AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Trevor’s assessment of Jess struck Cooper like a dash of ice water. “What do you mean by fake?” he asked.
“You know. Like when she said she wasn’t a cop. But she had cop written all over her, even if she wasn’t wearing a badge. And I could tell she was there to let me know she’d be keeping an eye on me, and that I’d better not mess up. She reminded me of the people at my old school. They acted like they cared about me, but they didn’t. They were just doing their jobs. Nobody really cares about me.”
He stopped working and studied Cooper with insightful eyes. “You liked her, didn’t you?”
“I guess so. She was pretty, and she seemed nice. But don’t worry, I’m not looking for a girlfriend. Too many complications.” He finished the fridge and tossed the sponge in the sink. “Hey, tomorrow’s Saturday. We can check out a place to get lunch and get you a haircut.”
“Haircut!” Trevor swept his long bangs out of his face. “No way. My hair is just the way I like it.”
Cooper sighed. “Trevor, this isn’t Seattle. Folks around here are more conservative. You won’t fit in at your school with long hair.”
“Tough. I’m not cutting it.”
“Fine. But if you show up at school looking like a punk rocker, you’re asking to get picked on. I want you to be happy here, Trevor. I want you to make friends.”
“I know. But I won’t do it by pretending to be somebody I’m not.” Trevor finished stacking the dishes, then left the kitchen for the living room, found the remote, and clicked on the TV. The power came on, but there was nothing on the screen but static.
“What the—” Trevor cursed as he switched off the remote.
“Watch your language. I called the cable company today. But they can’t get here till next week. Until then you’ll just have to find other ways to entertain yourself.”
“That sucks! Why did we have to move? I was happy in Seattle.”
“That’s enough, Trevor. I’m tired and so are you. Go to your room and make up your bed. If you’re not sleepy, you can unpack your clothes and put them away. If you’ve got any dirty laundry, put it on top of that washer and dryer in the hall. The machines are old but they’re supposed to work. We can do the wash when we buy some detergent at that grocery store we passed on the way into town.”
“You still haven’t told me why we had to move.”
“I don’t need to tell you. You know. Now go.”
Cooper sank onto the sofa as his son disappeared down the hall. Why did the boy have to fight him at every turn? It was exhausting. He could only hope that school would turn out to be a good experience for him. If not, this whole move could prove to be a disaster.
He would give it a little time, maybe till Christmas, Cooper resolved. If by then, Trevor was still getting in trouble, he would start checking out other options. Perhaps a small town had been the wrong choice. Trevor might be happier in a city setting—not Seattle, but maybe someplace like Austin or Santa Fe.
But he didn’t want to reward his son for misbehaving. And there was a lot to be said for toughing it out in Branding Iron. If they stayed here, he’d have Sam and Grace to lend support—and maybe Jess, too.
Jess’s influence could be good for Trevor. But how could she help him if the boy refused to trust her? And, as Cooper reminded himself, he hadn’t exactly broken the ice with her either. In the car, she had been cool and distant, especially after he’d mentioned that she looked familiar.
But it was too soon to throw up his hands and walk away. Something in him wouldn’t let go of the hope that he might get to know Jess and discover the secrets hiding in those mysterious dark eyes.
He would try again, at the first opportunity.
* * *
As the only grocery store in town, Martin’s Market had plenty of customers. The crowded shelves carried all the basics, the produce was fresh, and the owner, Max Martin, was a master butcher who processed his own meats. When the new Shop Mart at the south end of town opened up in the spring, Max and his wife, Cloris, would probably close up and retire. That would be a shame, Jess thought as she perused the narrow aisles for the few things she needed—coffee, onions, Drano, tampons, and two bags of Halloween candy. There was something to be said for a place where the owners greeted you by name.
With her shopping basket full, she headed for the single checkout counter. Since the store would be closed the next day, there was always a line on Saturdays. Jess was resigning herself to a ten-minute wait when a cart with a faulty wheel clanked into line behind her, giving her a slight bump.
“Sorry.” The masculine voice was familiar. She turned to see Cooper, with Trevor in tow, pushing a loaded cart. “We’re stocking up,” he said. “At least, with this wheel clunking along, folks can hear us coming and get out of the way.”
“Well, it looks like you two are settling in.” She was making lame conversation, far too conscious of his piercing blue eyes and the dimple that deepened when he smiled.
“We’re trying.”
“Hello, Trevor.” She made sure to acknowledge the boy. “Have you seen much of Branding Iron yet?”
He shook his dark head, the hair badly in need of a trim. “I must’ve blinked and missed it.”
“Give the place a chance,” she said. “I’m a city girl, too. But this little town has grown on me. Lots of good people.”
