He’s crying—teething and fussy, a little feverish with it. Harry’s hugging my leg. He must have sensed something because he started crying, too. And the baby’s inside me. Clint’s gone.
“The other wives came, to help, to comfort. I broke, a million pieces. There was fear and doubt and worry, and such horrible, horrible grief. I didn’t think I’d live through it.”
He thought of her, alone, two babies, newly pregnant, and widowed.
“Who could? How did you?”
“All I knew was I needed to come home. They needed to come home. It was the only clear answer for all of us, and it was the right one. I can think about Clint here, how much I loved him, and I’ve been able to accept that we had what we were meant to have. No more, no less. Now I have something else. I can think about him, talk about him. I have to, the boys deserve that. Just as they, and I, deserve the life we’ve made now.”
“I don’t know if it helps, but I know when we lost Dad, we were all just numb, I guess. Just taking a step at a time dealing with all the horrible, practical things you have to deal with. Eventually you find yourself in another place. Some of it’s familiar, some of it’s not. You make something else out of it, and you know you couldn’t have without the person you lost.”
“Yes.” Now she could be grateful he understood. “When you think of your dad, or talk about him, it reminds you of that. It’s the same for me. You knew Clint. We have a history that includes him, so since we’re seeing each other I don’t want you to feel awkward or uncomfortable.”
Beckett considered, went with impulse. “Do you remember Mr. Schroder?”
“I had him for U.S. history. I hated Mr. Schroder.”
“Everybody did. He was a dick. Clint and I, and some other guys TP’d his house.”
“That was you? Clint was in on that?” She sat back and laughed. “Oh my God, I remember that so well. You must’ve used a hundred rolls. It looked like a cargo ship of Charmin exploded.”
“No point in doing something if you do it half-assed.”
“You sure didn’t go half-assed on Mr. Schroder. And he was a dick.”
“Owen organized it, as you’d expect. Me, Owen, Ry. Two other guys whose names I must protect, as we swore an oath.”
“Clint never told me, and everybody talked about that hit for weeks.”
“An oath’s an oath. We had about fifty rolls, and it took forever to accumulate that much. If a bunch of guys walked into Sheetz or wherever and bought that much at a time, you’d be busted. So we bought a little at a time, in different places, snuck some out of the house, a roll or two each time. We had time lines and maps and lookouts, escape routes. It was a major campaign, and it was beautiful.”
“You were the unsung heroes of Boonsboro High. If we’d known we’d have thrown a party for you.”
“We had our own about a month later. Camped out in the woods near our place and got wasted on Budweiser and peach schnapps.”
“That’s disgusting.”
“Yeah, it was. Good times.”
“Charlie Reeder.” She pointed, got an aha glimmer in her eyes that sparkled green. “One of the others had to be Charlie. He and Clint were tight.”
“I’m unable to confirm or deny.”
“Charlie Reeder,” she repeated. “He was always up for trouble back then. Now he’s a town cop. You just never know. He likes men’s adventure novels and black coffee with a shot of espresso.”
“I guess you get to know people by what they look for in the bookstore.”
“I also have secrets. I know, for instance, that all the Montgomery boys like to read—and what they like to read. That you all drink too much coffee. I know that you and Owen go for sentimental cards for your mom for Mother’s Day and her birthday, and Ryder goes for funny.”
Lifting her wine, she shot him a knowing glance. “That’s just the tip of the iceberg.”
“A side benefit of the small-town merchant.”
“You bet. And I know of at least half a dozen customers who are planning to book a night at the inn for a special occasion, even though they live locally. You’re going to have a hit, Beckett.”
“It’ll be nice for Lizzy to have company.”
“Who? Oh, your ghost. She’s Lizzy now?”
“Well, we’ve gotten close. How do you think Hope’s going to deal with that?”
“Hope deals, that’s part of who