from the emotions at home. I think over the week before. It was like she knew. The moment we pulled into Thad’s driveway off Goldstream, Skyler piped up from the back seat.
“Ryder’s dad is my dad, isn’t he?” Her question is soft, but it reminds me how smart she is. How in tune with others she is.
“Yeah, baby. He is.” I won’t lie to her.
The party went off without a hitch, unless you count all the married and single women who were trying to get Thad’s attention. But he was focused on Skyler and Ryder.
I then went to work and only texted him. Told him I had plans, then I tried to adjust to my body wanting him again. I want him all the time. I wake from dreams of him and what he did to me in my office. River and I talked about it, but I’m still not sure where he fits into my life except to be there for Skyler.
That’s why this weekend was so important. River, Skyler, Minuet, my mom, and I all came down to Denali for the weekend. Just the girls. Mom is driving my truck, while River, Minuet, and I are on our bikes. I hold out two fingers as some bikes head south opposite of us. They do the same two-finger wave and I’m excited. We need to make a run down here as a club.
My aunt was supposed to come with us, but she cancelled at the last minute. I have a feeling I know what’s going on with her. From the moment she met Thad’s dad, Terry, they’ve been talking, texting, and more. I warned her he was on the rebound, and she told me to mind my own business. The other girls stayed back to give us some time together. I left Rivet in charge.
We are coming up on Nenana, and I promised Sky we could stop at the Monderosa Bar and have a burger. My mom was telling her how good they were. She had pizza at Prospectors in Denali. Cinnamon Rolls at a local café. Ice Cream at Miller’s. The girl probably gained enough weight for her next growth spurt this weekend alone. My mother and I laughed at her as she ran up and down the boardwalks and asked to buy touristy things.
The smile on my face is huge when we pull into the parking lot of Monderosa. My cell rings in my pocket, and I pull it out. Seeing it’s my aunt, I decide to tease her.
“Decided you were wrong and having second thoughts now?” I chuckle as I wait for my mom to pull in behind us.
“Scout, you need to come home, now.” Her voice is tight. I freeze, worried she’s going to tell me someone else has died.
“Who?” I ask, and River is by my side, holding my arm as I shake. I see Thad in my mind. One of the girls. My uncle. Everyone I’m worried about because they still can’t figure out why my father was killed and who did it. Thad is working a new angle and it has something to do with a truck he found burned up a couple of weeks ago.
“Your parents’ place.” The words don’t register.
“What?” I shake my head, confused. River takes the phone from me.
“Vixen, what’s going on.” I hear her ask as my mom and Sky move toward us. “Fuck. We’re on our way, but we can’t speed too much.” She twirls her hand in the air, indicating for everyone to load back up. Sky starts to get upset, but my mom knows something is up and gets her in the truck before they pull out. River looks at me after she hangs up. “We need to beat your mom there. Her house was vandalized and part of it burned.”
“Rufus?” I ask because he stayed there with Vixen while we came on this trip. The hotel wouldn’t allow dogs.
“Vixen picked him up earlier and took him back to the clubhouse.”
I nod and start up my Indian Scout and take off, passing my mom in the truck. The girls stay with me, and we make the ninety-minute drive in under sixty. We took most of the side roads and only sped a little bit. I pull up at my parents’ place and hold the tears back. Only part of the house was destroyed, but it’s still a total loss. Thad is standing there in his uniform with my aunt next to him. Another man in a station uniform is beside them. I expect he’s the fire investigator.
My truck comes to a stop, and I hear the door. I turn as I watch my mom fall to her knees. My father built this house for her as a wedding gift. They lived there together until the day he died. To lose it and him could be too much. I rush to her, and my aunt is there with me. We hold her up as River approaches Thad and the investigator.
I can tell just from looking at him that Thad is upset about something. I look at my aunt, and she nods.
“Momma, I’ll be right back.” I disengage her arms from around me. Looking into my truck, I see Skyler crying. First, I need to take care of her. I open the door and settle her, letting her know that Rufus wasn’t here. She sits in the seat and nods. “I need to go talk to Thad.”
“Can I come?” she asks softly, and I turn to look at him. He shakes his head ever so slightly. It’s bad and he doesn’t want her near it.
“Stay with me, Little Bear,” Frenchie says as she takes her in her arms.
