Fire Always Burns - Krista Lakes Page 0,1

put the cereal up on the belt.

“How is Tyler handling it?”

Andrew shrugged. “If it was possible for that kid to get more quiet, this did it. He was actually looking forward to starting high school next year and being in the school play.” He paused, lowering his voice before continuing. “Barb wants to move to California to be with her parents. He's going to have to go to a big school. The kid is so shy that he won't try out for anything there. Luke is really worried about him.”

“Luke has always been a better parent to him than his actual parents. The judge should let him stay with Ray just so that he can stay with Luke,” I replied as I bagged the last of his items, hitting the total button on the register.

“You want to get together tomorrow with everybody for Luke? We can either celebrate or mourn. Either way he will probably appreciate the support.” Andrew said as he swiped the card through the reader.

“That sounds great. I'll ask around. Say hi to your mom for me.” I smiled as I handed him his receipt. I wished I could come up with something more clever to say to him. Something that would make him laugh, something that would give me a reason to spend more time with him. Since coming home, I hadn't been able to see much of him since he was busy with work. He didn't know the real reason for me dropping out of school and moving home, but I hadn't seen him enough to be able to tell him.

“I'll tell her. She was supposed to come do the shopping today, but she didn't feel up to it,” Andrew suddenly looked years older, as though time had played a cruel joke by making him the parent to his mother. He shook his head, the age shaking off of him like water from a dog. “Luke should be back up from Denver by 3, so how does 3:30 in the usual spot sound?”

“Sounds great. I'll see you then!” I answered a little too cheerfully. He didn't seem to notice as he picked up his bags and headed for the door. I watched him leave, feeling the butterflies dancing in my stomach at the thought of seeing him again tomorrow. When I could no longer see him through the door I glanced back down at my watch. Only eleven minutes left.

▪▪▪

"Holly, can you stop at the hardware store and pick up the parts I ordered?" my dad asked as I finished my breakfast.

"Sure- I'll stop there on my way to work. Do you want me to pick something up for dinner?" I answered putting my empty bowl in the dishwasher.

"Nah, I'll be at work when you get home, so I'll make that rice thing you like and put it in the fridge." He sipped at his coffee, wincing at the heat.

"Ok. I'll see you later tonight then," I kissed his cheek as I grabbed my keys off the kitchen table and headed out the door.

The car was cold, but it was a short drive to West Hardware and the heat was barely going by the time I got there. The door chimed as I walked in, the smells of tools and wood filling the air. Andrew stopped organizing the shelf he was working on and walked over to greet me. The store was empty other than the two of us.

"You here for the parts your dad ordered?" he asked smiling.

"You must be a mind reader," I answered, returning his easy smile. He laughed, raking a hand through his light brown hair. He had let it grow out since I had moved back, not long by any standard, but just shaggy along the edge of his collar. Combined with the light stubble on his jaw, I thought it made him look rugged and dashing. He thought he just looked lazy.

"Yup. I must read minds. Or maybe it's that he has been in here every day this week asking about them. They're in the back, I'll go grab 'em," he said with a laugh as he turned towards the back room. I leaned up against the counter, looking around the small shop. It had looked the same in here for as long as I could remember. A big metal sign hung over the register: WEST HARDWARE: A FAMILY BUSINESS. Ray West, Luke's father, ran the store. I remember the day he bought it, all of us kids running