Claire

My body was sticky with nervous sweat, so I welcomed the cooler fall air with open arms. Mary poked at her phone, presumably calling an Uber, but seemed to be taking a hell of a lot longer.

“You okay? Did you text Pat?” I harassed her with questions, not focusing on the real problem at hand. I’d caught Aiken up to something. I didn’t know what, but something nonetheless.

“I’m one hundred percent. You should go,” Mary whipped back. “In fact, this tough guy, right here, is going to watch out for me.” She hung from the bouncer’s neck, and he looked somewhat amused.

“Ricky, you going to be okay with her? Make sure she gets to her ride,” Aiken called out.

Of course, he knew him from working on the Juicey’s job.

I hugged Mary, wanting to hold on to her for forever, before Aiken said, “Let’s go.”

Like a lovestruck fool, I listened.

“I know they said to make sure college girls get home safely. How about professors? You two really tied a quick one on.”

“We’re really fine. You didn’t have to leave your cozy corner to take me home.”

“Don’t do that. You’re too independent and beautiful of a woman to be jealous. It was nothing. She grew up close to Lewisburg. Her dad apparently knew my mom a bit in high school and then saw her a few times again later, I guess when she moved back.”

“I know I’ve had a few drinks, but I can’t put it all together.”

I searched my head for clues, something I was missing, but I came up with nothing. “How did Abbie from my class get involved with this?”

“From what I gather, Abbie’s been fishing around for this single-dad project and roped Allison into getting her dad to give some commentary. You know she was apparently raised by a single dad? Abbie?”

“She’s mentioned it to me.”

Aiken held on to my elbow, steadying me and guiding me home.

“Over dinner with Allison’s dad, she mentioned Professor Richards’ ‘new hottie’ and ‘googling the heck out of him’—her words, not mine. I have to agree, it sounds a bit stalkerish on her end. Anyway, Abbie said my name, and he said he knew the last name. Like Bruce did. He knew someone who married someone with that name. ‘It always stuck in his mind, was too distinguished for this woman,’ or something like that. Then he said something else like, ‘Jeannie was never quite right, yet everyone’s always been looking for her.’”

“So, they found you or what?”

I couldn’t help the annoyance sneaking up my spine. These two coeds snaked their way into my life. Which was no shock, since I couldn’t be the fun and fancy-free type Aiken needed.

“Abbie turned into a dog chasing a bitch in heat, Allison explained to me. Abbie talked her into helping, since her dad was technically already involved. Honestly, I’m trying to put it all together myself.”

I stopped in my tracks on the sidewalk and turned to look at Aiken, his hand still steady on my elbow. “I know I’m hazy, but let me get this straight. Abbie rallied Allison’s dad into her single-dad project. Over dinner, she mentioned me and subsequently you? And then they tied it all together into a nice bow?”

“Yes,” he said, staring into my eyes.

“Don’t stare at me like that, I’m losing focus. After Allison’s dad mentioned he knew your mom, Abbie went gung-ho in alerting you, my hottie, to the fact. Why? Why would she even do that? Why would she care? Christ, my head hurts.” I shook my head, trying to loosen the muck of cobwebs. “And did you tell her we were having problems? You and I?”

I was in full-blown crazy-woman mode.

His gaze remained on my shoes—at my request—and now I wished he hadn’t listened and moved his eyes to me.

“Apparently, yes, it seems like that’s what happened. The duo found me on Facebook that night, which was easy because they’d already ‘stalked your hottie,’ and poof, Allison messaged me and said she wants to chat about my mother. She didn’t say much. Or anything I hadn’t already gathered. My mom was trouble with a capital T, but the whole town, and now I’m guessing the town over, worried about her. My last name has apparently started some sort of snowball-effect search mission. It’s odd.”

“I have to go home. This is too crazy. Surreal. I don’t even know what to call it.”

I started walking again. Something wasn’t right in this explanation, yet I couldn’t put my finger on it. Maybe after a good night’s sleep, I could. With no alcohol in my system.

Stilled with a tug on my arm, we stood on the sidewalk, Aiken holding me in place by me elbow. If I wanted to get away, I could. Obviously, I didn’t, for reasons I couldn’t explain to myself.

“Uh-uh, you’re not getting away so easily. What do you mean ‘did I tell her we were having problems’?”

“Well, we are. Ever since I freaked out in Smith Point.”

“We are not. I know you’re trying to make sense of it all, and I’m giving you the mental space to do so. But don’t think for one fucking second that I’m out there looking for a piece on the side while you figure it out.”

I shrugged out of his grasp and started toward home.

“Claire,” he called, quickly catching up to me.

“But it’s all been surface shit, and you never pressed on the subject.” The alcohol acted like a truth serum for truths I hadn’t even known existed.

I wanted him to press? What was that all about?

“Richards.” He tugged me to him, my front to his. “Of course I was going to press, but not right away. I want the damn shower with two heads. I want to move in with you. Your place or mine or a new place. But mostly I want you to allow yourself to want it all, and until you do that, we need to table it.”

“What? You still want that? You think that I can…”

His lips met the crown of my head, and I felt like I was ten years younger than he was.

“Yes and yes.”

I looked up at him, seeing my watery eyes reflected in his under the streetlight, and realized we were standing in front of our houses. “Are you sure tonight wasn’t about more than finding clues about your mother?” As soon as the jealous, wretched, ridiculous words were out of my mouth, I knew I was acting like the younger one between us. Especially after Aiken unloaded his sentiment.

I was acting like a complete and utter bitch, yet he took my hand and guided me up the driveway.

At my back door, he held the screen open while I fiddled with the lock.

“I’d like to come in. I hate that this still feels unresolved. Not us, but the Allison thing.”

I felt my head shake. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Claire, Allison meant nothing. She was being an informant, and not a very good one at that.”

“I’m sure, but I need a night alone.” I hated the way I was acting, but couldn’t stop it. “Thanks for walking me home.”

I slipped inside the door, shutting it in his face.

With my back to the door, I waited to hear the screen door slap closed.

Then I waited another ten minutes (in that same position) before letting Smitty out. I didn’t dare walk outside with him.

Sometimes, even Smitty had to take one for the team.