CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

Ellie collapsed in her office chair, leaned her head back, and closed her eyes. Christ, what a day. What a week.

It was another record sales day for the Book Bank, and it wasn’t even five o’clock. Word came down about noon, where from no one could say—Joe Doyle was denying any knowledge of the drug operation Michelle had been running through DI for years. He was appalled it had happened under his nose and was cooperating fully with the authorities. Customers flooded the Book Bank within thirty minutes, cementing its reputation for the place to be for information. Ellie wasn’t sure she wanted her passion project to be known as the local gossip mill, but she couldn’t deny her sales projections had been shattered.

Ellie’s customers were pretty evenly split on those who believed Joe and those who thought it was bullshit. Ellie liked to think the bullshit faction had voted for her, but her 30 percent showing at the polls belied that theory. She didn’t need to hear everyone rehash what was known, suspected, or theorized about the goings-on at Doyle Industries. She knew Joe Doyle’d been behind the Yourke County drug trade for years—hell, everyone knew it, but no one wanted to admit it—and she wasn’t surprised in the least he was throwing his own daughter under the bus. Joe Doyle and Big Jake Yourke were cut from the same bastard cloth. One thing did surprise her: she felt sorry for Michelle Doyle. The only person Michelle had left on her side was her mother, Mary, and even Ellie wasn’t sure Mary would stand by Michelle. Ellie doubted Mary Doyle knew how to think for herself and she knew Mary would do and say whatever Joe told her.

Ellie allowed a small flame of triumph to burn deep within her being, a flame she would never share with anyone. Not Kelly (not that Kelly was speaking to her) or Jack or Susan. To everyone in Stillwater, she would be classy, would take the high road when it came to Michelle’s downfall and talk of innocent until proven guilty, letting the system take its course, believe none of what you hear and half of what you see. But Ellie believed Michelle got what she deserved, finally. Karma was a bitch, and you can’t do the things Michelle’d done for thirty years without those chickens finally coming home to roost.

Privately, she hoped Michelle went to jail until she was old and haggard and was turned into some big, ugly butch lesbian’s wife.

But Ellie would never say it or admit it. Even to Jack.

A knock on the door jolted her from her uncharitable thoughts. Ethan McBride lifted his hand in an awkward wave and said, “Hey.”

Ellie sat up. “Hey.”

“Dad told me to meet him here?”

“Right. We were going to, um, get a bite to eat I think. Are you hungry?”

“Yeah. I’m always hungry,” Ethan’s face reddened and he looked away.

“Your dad texted and said he’d been held up.”

“Okay. I’ll wait out here.” Ethan turned to go.

“Wait.” Ellie stood, desperate to make a connection with this young man who, if things went the way she hoped, would play a big part in her life. “We can go grab something, you and me. I can take you. If you want. It’s fried chicken night at Mabel’s. Have you had Mabel’s fried chicken?”

“No.”

“It might be the best fried chicken I’ve ever tasted.”

Ethan shrugged so half-heartedly, Ellie knew the last thing he wanted to do was be seen with her eating fried chicken. Alone. With Jack? Maybe.

“If you don’t like fried chicken, Mabel’s has good fried fish. Or we could get Dairy Queen. Whichever.”

“I’m good.”

“Why don’t I go to Mabel’s and get two meals to go? Three. We’ll save one for your dad. We can eat them upstairs in my apartment.” As soon as she said it, Ellie thought it sounded weird, as if she was trying to lure an unsuspecting teenager to her lair and take advantage of him. God. Would people think that? No. Yes. Maybe. “Or we can eat it down here, in the store. I’ll see if Paige wants one. We may be busy all night with everything going on.”

“Do you always talk this much and this fast?”

“No. I’m nervous. I want you to like me but I’m afraid you hate me.” She stopped. Way to lay it out there, Elliot.

Ethan read the sign on the inside of the safe door with instructions on what to do if you were locked in. He pointed to it and turned to her. “Seriously? There’s no way out?”

“There wasn’t when this was a bank, but I had them remove the lock so you can’t get trapped. There’s a little window to open for oxygen.”

Ethan stood on his tiptoes and opened the window. “Cool.” He opened and closed it a few times and said, “Troy and Olivia like you a lot.”

Ellie smiled. “Glad to hear it.”

“They act like you’re a saint.”

“I’m far from a saint.” Ethan stopped messing with the little window, but kept his back to her. Ellie took a deep breath and dove in. “Ethan, I love your dad very much.”

“How is that even possible? Y’all barely know each other. Unless y’all’ve really been sneaking around for the last six weeks.”

“We haven’t. I swear to God. When your mother came back, we stopped seeing each other.”

“You both keep saying it, but I don’t know if I believe it.”

“Why not?”

Ethan fidgeted and looked away. “I can’t imagine staying away from Olivia for six weeks.”

Ellie smiled and wondered if Susan knew, or even suspected. Or cared, considering everything.

“It was as awful as you imagine it would be.” Ellie wanted to reach out and touch him but knew better. “I know this is going to be weird for a while. All I ask is you give me a chance, okay?”

The silence stretched uncomfortably between them. Ellie hadn’t felt this nervous around a teenage boy since senior prom. Finally, Ethan said, “Fried chicken sounds good.”

Ellie exhaled and smiled. “You won’t regret it.”

“I hope not.”

They smiled at each other, shyly, and looked away.

“Did I hear someone say fried chicken?”

It took a moment for Ellie to associate the cop who stood in the office door with Jack McBride. Apparently Ethan had the same problem because he burst out laughing. “Dad, you look so weird.”

“Says the kid who’s worn the same hoodie every day for a week.”

“It’s been two weeks, and I like this hoodie.”

“I seem to remember you started wearing it around your birthday,” Jack said. “Someone special give it to you?”

Ellie was afraid Ethan’s face was going to catch fire it turned so red so quickly. Behind Ethan, she shook her head in warning to Jack. He nodded and said, too brightly not to sound forced. “So, everything good?”

Ellie waited for Ethan to respond. “So far so good.”

Ellie felt a smile spread across her face. It wasn’t much, but it was something. Then Jack had to go and push the envelope.

“Where’s your mother?”

“Gone when I got home from school.”

“Should I ask?”

“She didn’t leave a note.” Ethan raised his finger. “But she took her phone, so she’s making progress. How’s Uncle Eddie?”

“Dreading the arrival of Lieutenant Governor Grandma.”

Ethan groaned. “Join the club. Are y’all ready? I’m starving.”

“Yeah, go on up front. We’re right behind you.”

Ethan rolled his eyes and walked off. “Gross.”

Jack and Ellie raised their eyebrows at each other. Ellie shrugged.

“So.”

“So.”

“We’re pregnant,” Jack said.

“We’re pregnant.” Ellie looked away and fiddled with the corner of a stack of papers on her desk.

Jack stepped forward. He stilled her hand with his and said in a low voice, “You don’t seem happy about it.” He put his finger under her chin and lifted her head to meet his gaze. “Are you not happy about it?”

“Of course I am. It’s just …” She leaned her head back and searched the ceiling for what to say. Tears welled in her eyes and her throat thickened. She closed her eyes and dropped her head. “I’m forty-two years old, Jack. I’ll be sixty when it—he—she—graduates from high school.”

“So will I.”

“What if something’s wrong with it? I’ve been drinking, more than I should. Plus, being over thirty-five, the chances of the baby having some sort of condition increases by—” Jack placed his fingers over her mouth but Ellie kept talking. “I don’t know how much, but a lot. Jane wants me to run for mayor. Apparently she thinks I’m supposed to save the town. Save it from what is what I want to know. And, there’s rumors Doyle’s going to resign as city councilman even before he takes office, which will mean they’ll appoint me. And I think Jane is dying, and she said once, in an offhand comment, but Jane never makes offhand comments, that she’s leaving the bank to me. I mean, come on!”

Jack laughed. “Ellie, stop.” He put his hands on her hips and pulled her toward him. He brushed the tears from her cheeks and pushed her hair behind one ear. “I don’t care about any of that other stuff. The town and Jane Maxwell can go to hell. All I care about is you, Ethan, and the little baby inside there.” He placed his hand over her stomach. “I’m not going to tell you everything will be okay. It might not. But worrying about it won’t change it. We’ll deal with whatever comes, when it comes. Together.” He grinned.

“Stop grinning.”

“Why? That was a good speech. Oscar-worthy.”

“It wasn’t that good.”

“It was pretty damn good.”

“This is not a joking matter. This is serious.”

He pulled her closer, still grinning. “It’s very serious.”

“Wait.” Ellie pushed on his chest and leaned back, slightly. “If you’re too close, you’re blurry. See what I mean?” She tossed her hand in the air. “I won’t even be able to see our baby up cl—”

Ellie wouldn’t remember what she meant to say until later than night, Jack’s head pillowed on her bare stomach, her fingers running through his hair, staring up at the ceiling of her parents’ old bedroom, Ethan sleeping on the other side of the wall, apparently at peace with Jack and Ellie’s relationship. For now.

Ellie’s hand stilled. “Jack?”

He lifted his head, kissed her stomach, and rested it back, now facing her. “Hmm?”

She told him about her fight with Kelly. By the time she was finished, he was cradling her in his arms. He kissed her temple. “I’m sorry.”

Ellie sniffed loudly. “I thought you should know.”

“She’ll come around.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure.”

Jack tightened his embrace. Ellie settled her head on his chest and placed her hand over his heart. “You aren’t having second thoughts, are you?” he said.

“No. Never.”

She was afraid she said it too quickly, but Jack didn’t seem to notice. She knew this was right, that Jack was the man she was meant to share her life with. Still, as his breathing deepened and his embrace softened, Ellie couldn’t sleep, both nervous and excited by the idea that her ordered, predictable life was about to change in wonderful and terrifying ways.