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Kyle picked up another snickerdoodle, crumbling it onto his plate. “Josie and I may not have worked out, but she’s nothing like Chelsea.”
It was my turn to snort. “Yeah, sure. Tell me something I can actually believe, Webber.”
Kyle frowned. “Chelsea’s a bitch, we all know that, but don’t tar Josie with the same brush. She was as much a victim of Chelsea’s bullshit as anyone else.”
I held up my hands in surrender. “Fine. I’ll admit I never knew Josie that well, but you can’t blame me for judging her based on the company she kept.”
Kyle finished his iced tea and got up to put the glass in the dishwasher. “She and Chelsea haven’t been friends for a while. She stopped talking to her after she found out what she did to Adam—” He cut off quickly and made himself busy cleaning up after himself, throwing away his napkin and rinsing off his plate.
I didn’t want to ask. I shouldn’t care.
But of course, I had to know.
“What’d she do to Adam?” I asked, my voice deceptively blasé.
Kyle’s expression was decidedly bland. “I’m not in the habit of gossiping about my best friend behind his back.”
I covered the snickerdoodles with Saranwrap, making a point not to look at Kyle. I was embarrassed for asking about Adam at all. I didn’t care.
I. Did. Not. Care.
You keep telling yourself that, kid.
“I get that. Sorry,” I muttered.
Kyle cleared his throat, feeling the awkwardness as much as I was. “So. Um. How’s Whit these days? Your mom says she’s in Paris?”Kyle was about as subtle as a kick to the groin.
It was my turn to flip the tables. “I don’t make it a habit to gossip about my sister, Kyle.”
He laughed, easing the weird tension that the mention of Adam had created. “Touché, Galloway.” He reached out to give me a one-armed hug. “I’d better get going, but it’s great seeing you. Don’t be a stranger. I’m still over on Walnut Street. I took over the house when my parents decided to retire to Florida. I’ve got a kick-ass smoker in the backyard. I’ll make ya some brisket.”
“I’d like that. Just let me know when you want me. Maybe I’ll give Skylar a call. Make it a reunion of sorts.”I walked Kyle to the front door, following him out into the late evening sun. The street was quiet. I thought I’d hate the silence, but actually, it was sort of peaceful.
Kyle unlocked his truck and climbed up into the cab, sticking his head out the window as he started the loud engine. “Kinda hard to have a reunion if you don’t include all the players, am I right?” He gave me a stern look. “It’d be nice to have the whole gang together again. As in everyone.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “I don’t know, Web. One thing at a time. I just got into town.” I laughed, but it wasn’t very convincing.
“And it’s a small town too, Galloway. Don’t forget that.” He revved his engine, and with a wave, pulled out of the driveway into the street.
It’s a small town, Galloway.
“As if I could ever forget it,” I murmured, watching my friend drive away.
Chapter 5
Adam
I didn’t have time to get a shower before heading to my parents’. I had spent the afternoon playing eighteen holes with Rob at the course in Burlington over an hour away. I barely had time to get home, change into a pair of khaki shorts and a clean T-shirt. I splashed my face with cold water and rinsed my pits before dousing myself down with body spray and hoped it was enough to pass the eagle-eyed scrutiny of Marion Ducate.
Rob and I often used golf as a way to process our cases. He and I were two of the same—dedicated to our work. Rob was a crusader for change. It was one of the things I had always admired about him. His arguments in the courtroom were legendary. He could fire up a jury better than any attorney I had ever witnessed, and he was damn smart too. One of the most intelligent people I have ever met. When I was having a particularly tough time with a case, he was typically the first person I turned to for advice or to bounce ideas off.
I ended up having a hell of a week, topped off with a continuance on what I thought would be an open and shut assault and battery case. Judge Radner had been in a particularly pissy mood and had taken it out on me. Dick Radner had never been a fan of mine, not since I was caught tee-peeing his house when I was in the seventh grade.
Kyle and a few of the other guys on our parks and rec basketball team thought it would be a great idea to do some low-key vandalism. We had draped half the block in pink tissue before Judge Radner turned on the floodlights. Kyle and the others ran off, and I was left literally holding the bag.
