Elias cleared his throat, and June looked over at Stan. "Excuse me while I grab my child, before he eats Bailey's fur. We're going to leave you two alone now, give you some space. Just wanted to drop off some breakfast, make sure you didn't need anything."
"Thank you, June," I said.
After June left, Elias appeared to be deep in thought. I wasn't sure what that was about, but something June had said was bothering him.
I didn't ask what.
"Well," I said, changing the subject, "do you want to go get cleaned up, and take me into town?"
Elias smiled, but he still stared off into the distance as he answered, and I could tell his thoughts were someplace else. "Depends," he said.
"On what?" I asked.
"On whether you want to get dirty with me later."
"There is a convenience store in this town of yours, right?" I asked, thinking of the condoms.
Elias nodded. "Sure is."
"I would definitely like to get dirty with you," I said, my heart racing at the thought. In fact, it was the only thing I could think about.
15
River tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear, smoothing it, but it came back out again, sticking up at an angle, unwilling to be restrained. I hid a smile. When I'd looked her up on the internet yesterday, I saw all these photos of her at events with long blonde hair, flashing big smiles and posing for the cameras.
She looked better with the shorter hair. It suited her somehow- messy and unruly, refusing to be tamed.
She tapped the pad of her finger on the counter in the rental car office, a nervous habit, I decided.
"Anyone ever tell you that you look like that actress?" the rental agent asked, turning River's license over in his hand. I knew it was a fake, and wondered how passable it was. Not like the agent seemed like any kind of expert in sussing out fake licenses, not in a place that rented cars out of the back of a fishing tackle store.
River nodded and rolled her eyes. "I get that a lot," she said. "Sucks. I hear she's a real bitch."
I coughed, covering my laugh.
River signed the paperwork and took the keys. "Thanks a lot," she said.
"Welcome," the agent said, only half paying attention to her, his gaze focused more on me. "Recognized you when you came in here."
"Oh, I'm not her -" River started, but the agent continued, looking at me.
"Heard about your dad," he said.
I sighed. The last thing I f**king wanted to do was talk to someone who knew my father. I didn't need to hear about what a great guy he was from one of the alcoholics he used to drink with down at the bar or something. "Yeah, well, that's life. Thanks for the rental."
I turned to leave, my hand on the small of River's back as I guided her ahead of me. I wanted out of there before I got drawn into some bullshit conversation about my shitbag father. He was the last person on this green earth I wanted to think about.
The agent called after us. "Least your mother can get that property squared away now," he said.
I didn't turn around to listen to any more, and what he said didn't even register in my brain until we were outside, walking down the sidewalk ten yards.
Your mother can get that property squared away now.
What the hell was he talking about?
River's voice cut through my thoughts. "What did he mean, he heard about your dad?"
"Nothing," I said, my voice sharp. "None of your business."
Shit. As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them. River looked hurt, and then she clenched her jaw, a cold expression settling over her.
"River - " I started, but she held up her hand.
"You're right," she said. "None of this is my business."
I opened my mouth to apologize, but before I could, I heard a voice from the past beside me.
Not now. This is the last f**king thing I need.
"Well, what the hell do we have here?" the voice asked, his tone less than friendly. "Elias Saint. And who are you?"
River narrowed her eyes at the man standing before us in a law enforcement uniform. "Beth Winters," she lied, crossing her arms over her chest. "Who are you?"
He looked at her for a long time, his eyes lingering on her face, and I had a sudden feeling of rage I forced myself to quell. The way he was looking at her....if his eyes had gone anywhere else but her face, I would have beat his ass right there in the street, cop or no cop.
"Jed Easton," he said. "Sherriff Easton, that is."
River's mouth was drawn tight and I saw her tapping her fingers against her side, tucked up underneath her crossed arms. She was irritated, that much I could tell; I wasn't sure if it was at me or Jed, or maybe at Jed for arriving right when she was about to tell me to f**k off.
I should have been grateful for Jed's timely arrival.
Except I wasn't.
Not only because Jed was a douchebag, but because part of me wanted River to tell me to f**k off. It's what I deserved.
"What brings you to West Bend?" he asked, his eyes still on River.
"Vacation," she said. "Taking in the sights, you know. Small towns like these are a passion of mine."
"And this Saint boy," Jed said. "He's an acquaintance of yours?"