by Lena Gregory
“Did they say why?”
Gia shifted in her chair so she could keep an eye on Skyla’s expressions as she moved around the kitchen. “They said he was good friends with Ron Parker when they were kids, and they were both sneaks no one expected to amount to much.”
Skyla fumbled a cookie but caught it before it could fall and stacked it on the plate with the rest. “What else did they say?”
“That was about it.”
She nodded and placed the cookies on the table, then scooped tea into two infusers, dropped them into mugs, and poured water over them.
There had to be some way to figure out what was bothering her, but Gia was at a loss. As much as she wanted to jump in and question her about the two women arguing outside of the café, she first had to think of a way to lead up to it. “Willow said you guys moved here when she was about to start ninth grade. What was that, about four or five years ago?”
“About five years.”
“Where’d you live before that?”
“California.” Skyla set the mug in front of Gia and finally sat back down.
“Thank you. Is that where you’re from?”
“No. I grew up here.”
She wasn’t sure why that surprised her. For some reason, she’d thought Skyla was new to the area, then she remembered what Gabriella had said about returning to town. “Is that how you know Gabriella Fischetti?”
“Yes, we went to school together.” Her mouth tightened to a firm line as she pulled the infuser out of her tea and set it on a plate, then added rock sugar to her cup and passed it to Gia.
Gia backtracked. “When did you leave Boggy Creek?”
She stirred her tea. “Right after high school.”
“What made you leave? Did your family move?”
“No.” She slapped her spoon onto the table. “Why the interrogation, Gia? What are you hoping to get at?”
“I…uh…” She was obviously not as subtle as she’d thought. At the end of the day, Gia’s curiosity didn’t matter enough to upset Skyla like this, but Willow’s feelings did. “Look, Skyla, I like Willow a lot. She’s a great kid, and we’ve become close, and I don’t like seeing her so upset. It’s obvious how close the two of you are, and she is beside herself because she can tell something’s going on with you, and you won’t open up to her. She trusts me. I guess she was hoping you would too.”
Gia sipped her tea. She’d done what she could to try to get Skyla to open up, but the rest was up to her. If she chose not to confide in Gia, then so be it. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m sorry. I know you mean well, and I know Willow is worried and upset and probably scared.” She laughed, but it held more sadness than humor. “It’s not like I haven’t been acting crazy lately.”
Gia sipped her tea and waited. She’d let Skyla decide how much, if anything, she wanted to share.
After a moment, Skyla started to speak again. “I left town right after I graduated, because I was pregnant with Willow. I came from a very affluent family, powerful in the community at that time. I found out after I came back that my father had since passed away, and my mother moved out of town a few years later with her new husband.”
“I’m sorry,” Gia said.
Skyla nodded. “Anyway, when I told them what happened, told them I was pregnant, they didn’t believe me. My father called me a liar and told me to leave and never come back, while my mother stood by, her expression hard as ice.”
“They didn’t believe you were pregnant?”
“No…” She cried harder, her shoulders shaking. “They didn’t believe it wasn’t my choice. Things were different back then. I can’t… I was dating someone, a guy from an extremely influential family, a guy who thought nothing of drugging girls and…well…”
Gia rounded the table and wrapped her arms around her. “Ah, jeez, Skyla. I’m sorry.”
Skyla leaned into her and cried. Deep sobs racked her body.
Gia just held her and let her cry. She couldn’t even imagine how painful that must have been. When the sobs started to die off, she grabbed a stack of napkins and handed them to Skyla.
“I’m sorry,” Skyla whispered.
“No, please, it’s okay. I understand.”
“I’ve never told anyone else. After my own parents didn’t believe me, I kept my mouth shut and moved out.” She sniffed and blew her nose, then drank a few sips of tea.
“Did you ever tell him you were pregnant?”
“Yeah,” she scoffed. “I packed my bags, went to his house, and found him on the couch with his arm around someone else. When I told him I was pregnant, he laughed and said it wasn’t his, so what did I want him to do about it? His new girlfriend laughed right along with him.”
Gia’s heart ached for the young woman who’d endured so much pain. “He didn’t care at all?”
“Let’s just say the guy was spoiled and expected to get his way. Always. As far as I know, he always did.”
Gia had a feeling Skyla was being kind in her assessment of him. She was tempted to ask his name, but she didn’t want to press Skyla too much. Besides, she had her suspicions.
“So, anyway, I left then. I’d been to California a number of times when I was a kid, and I’d always loved it, so I just started driving and ended up there.” She shrugged. “I had some money of my own, so I had my baby and made a life for us.”
“And you’ve done an amazing job. I’ve always envied how close you and Willow are.”
She smiled, a genuine, heartfelt smile. “Yes, we are. Willow is my whole world.”
The memory of what Willow had told her about her father came back to Gia. The only time she’d ever felt Skyla had avoided answering a question. Now, Gia understood why. “You told Willow her father was dead.”
Her eyes widened, maybe surprised Willow had shared that with Gia. “And he was, to me at least.”
“You said you only found out about your mother and father when you returned. Didn’t you stay friendly with any of your girlfriends when you left?”
“My ex and I ran in the same crowd. All of my friends were also his friends, and they knew. All of them knew, because it wasn’t the first time he’d given someone drugs without their knowledge. But no one dared call him on it, because he’d also become violent and erratic.”
Something pinged Gia’s radar. “Gabriella and Bobby Fischetti were part of that crowd?”
Skyla nodded.
“Who else?”
Skyla waved her off. “It doesn’t matter now. It was a long time ago.”
Gia had no choice but to let it go. No way she’d pressure her into saying anything she wasn’t comfortable with, especially when she seemed so fragile. But with the danger Donna Mae seemed to be in after a run-in with the same crowd, Gia was still concerned. “What made you come back after being away for so long?”
Skyla clenched her jaw and said nothing.
Gia dropped it. She was clearly done answering questions. “Will you ever tell Willow the truth?”
“How can I? I’ve never lied to her about anything. Except that.”
“Why didn’t you tell her?” Not that Gia blamed her.
“Because I never wanted her to go looking for him. Men like him… They’re charming, and adored, and believed. People get taken in by that, even my own parents. I didn’t want that happening to my baby. I didn’t want him having any influence over her.”
Gia nodded. “I understand. And I bet Willow would too, should you ever decide to tell her. When I first moved here and opened the café, and I was going through such a hard time, Willow came to me one day. She told me the story about you moving her here, how she didn’t fit in. She said you taught her that not everyone needed to like her, that those who were important would. She’s a good girl, and her priorities are in the right plac
e. She loves you, Skyla, with all of her heart, and I bet she’d understand.”
Skyla stayed quiet, twirling her teacup around and around, staring at the swirling contents.
“Are you okay?”
She looked up, and her eyes were dry. “Surprisingly, yes. In all these years, I’ve never told anyone what happened. It was actually a relief to get it off my chest. Thank you, Gia.”
“Of course, and if you ever want to talk more, I’m here.”
“You won’t say anything to Willow, right?”
“Of course not. I won’t ever say anything to anyone.”
Gia’s phone rang. She silently cursed the timing, quickly checked the caller ID, then silenced the call. She’d call Savannah back when she got in the car.
Skyla contemplated her tea for another minute, then said quietly, “You asked why I came back five years ago.”
Gia held her breath.
“Five years ago, I saw a small article online that he was getting ready to run for public office. I had to come back, had to come see for myself if he’d changed or if he was the same spoiled brat he was as a kid, a man who would use his power to get whatever he wanted at anyone else’s expense.”
“And what happened?”
“He didn’t end up running.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know. He just decided not to, I guess. Or maybe he couldn’t get the support he needed at the time.”
“And now?”
“Apparently, now he found the support he needed.”
Gia’s mind raced, and she knew the answer before she even formed the question. “Who is Willow’s father, Skyla?”
She sucked in a deep, shaky breath, then blew it out slowly. “Mitch Anderson.”
Chapter 18
After reassuring Skyla again that she wouldn’t say anything to Willow, and making sure Skyla knew she could call if she needed someone to talk to, Gia left. As soon as she climbed into the car, she called Savannah back and switched the call to her Bluetooth. She’d have to head back into town to look for Harley, but it didn’t matter. She had to pick up Savannah and Thor anyway.
“Hello?” Savannah’s voice broke up over the speakers.
Gia hated using the hands-free system, but it was better than risking an accident, as Hunt drilled into her every time she forgot. Her heart ached a bit at the reminder of Hunt. “Hey, Savannah. Where are you?”
“I’m on my way to Tommy’s.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine, but I remembered Tommy was in the same grade as Hunt in school, so I called him and asked if I could borrow his yearbook.”
“And?”
“He grumbled about it for a while, then spent an hour digging through the attic until he found it.”
Finally, a possible lead about the group Debby had told her about. “Did you find anything?”
“I’m on my way over to pick it up right now. I’ll be home in about half an hour.”
“Okay, I’m going to stop in the café for a few minutes, then I’ll meet you at your house.”
“Sounds good.”
“Oh, and ask Tommy if he remembers Mitch and Ron from high school.”
“I’m a step ahead of you. I’ll tell you everything when I see you.”
Gia disconnected, pulled the earpiece out and rubbed her ear. She contemplated what she could tell Savannah about her visit with Skyla. Though she usually shared everything with Savannah, she’d never betray a confidence, nor would Savannah ask her to. Unfortunately, not much of what Skyla had told her could be repeated.
Not that she’d fared much better with Donna Mae.
She stuck the earpiece back in, stopped for a red light, and dialed Cybil’s number.
She answered on the third ring. “Hello, Gia. And before you ask, no psychic powers, just caller ID.”
She laughed. “I’m just checking in to see how Caesar is doing?”
“He’s perfect, thank you. And thank you for everything, Gia—for coming with me to pick him out, offering to take him if anything happens to me, oh, and inviting me to breakfast and introducing me to Earl.”
“You’re welcome. I’m sorry I couldn’t sit and chat longer.”
“Oh, dear, I understand completely. Besides, Earl seems like a nice man. I enjoyed the company, and I loved hearing stories about his children and grandchildren.” She laughed. “Though I will say, I’m not sure I could keep up with all of that.”
“Earl is a sweetheart. He brought the whole clan in for breakfast one morning, and while it is a bit overwhelming to have them all in the same place at the same time, I have to admit, I loved every minute of it. He’s got a very close, loving family. The kind I’ve always dreamed of having.”
“You don’t come from a large family?”
“No. My mother passed away when I was young, and my father raised me until I graduated high school. After that, I was on my own.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
Gia started to shrug it off, as she usually did, then stopped. “It’s funny, but it’s never bothered me as much as it has recently. I missed growing up with my mother.” More than she’d realized.
“What’s different lately?”
She didn’t really know, but it seemed to have something to do with Boggy Creek. “Maybe it’s the small-town, family atmosphere here in Boggy Creek. I look at Savannah and Earl, with their big families, and then at Skyla and Willow, on their own but so close. I guess it just reminds me of what I’m missing.”
“You know, family doesn’t have to be related by blood. Seems to me, you’ve gathered quite a family of your own since moving to Florida.”
“I guess I have, though I hadn’t thought of it that way.” She thought of Cybil, living alone, her husband gone, no children, walking around by herself all the time—though at least she now had Caesar. Though Cybil seemed happy enough, Gia couldn’t help but wonder if that was her own destiny. “Do you ever get lonely?”
“Often, though I mostly prefer to stay to myself. I do sometimes miss the companionship of a close friend, someone to confide in, to share feelings with, to do things with. Someone like your friend, Savannah, or Trevor.”
She’d done her best to avoid thinking about Trevor. She didn’t know what to make of him. “Sometimes friends aren’t what they seem.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Friends may not always share everything, but if you spend enough time together, you get to know them—their character, their loyalties, their morals, how they love, the things that make people who they are. Not the circumstances they find themselves in. Circumstances change over time; the heart doesn’t.”
She wanted so badly to cling to that sentiment. But Hunt had said Trevor had been ordered by the court to attend anger management. That kind of anger went against everything she’d believed about Trevor. And yet, Cybil was right. She didn’t know the circumstances surrounding his arrest or his sentence, so who was she to judge. Besides, he was just a kid at the time. Sometimes even people with good hearts handled things badly, especially when they were young. She owed it to Trevor to at least give him the opportunity to explain. Without her getting shot, of course.
“Are you still there, Gia?”
“Oh, yes, I’m sorry, Cybil, just kind of zoned out for a minute.”
“The trouble Trevor has found himself in is weighing heavily on you.”
“Yes.”
“Why? Don’t you trust him?”
And there it was. She’d thought she trusted him, but she’d been mistaken, because at the first sign of trouble, she was ready to bolt. After the situation with her ex, she’d become untrusting and jaded. Trust didn’t come easy to her, and when it did begin to build, the slightest provocation sent it crashing down. “It’s difficult for me to trust anyone.”
“Ah, perhap
s that’s a flaw in your own character rather than your friend’s.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
“Usually.”
Gia laughed. “It would seem you’ve hit the nail on the head.”
“Give Trevor time, Gia. Your gut will usually tell you the truth about someone.”
“Thanks, Cybil. Your advice always seems to put things in perspective.”
“You’re very welcome. Sometimes it takes being outside of a situation to be able to see it clearly.”
If Cybil was right, and family was not about blood relations but the people you felt closest to, then Cybil was certainly becoming a member of Gia’s family. “Are you free on Saturday evening?”
“I am.”
“I’m trying out a new menu item, steak and eggs, and I’m inviting all of my closest fr—my family to try them out. Would you like to come?”
“I would be delighted, thank you.”
“Great, I’ll see you then. And thank you again for the advice.” She hung up feeling a little better than she had. Whatever was going on with Trevor, he’d tell her about it in his own time. Until then, she’d just have to trust him. And help him if she could—without getting herself into trouble, and more importantly, without earning Hunt’s wrath.
She drove slowly through town, searching the sidewalks. No sign of Harley. Depression settled in when she passed Storm Scoopers, the interior dark, Closed sign featured prominently in the window. Nothing she could do about that right now, but maybe she could at least find Harley and warn him.
She headed to the park Harley tended to hang around, but no sign of him there either. With no idea where else to look, she headed to the café, parked out front, then walked through the side alley to the back parking lot, crossed it at a jog, and checked the clearing where Harley often hung out. Nothing.
Giving up for the moment, she returned to the café and strode through the front door. She couldn’t deny the weird feeling she got when she walked in and the café was open and running without her being there. Odd how quickly something could become such a huge part of your life.
Willow looked up from the counter. “Hey, Gia. What’s going on?”
