HOME TEARS

Chapter Three

Ten minutes later, Dani pulled up outside Mae’s cabin.

Small and nestled among the trees, it looked like a fresh coat of white paint had recently been applied. Dani didn’t go inside right away. First things first. The lake beckoned to her and after pocketing the hidden key from behind the grill, she went straight for it. Conflicting emotions were inside her, but she nudged them aside again. No matter her damned history, she still yearned to be around water. The dock looked like a rag tag line of wood, all thrown together, but she was surprised to find out how sturdy it was.

Mae had been taking care of this place.

Dani was still sitting there when she heard a car approaching. Standing, she walked back around the cabin, and had another shock in store. She thought maybe Mae came behind her with food, or even Julia heard about her and tracked her down. She was wrong on both accounts.

A police cruiser was parked beside the Mustang. There were two men sitting in the front, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the driver. Sitting there, in a crisp uniform was the other reason why she left town.

Jake Cairns.

Her best friend from childhood. Her middle school crush. Her boyfriend in high school. He was her other half, until he chose her younger sister over her. Now he was a cop, and he was with her other sister, too—the one who was still alive, anyway.

“Hey, Jake.”

She supposed it was now or never. She had hoped to put off seeing him, just like everyone else, but maybe it was better to deal with him now. Deal with her sister later.

“Dani,” he rasped out, stopping a few feet from her. The blood had drained from his face and he looked like he just saw a ghost.

“How’s it going, Jake?”

Dani felt stupid saying those words, but what else could she ask? He was her ex. He chose her sister over her. He ripped her heart out, but he was also the only thing keeping her in Craigstown. In a way, she should thank him. He let her go free, and what a journey she had been on. Then again, remembering the reason why she was home, maybe she should curse him out too. This new heartache, this numbness she was experiencing—she wouldn’t have any of that.

She suddenly felt herself wanting to ask how life would’ve been if he hadn’t chosen Erica? Would she have stayed? Would they have married? Maybe they even would’ve had kids by now. She sucked in her breath, feeling an invisible knife plunge into her chest.

Maybe she shouldn’t be thinking about any of those things, and needing to change her thoughts, her eyes trailed past his shoulders, landing right onto Jake’s companion’s laughing eyes. Jonah Bannon.

Fuck.

As if he could read her mind, his mouth twisted up in a smirk. He remained back with the car, but she saw the challenge in his dark eyes. He wasn’t going anywhere.

She sighed. She could already tell he was going to be a problem.

Jake shifted on his feet, pulling her attention back to him. “I didn’t believe it. Jonah told me he thought you were back, but damn.” He could only stare at her. “Dani.”

That one word, one name from him. Her heart twisted. It was the same soft tone he used when they were kids, right as he kissed her lips and moved to her neck. She clenched her jaw. Maybe she shouldn’t have come back after all?

He kept going, his hand at his jaw. He just held it there, like he didn’t know what else to do with it. “Julia knows you’re back.” His hand fell back to his side. “I didn’t mean to tell her, not till I saw you myself, but she was on the other line when Jonah found me. She overheard.” He paused, his lips pressed together. “You can’t stay at the house, if that’s what you were thinking. Then again,” he turned to take in the cabin, “I can see you liking this place better. You always did, didn’t you?”

“Jake.” She didn’t want to talk about Julia, or that he remembered she loved this cabin more than her home. “Why’d you come here? Did Mae tell you I was here?”

“Nah. It was a guess.” He seemed to remember Jonah, and looked back, but focused on her once again. His eyebrows pinched together, like he was distracted. “You never called, when Erica died. Did you know? I thought maybe you’d come for the funeral.”

She didn’t want to talk about it, but she heard herself say faintly, “I knew.”

“So you just didn’t care?”

It wasn’t that. It was… she didn’t want to think about it.

“Jake…”

She didn’t want to remember when she found out.

“No.” He held up a hand. “I didn’t mean to attack you. That’s not why I came out here, but uh,” his hand grabbed the back of his neck and remained there, “I should let you know that Julia’s got a lot on her plate. Kathryn’s in the nursing home now. Did you know that?” He didn’t let her respond, speaking to himself, “No, I suppose you wouldn’t, but Julia’s got too much going on. I don’t think she can handle seeing you right now. Her Aunt Kathryn either.”

Dani had no plans of seeing either, but she couldn’t help herself. “My Aunt Kathryn.”

“What?”

“She’s my aunt too.”

“Oh.” A wrinkled line in his forehead increased. His eyebrows pinched even harder against each other. “Yeah. Yeah. I know.”

And then suddenly, as quick as the fight came to her, it left her in one sudden whoosh. She was tired, all the way down to her bones. She didn’t know another time in her life when she’d been this exhausted. She knew there’d be a time when she and Jake should talk. They never did, not after he told her he was leaving her for Erica, and she took off the very next day, but that time wasn’t today. It wasn’t now.

“Look, Jake.” He lifted his head, finding her. She added, “You go back and let Julia know that I got her message.” It was better if Julia thought she was adhering to her command, and not that she was staying away because Dani didn’t want to see Julia or Kathryn. Julia was just one of those people. It was her way, not someone else’s, but Dani didn’t want that fight on her doorstep either. “I’ll stay away.”

“That’s it?” Jake frowned.

She shrugged. “What else do you want me to say?”

“I don’t know. I just—” He cut himself off. “You’re right. Maybe there’s nothing else to say.” He clipped his head in a nod, returning to his car. “I’ll let Julia know. I’ll tell her you send your best to her too.” He was at the car. She went with him, and he reached for the door handle. Jonah had moved. Dani didn’t see him, but she knew he was around. She could almost feel his presence, but she was focused on this ghost from her past.

“Jake—”

She didn’t know what to say. There wasn’t anything, not at that moment anyway. It was too soon.

He ignored her and said instead, still turned toward the car with his back to her, “I best be going now, Dani. I’ll let Julia know you’re okay with staying out here.”

“Thank you.” She nodded.

He opened his door, but suddenly looked back up at her. “Where’ve you been these ten years, Dani?”

Why are you back now? That was the unspoken question in the air.

She didn’t answer. She didn’t want to and she couldn’t find the words anyway. Jake waited a beat, but when there was no response, he didn’t look surprised. He got inside, started the engine, and pulled out of the driveway.

There was an extra heaviness on her heart, but ignoring it, she turned for the cabin and there he was. Leaning against her door, Jonah Bannon flashed her that smirk again and dropped his arms that had been crossed over his chest. His hands slid into his pockets and a dimple in his right cheek winked at her. “Now, about that Mustang of yours…”