10

Chloe’s bad mood had not improved by the next day. Seated in the front row of the Good Shepherd Church, in the pew reserved for family of the clergy, she dared not look around. If she met anyone’s eyes, they might discern the truth—that the pastor’s cousin was nothing but a fraud. An adulteress, who didn’t deserve to be in this holy place, listening to Nick’s soothing words of love and forgiveness.

Chloe shifted in her seat, the bench too hard beneath her. Her gaze fell on the spot where Mama had always sat, and a wave of sorrow coursed through her. The last time Chloe had been in this pew had been for Mama’s funeral. Was that the reason she hadn’t been home since?

The air in the church became too close. Chloe struggled to get oxygen into her lungs. Please don’t let me have a panic attack now. She’d been doing so well, with only the one small episode the night of the thunderstorm. She’d thought the attacks had been a product of her stressful life in New York. Apparently she was wrong about that too.

Just when Chloe thought she’d go mad, the service ended. Not waiting for the final hymn to finish, she exited out the side door. In the shade of an oak tree, she began deep, even breathing, hoping to circumvent a full-blown attack. Repressed grief rose inside her, adding to the load of guilt she carried. In New York, it had been easy to push aside her memories of Mama, but here in her mother’s favorite place, it all came rushing back. Mama, I miss you so much. The tears she’d held at bay for the whole service now brimmed on her lashes and spilled over. A movement caught Chloe’s attention. She wiped her face and straightened in time to face Maxi and Jason.

“Hey, are you OK?” Maxi’s keen eyes missed nothing.

Chloe sniffed. “Just thinking about my mom.”

Maxi drew her into a hug. “Oh, honey. I’m so sorry. Is this the first time in church since her funeral?”

Chloe nodded and melted into Maxi’s embrace. After a few seconds, she pulled back.

“Why don’t you come over for lunch?” Jason asked, little Ben wriggling in his arms.

“Thanks, but I’m supposed to be going to Lily’s.” Maybe she’d get in the car and go wherever it took her instead. Just keep driving until her emotions settled.

Maxi patted her arm. “OK. But we’ll talk soon. I want to hear all about this bakery of yours. It sounds wonderful.”

Chloe managed a halfhearted smile, her bruised spirits lifting. Then she looked over Maxi’s shoulder and saw Aidan. Her knees turned to rubber. In her present vulnerable state, she could not deal with him. When her phone chose that moment to ring, she was more than happy to answer it.

****

Aidan’s stomach clenched when Chloe’s eyes met his and she turned away. How had things gone so terribly wrong between them? Never had he been so twisted up over a woman. He’d even broken one of his own rules yesterday by kissing her. When he’d returned to Rainbow Falls, he swore if he ever got involved romantically again, it would be with a devout woman, one without lies or schemes, not like his ex-girlfriend, Patricia. Or Chloe Martin—another woman full of secrets.

Still, he couldn’t seem to tear his traitorous eyes away from her.

Her dark hair was swept up off her face, baring her neck. A knee-length dress showcased her shapely legs, which ended in some kind of strappy shoe. High heels, of course. And once again she had her cellphone glued to her ear.

Maxi punched his arm. “What’s got you in such a bad mood?”

“Nothing.” He practically growled at her.

“I’ll be right there, Lindsay. Don’t move.” Chloe’s raised voice held a hint of desperation.

Aidan’s mood deteriorated even further. Despite his repeated warnings, Chloe had become far too involved in Lindsay Brown’s life. With a grunt, he pushed past his sister to intercept Chloe before she could escape. “What was that about?”

Chloe shot him a glare that could have peeled bark from the tree. “None of your business.”

“I’m making it my business.” He stepped closer. “Is Lindsay in some kind of trouble?”

“What do you care? It’s after school hours.” She marched past him toward the parking lot.

His chest tightened, and he curled his fingers into his palms. How did she make him laugh one minute and want to throttle her the next? He jogged after her, and before she could get in her car, slapped a hand on the driver’s door. “You might as well tell me. I’ll just follow you.”

Sparks shot from amber eyes that had darkened to a whiskey color. “Stay out of this, Aidan. It’s between Lindsay and me.”

“Fine. I’ll follow you then.” He walked toward his car.

“You can’t stop me from helping her,” she called.

He kept going.

Angry footsteps tapped the pavement. “Wait.”

He turned around. Why hadn’t he noticed her red eyes? Had she been crying?

“It’s Lindsay’s brother, Matt. He’s in some kind of trouble over at Cooper’s store.”

Aidan’s neck muscles cinched, and he blew out a breath. “I’ll go with you.”

“You can’t. Lindsay called me in confidence.” Chloe laid a tense hand on his arm. “Please don’t do that to her—or to me.”

Aidan wished he could ignore the plea in her voice.

“Chloe, there you are. I’ve been looking everywhere.” Nick frowned as he approached them. “Is there a problem?”

A hint of panic crossed Chloe’s features. Her gaze darted to Aidan, practically begging for his help.

Aidan made a decision he hoped he wouldn’t regret later. He stared right at her as he answered Nick’s question. “Nothing Chloe can’t handle.”

The relief and gratitude that swept over her face were his reward.

“Tell Lily I’ll be over as soon as I clear this up.” Chloe opened the car door as she spoke. “An hour tops.”

She jumped in and shut the door before Nick could object.

When her car roared away, Nick aimed a suspicious glare at Aidan. “What’s going on with you two?”

Aidan pushed back a wave of guilt at the memory of their kiss. “Just trying to give Chloe some advice, which she continues to ignore. She’s some kind of stubborn, that one.”

Nick’s scowl relaxed into a chuckle. “Tell me about it. Ever since Uncle Leonard died, I’ve tried my best to fill in for him, but it hasn’t been easy.”

Aidan clapped a hand on Nick’s shoulder. “I feel for you, buddy. I really do.”

****

Chloe parked in front of Cooper’s Convenience Store and ran inside.

The store was exactly how she remembered it. The same smell of candy, gum, and pine air freshener. Even the display of magazines remained in the same spot as when she was a teen.

Behind the counter, Mr. Cooper stood frowning at Lindsay. The stout man wore a canvas apron with the words “Cooper’s Convenience” in bold red letters. In the corner, a tousled-haired teen sat on a stool, his face as white as the wall behind him.

“Hi, Lindsay. Hello, Mr. Cooper.”

Lindsay moved toward Chloe, her face a mirror of anxiety. “Miss Martin, thanks for coming so fast.”

Chloe laid a steadying hand on the girl’s arm. “It’ll be OK. Why don’t you let me talk with Mr. Cooper for a minute?”

Lindsay’s pinched features relaxed as she went to join her brother.

Chloe turned to the disgruntled man behind the counter. “Mr. Cooper, could I have a word with you, please?”

“What does this have to do with you?” His scowl did nothing to inspire confidence.

“Lindsay is one of my students. I’d like to help if I can.”

The man’s stiff posture deflated slightly. “You’re wasting your time. I’ve caught the boy trying to steal from me before.”

Chloe wished she had some sense of the dynamics in this situation. All she could do was trust her instincts. “What happened today?”

“I saw him in the mirror.” He gestured to the round mirror bolted to the wall near the ceiling. “He was shoving some cans of beer into his back pack.”

Chloe fought to hide her dismay. Stealing and drinking under age. Not a good sign. “Did he actually leave the store with it?”

“No, because I grabbed him right away. But if I hadn’t caught him, he’d have taken the whole lot.”

Lindsay and Matt seemed embroiled in a heated conversation of their own.

“What did you do then?”

“I phoned the boy’s home. Figured I’d give his mother fair warning before I called Chief Hillier.”

“What did Mrs. Brown say?”

“Couldn’t reach her. Got Lindsay instead.” He shook his graying head. “She begged me to wait until she got here before calling the police. The next thing I knew, you arrived.”

Chloe prayed for guidance. Matt’s future might depend on her words. “Is there any way you’d consider not involving the police?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know…”

“What if I promised Matt would make restitution for his mistakes? Do some community service?” She warmed to her own idea. “He could work here to make up for the trouble he’s caused you.”

“I doubt that would be enough of a deterrent.”

Matt was the perfect candidate for the youth center. Exactly the sort of kid Aidan was trying to keep out of trouble. “What if I could get someone from Matt’s school involved to supervise Matt’s community service? Would that help?” She gave Mr. Cooper her most pleading smile.

He huffed out a loud breath. “Well, maybe if the principal agreed to it…”

“How about the vice-principal? Mr. North is opening a youth center to keep the kids off the streets and out of trouble. If we get Matt involved in fixing the place up, he might feel more connected to the center and actually use it.”

Mr. Cooper’s lips twisted into a reluctant smile. “If Mr. North is half as enthusiastic as you are, young lady, his idea will be a smashing success. You have him call me and we’ll see. For now, I’ll hold off bringing the police into it. But if anything like this happens again, I’ll have no choice.”