Chapter Eighteen
Hollis
The next afternoon, Eddie and I got an unexpected visitor. While Eddie was in town buying a pregnancy test so we could confirm our suspicions, Sheriff Tyler pulled up.
At first, I’d thought he was there to fight, but then Colton Clancy got out of the passenger side of Bran’s vehicle. “I know you have every reason to be angry with me, Hollis, but I was hoping that you’d hear me out.”
“What do you want, Bran?” I asked.
“Colton and I are here to apologize. He’s going to testify against the older boys who wrecked your property. They’ve got families with deep pockets and I think you can get the money for the repairs back. Mead has agreed to pay too.”
“I don’t want any money from Mead or the other boys’ families. What I want is for them to work it off. I could use the help around the farm, and I think they could use the responsibility.”
Colton looked shocked and relieved at my words. “You’ll let me work off my debt and I won’t have to rat out my friends?”
“Yes,” I said. “But that’s provided that you pull your weight around here. You boys are going to get a second chance, but that’s only if you do the work.”
“I’ll make it happen with the other boys’ families,” Bran said. “Can I talk to you alone for a moment?”
“Sure,” I said. The prospect of Eddie having my baby had me feeling generous. “What’s up?”
“Colton, go wait over there. I’ll take you back to your father and brother soon.”
“Hey, Colton, why don’t you go up to the house and let Jada out. I’m sure she’d love a game of fetch,” I said, and the teenager smiled and took off running toward the house.
“Hollis, I owe you an apology for the way I treated your Omega,” Bran said once Colton was out of earshot. “I disrespected you both, and I am truly sorry for that. I let my anger toward you go too far, and what I did to Eddie was completely inappropriate. I understand if you still want to turn me in, but I can promise you that I won’t ever do anything like that again.”
I mulled over his words. I wasn’t sure that an apology was enough, but I knew it probably had to be. Even if I turned him in, the union would most likely shield him from consequence, and then he’d be back out acting as sheriff. I would have missed the chance to make peace.
“I want you to stay away from Eddie, and I’ll be keeping an eye on you.”
“I understand,” Bran said regretfully.
A few minutes after Bran and Colton left, Eddie pulled back into the drive. He got out of the car with a huge smile on his face and a bag from the drugstore in his hand. I assumed that meant he hadn’t had any trouble with the people in town. Finding Harris Clancy had been like an instant reset switch with the folks of Silver Valley.
I knew I’d have to tell Eddie about Bran and what he’d said, but I figured I’d wait until later. Eddie and I wanted to do the pregnancy test, and I wanted it to be a happy occasion.
“Did you get it?” I asked as he approached me.
“I did. I got three so we can be sure.”