The kid manning the griddle waved his spatula. Monroe didn’t say much, but around here, Christina considered it a blessing. Until the rush started, she, Monroe and Luisa barely spoke. Every morning they enjoyed the warm glow of sunrise spreading across the lake. It was the only real perk of the job.
And of all the jobs she’d had, the Otter Lake Campground was her favorite, even with the annoyance and noise customers brought.
“You sure are looking nice today. Real...” Woody paused as he stared up at the ceiling, searching for the right word. Whatever adjective he picked, it was bound to be a doozy. “Swimsuit model–like.”
Christina rubbed the center of her forehead in the effort to soothe the throb that had kicked up. If she thought about what that meant for too long, the throb would spread. He was proud of it and never meant to hurt her, but why couldn’t she ever inspire “first grade teacher–like” or even “girl next door.”
Then she would have blended easily with the good citizens of Sweetwater, Tennessee, something she’d never managed to do.
No one had ever disagreed she was pretty; few had ever called her nice.
When her cell phone rang, Christina pulled it out of her tight jeans pocket and checked the caller ID.
Her best friend. She didn’t want to talk to Leanne. She wanted to shout at Leanne.
Woody leaned forward as if he could read the number across the counter, but Christina turned away and answered the call.
“I’m at work. I can’t talk.” Christina walked down to the quietest corner, where she could see the boats lined up at the dock. Most of the early-morning mist had burned off already. The weather forecast was for a beautiful, warm day.
“If you’d answered any of my other calls, we might have had some time to talk when it was convenient,” Leanne snapped. Christina immediately straightened.
“Are you okay?” she asked, and covered her ear with one hand. There was something about the tremor in Leanne’s voice that reminded her of the bad times. It had been almost ten years since her best friend had dumped her drug problem, but that tremor had scared Christina enough that she’d never forget it.
“Fine. Just missing my kids.” Leanne laughed breathlessly. “And no one in your crummy town will answer their phones.”
“My crummy town?” They’d grown up here together, two poor girls with busted families in a trailer park at the dead end of a dusty gravel road. For a long time, they’d been tighter than sisters. Christina listened as Leanne took a drag on something. She hoped it was a cigarette.
“Brett? Have you been calling Brett?” Christina tightened her grip on her phone until her hand ached. Thanks to this ill-conceived disappearing act, Leanne’s ex-husband, Brett, had run out of patience with her. If Leanne pushed this, ignored his latest demand that her only contact with their kids be in person and only when he was around, Brett might eliminate all her visitation rights. What was she thinking? “You know that’s a bad idea. Give him space. He’ll come around.”
“I called Brett. His mama. Every friend I thought I had left in Sweetwater, but you’re the only one to answer, girl. I knew I could depend on you.” Leanne’s change of tone was the first clue about the reason she’d phoned.
Whenever Leanne started to butter her up, the thing that came next was going to be upsetting.
“How’s my car?” Christina asked in a desperate attempt to head off whatever request Leanne had. “And Beau? I guess he’s okay, too.” Whatever Beau had been, it hadn’t been a good boyfriend, but if Leanne felt guilty, maybe she’d figure out her problem on her own.
“Your rust bucket is still rolling and I’ll bring it back as soon as I can.” Leanne cleared her throat. “But I need you to do something for me first.”
Still no mention of the man Christina had dated three times, only because she couldn’t be bothered to tell him she had to shampoo her hair. Beau was in Sweetwater temporarily to work at the Smoky Valley Nature Reserve, home of Otter Lake. The fact that she couldn’t say what he did for a living suggested neither one of them had been serious about their relationship. Beau and Leanne might not even be together anymore. Maybe he’d gone home and forgotten to tell her about it.
“Well, all this walking I’m having to do to get to work and back has seriously hampered my free time.” Christina hoped the words were convincing. Leanne and her kids were all the family Christina had left, so she’d do whatever Leanne asked if it was possible. Forever.
Always had. Always would.
It had been months since she’d seen Leanne’s kids, even from a distance, but Brett Hendrix was doing his best to keep them in sight at all times. While he was no grand find as a compassionate, forgiving human being, he was a good father. Strong. He’d keep his kids safe, and no matter how much she missed Riley and Parker, Christina wouldn’t fault their father for doing what he felt he had to do for their well-being.
Hearing one too many stories about Leanne coming out of Sweetwater’s one and only bar had been his final straw. Christina had immediately waded in to defend Leanne, who’d only been keeping her company as she closed up, because Leanne had already been exiled. She’d had nothing to lose. Brett didn’t trust either one of them to tell him the truth and a court battle had settled the issue. He had sole custody of the kids and he wielded it like a weapon.
Whatever part she’d played in the blowup might keep her awake at night, but if this had been the moment to chase Leanne back to the pills that had taken over her life, Christina would never forgive Brett Hendrix.
“Come home, Leanne. Nothing will change with Brett if you don’t.” Fatigue was a nearly constant battle Christina fought, but it settled heavily over her. She knew Leanne was going to refuse.
“I said I’m bringing your car back. A couple weeks, that’s all I need,” Leanne shouted. Christina yanked the phone away from her ear and tried not to concentrate on how short Leanne’s temper had gotten the first time she’d fallen down the drug rabbit hole. This was emotion running high. Leanne would never be stupid enough to try drugs again.
When Monroe slid Woody’s plate into the window, Christina knew her time had run out. “What do you want?”
“Send me a picture of the kids. Please. I miss them. And if you have a chance to talk to Brett, convince him to reconsider letting me talk to them. One phone call. Please.” Leanne’s voice shook at the last.
“Come home, Leanne. The only way to fix this is if you come home.” Christina smiled at Woody to stall his impatient gestures for his food cooling in the window.
“I can’t. Not right now. Things aren’t good.” Leanne sniffed loudly and Christina fought the shiver that crept down her spine. “I’ll be home soon, though.”
“Where are you?” Christina asked. “I’ll come get you.” She had no idea how she’d get there, but she’d steal the keys to Woody’s truck herself if it meant saving Leanne from whatever was going on.
“Not now. See if you can talk to Riley and Parker. After school?” Leanne asked. “You could drop by, pick them up and take them to McDonald’s. Parker still loves the playground there.” Leanne took another drag.
“Pick them up? In
