Perilous: A Ripple Novel (Ripple Series Book 7) by Swanson Cidney

Author:Swanson, Cidney [Swanson, Cidney]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Williams Press
Published: 2015-04-13T04:00:00+00:00

27

THE TRAIN LEFT THE STATION

“How did your painting go this afternoon?” asked Gwyn as she and Sam walked out to Bridget Li’s Mini Cooper, parked in the Ruiz’s drive.

Gwyn had just returned to see Sam after closing at the bakery, and Sylvia had asked if they would do a run to the store for milk. It was the kind of warm night where summer felt just around the corner.

“Fine,” said Sam. “I mean, the painting looks like crap. But I enjoyed it. It kept my mind off … everything.”

Gwyn nodded. “Maybe I should take up painting.”

“Maybe,” said Sam.

“It’s our two week anniversary,” said Gwyn, mournfully. “And Chrétien’s not even on the same continent as me.”

Sam nodded in what she hoped was a sympathetic way. It was her two week anniversary as well. It had been two weeks since she and Will broke up. But if she said this out loud, Gwyn would beat herself up for being a terrible friend and not remembering, so Sam said nothing.

The two of them slid into the tiny car.

“So, Ma’s talking about giving me this car,” said Gwyn. “She wants a hatchback to make it easier to transport rescue cats.”

“That sounds nice,” said Sam, trying to keep her thoughts from wandering to Will.

They pulled into the parking lot of the mini-mart at the edge of town.

“You stay put,” said Gwyn. “I’ll grab the milk.”

Sam nodded. She didn’t want to talk to anyone else, and the mini-mart parking lot was full of cars belonging to people who knew her, who would ask how she was doing.

“I’m worried, too,” said Gwyn, picking up on Sam’s mood. “I don’t know what I’d do if Chrétien didn’t come back.”

And then Gwyn slammed the door and strode purposefully to the entrance of the store.

A small flutter caught Sam’s eyes. It was a waft of blossoms, white against the darkening sky. Cherry. Or almond. Will would know. Her throat caught. Gwyn’s words echoed in her mind: I don’t know what I’d do if Chrétien didn’t come back.

What if something happened to Will? How could she bear it? She couldn’t. She couldn’t lose someone else. Sam felt her throat tightening.

Not another panic attack. Please. Not again.

Gwyn would be back out any minute. She didn’t want Gwyn to see her like this. She took several slow breaths. In and out. In and out.

Gwyn ran out of the store, milk tucked under her arm as she raised a bag of something—Hershey’s Kisses—with a gleeful look on her face.

“Am I your BFF or what?” demanded Gwyn, unceremoniously dumping the bag of Kisses in Sam’s lap. But then Gwyn must have noticed something in Sam’s expression.

“Oh, oh, oh,” said Gwyn, reaching over to fold Sam in a warm hug. “Oh, Sam.”

Gwyn stroked Sam’s hair and patted her back and made small comforting noises, but this only made Sam feel like she was going to cry.

“Drive us somewhere more private,” murmured Sam, increasingly aware of all the cars and people surrounding them.

“Private. Got it. Of course.”

Gwyn put the car in reverse and peeled out of the mini-market lot, heading back toward Sam’s house.

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