Coming Home (Vista Falls #4) by Cheryl Douglas

Author:Cheryl Douglas [Douglas, Cheryl]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cheryl Douglas

***

It had been five longs days since Juliette last tasted Zeke’s lips, and she was going crazy, so when Gabby invited her over for dinner because Colt was out of town and she wanted a little company, Juliette jumped at the chance.

She was in the bakery, picking up some pastries for dessert, when she ran into one of her father’s old cronies.

“Good evening, Frank,” Juliette said, smiling as she waited for the clerk to box Frank’s cake. “It must be Louise’s birthday. That’s the only time you eat a store-bought cake, isn’t it?”

He swiped a hand over his mouth. “It sure is.” He turned his back to the clerk and muttered, “It ain’t as good as Louise’s, but I guess it’ll have to do.”

“Wish her a happy birthday for me.” Frank’s wife was a lovely woman who’d been serving on local committees for as long as Juliette could remember.

“I hear you’re giving your father a hard time,” Frank said, looking stern. “You know he’s only got your best interests at heart now, girl.”

Juliette wasn’t surprised her father had been confiding in all of his friends at the coffee shop. Again.

Remaining silent until after he had paid, Juliette said, “I know he believes that, but I have every right to live my own life.”

Frank gestured to one of the few tables in the empty bakery. “Sit a spell. Maybe I can help you understand.”

Juliette would have liked nothing more than to tell him what he could do with his advice, but she worked for the people, which meant she had to listen to their concerns—even when they were being unreasonable. “Fine, but I’m afraid I only have a minute. I’m meeting a friend for dinner.”

He grunted as they both took a seat. “This friend wouldn’t be that no-good Dyson boy, would it?”

Juliette gritted her teeth and counted backward from ten. “No, as a matter of fact, Zeke left town. He had some business to attend to back in California.”

“Good riddance, if you ask me.”

“I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree on that one,” Juliette said with a tight smile. “As I’m sure you already know, I’m quite fond of Zeke. We’ve been spending a lot of time together, and well, let’s just say I’ve actually taken the time to get to know him. If more people in Vista Falls did the same, they’d see what I see. An honest, hardworking man who’s paid for his mistakes.”

“He killed his brother!” Frank scowled when the cashier’s eyes widened. “And that’s not the worst of it. He fought those charges instead of taking his punishment like a man and admitting he did wrong. He claimed it was an accident. Accident my as—”

“We’re all entitled to our opinions, I guess.”

“Maybe, but your opinions affect all of us, now don’t they?”

“Are you questioning my judgment?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “Are you implying I haven’t done a good job for the people of this town?”

“Now, I didn’t say that,” he said, raising his hand. “Don’t go putting words in my mouth.

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