Chapter Twenty-Eight
When one person called you a wuss, you could shrug it off. Coming from Matt and Phi . . . the conversations replayed in her mind all the way home. She had made an effort to salvage her reputation, put her life back on track. Hadn’t she called around to everyone she knew? They had turned her down, refused to help her.
How would eighteen-year-old Pippa have handled the situation?
She turned into Phi’s drive. Sunlight filtered through the trees and painted mosaics on the car hood. Eighteen-year-old Pippa would have kicked ass and taken names later. She had arrived in LA with a huge chip on her shoulder, and used it to shove through every closed door.
Parking the car next to the stables, she dropped her head onto the steering wheel. Somewhere in the fight to build her career she’d lost her hustle. Lost the force that propelled her forward. She’d been running in the same direction for so long, it was hard to pinpoint when she had stopped moving forward and ended up jogging on the spot.
With a sigh, she climbed out of her car. God, if that wasn’t her life anymore, and not the life she wanted, then what did she want?
All of it. The thought brought her to an abrupt halt. One of Phi’s chickens cocked its head at her, then resumed its pecking closer to her foot.
Wheeler Barrows was packing up for the day and waved his hello.
Nine Barrows kids, eight boys and one girl, most of them still living at home and only half of them working, and they produced a hard-working offshoot like this.
Wheeler approached her as she stepped out of the car. “Is she better?”
He looked like his one sister, blond, tousled good-looking. He must thank God every day for that, because his brothers ranged from homely to skeevy-looking.
“She’s nearly back to her old self.” Pippa smiled at the look of obvious relief on Wheeler’s face. He would grow into quite the looker this one. “They are talking about releasing her tomorrow.”
“Good.” He nodded. “Will you tell her I said hi?” He shoved his hands in the pockets of his well-worn jeans. “My sister said she’d come with me to the hospital, but . . .” Wheeler shrugged.
Yeah, Pippa got it. Blythe Barrows always had someone better to do. Not much had changed since high school. “Do you want to come with me in the morning?”
A shy grin broke over Wheeler’s face. “Could I?”
“Sure.” Pippa kept it light and shrugged. “We’ll go as soon as the horses are fed.”
“Cool.” He sniffed and played it cool. “Later.”
Wheeler sloped over to his beat-up car. It looked like the same one Blythe had driven in high school.
Pippa let herself into the kitchen and went straight for the wine. She might leave Ghost Falls with a drinking problem at this rate.
She took her phone out and stared at it. Putting it back on the table, she sipped her wine.
Dial him. The phone lit up as she unlocked the screen. Pippa put it down. Not yet, a little more agonizing and the chance to give herself a few more reasons to talk herself out of it.
Pippa keyed her phone on again.
* * *
Matt’s truck rolled to a stop in the kitchen yard. He climbed out and then leaned back in. Arms laden with flowers, chocolates, and a pink plastic packet, he loped over and let himself in through the kitchen door.
“Hey.” He lifted his chin at her.
Suddenly shy and awkward, Pippa nodded back.
Matt put his burdens down on the kitchen table and stood back. “I’m a dick.”
Pippa blinked at him, and then the stuff on the table. “Is that all for me?”
“Yeah.” He shoved his hands into his back pockets. “I’m not very good at the apologizing thing, so I thought I’d cover all bases.” He cleared his throat. “Flowers, always a safe bet, but I wasn’t sure what kind you liked. Chocolate.” He pushed a gold-wrapped box closer to her. “I hit a snag on the perfume thing, but Bets did have this.”
Pippa took the pink plastic packet he handed her. She pulled out a My Little Pony bath and body lotion set, complete with collectible pony. Pippa giggled.
A smile of relief crossed Matt’s face as her giggle grew into a belly laugh.
“My favorite,” she said when she could manage it. “How did you know?”
“I went with the pony with the orange mane.” His face grew serious and he stepped into her space. “I really am sorry about earlier, Agrippina.”
“I hated what you said, Meat.”
He grimaced. “Yeah, it was kind of rough.” He took a deep breath. “I called Eric when I left here. We’re going into business together.”
“You are?” Matt didn’t waste any time when he got his ass kicked.
“Yup.” He nodded. “I gotta tell you, it scares the crap out of me, but I want this opportunity. I don’t know what it will mean for the future, where I’ll stay—all that stuff—but Eric and I will work it out.”
She needed to touch him, help him with the uncertainty lurking in the back of his eyes. “You’re going to do great things, you and Eric. Kind of like those Property Brothers.”
“Who?” He raised his eyebrow.
“They’re brothers, and they have this reality show on TV. One of them is a contractor and the other a realtor.” Why was she explaining all this? Pippa waved a hand. “It doesn’t matter. The important part is you taking this chance to go after something you want. Plus, you and Eric are much better-looking than they are.”
A grin threatened to take over his face. “Good to know.”
Pippa let him tug her against his chest and wrap his arms around her. “You know, next time you feel the need to deliver some hard truths, you might bring all the flowers and stuff with you.”
“I’ll remember that,” he murmured against her hair. “If you stay in Ghost Falls, Pippa, I want it to be because there is no other place you would rather be.”
“What am I going to do, Meat? All my life I’ve wanted one thing and gone after that.”
“Only you know that, babe. And for the record, I would be very happy if there was no place you’d rather be than Ghost Falls, but I don’t ever want to be something you settled for.”
“Really?”
His eyes were full of something she couldn’t quite decipher, but it made her heart beat faster and caused a happy glow to flicker into life in her chest. Pippa burrowed back into him, pressing her face into his neck. “We’re not keeping this light.”
“No, we’re not.” He kissed the top of her head. “Would it freak you out if I told you there is nothing I would rather do than hold you like this?”
Pippa shook her head. “Nothing else?”
“Nothing.” He tightened his hold.
“Not even if I invited you to come upstairs with me?”
“Not even then.” Well, that was a bit disappointing, but cuddling was nice. “Pippa,” he growled in her ear. “Get your fine ass up those stairs.”
She was laughing as she pulled him toward the stairs when he stiffened. His stare locked on something outside the window.
“What is it?”
The sheriff’s cruiser pulled to a stop outside and Nate climbed out.
“What the hell?” Matt moved her to his side.
Nate’s face was carved into grim lines as he strode toward the kitchen. He rapped on the door lintel.
“Come in.” Pippa motioned him inside.
“Hi, Pippa.” He tucked his hands into his gun belt.
“Nate.” Matt jerked his chin.
“Matt.” Nate nodded and turned back to her. “I have some pictures here I’d like you to look at.” He pulled a folder from under his arm. “See if these are the things Phi is missing.”
“You found them?” Pippa’s heart gave a happy leap. Phi’s treasures would make the perfect homecoming gift.
Nate spread the pictures over the table. “Have a look and tell me.”
Matt crossed his arms and propped one shoulder against the wall.
Pippa glanced through the photos. Man, she nearly kissed Nate. The napkin rings, the silver milk jug, the fob watch, the missing spoons. They were all there. And best of all, the tiara. “Where did you find them?”
“I had one of my deputies do a search of antique stores in Denver and Salt Lake City. He found a dealer in Denver who was a bit nervous about these. Knew they were real but didn’t like that they came without any paperwork.”
Pippa traced the beautiful lines of the photographed tiara with her finger. “Phi is going to be delighted.”
Her smile died as she looked up at Nate. She glanced at Matt.
He straightened and walked over to Nate. “Tell me you were wrong about that.”
“I wish I could.” Nate grimaced. “You ready for a shock?”
“No.” Pippa’s belly hit the floor. Why did there always have to be bad news? By the look on Nate’s face, the news really, really sucked. “But give it to me anyway.”
“The dealer remembered the woman who sold the things to him,” Nate said.
“Woman?” Ah, no, not June. Please don’t let it be June. Phi was going to be heartbroken. “Are you going to arrest her?”
Nate curled his lips down. “I’m not sure. I need to speak with your grandmother first. It could be she doesn’t want to press charges.”
“Maybe not.” June had been with Phi for years. “And if the things are all returned, undamaged, she may just fire June and be done with it.”
Nate frowned. “Um, firing June isn’t going to fix this.” He glanced at Matt.
Matt’s jaw tightened and he swore softly. “Are you sure?”
“I double-checked.” Nate nodded.
Pippa didn’t like that look. “What?”
“Pippa.” Matt grabbed her hand from the table and held it. “I don’t think June took the stuff.”
“Who then?”
“Your sister,” Nate said. “I showed the dealer a picture and he recognized it straight away. Laura has been stealing from Phi.”