Secrets in a Small Town

And the fact that he was clearly eyeing her as the most suitable candidate to bear his progeny made her want to run, screaming, the other way.

The idea of Farley’s penis… Ugh. It was too much to even fathom.

The awful part? She’d already seen it because, as Owen so mockingly put out there, a community of nudists had raised her.

And Farley had gleefully chucked his clothes whenever possible.

At the thought, she tugged her mom’s shirt hem and leaned over to whisper, “The blessing will be performed fully clothed, yes?” When Coral nodded, she didn’t hide her relief.

Farley, on the other hand, was quick to show his disappointment. “That’s a shame. It seems highly appropriate to be nude as the day we are born when asking for bounty from the earth.”

“Yes, well, it’s a little on the nippy side and we wouldn’t want anyone to shrivel up unnecessarily,” she said, unable to hold her tongue. She received a look from her mother for her uncustomary sharpness and she exhaled loudly. “I’m getting lemonade.”

“I’ll go with you,” Farley announced, making Piper want to groan, but what could she say? She forced a tight smile and started walking briskly in the hopes that it might curtail conversation. No such luck. Farley loped alongside her with ease and started yammering. “You look great, Piper. You blossom more and more into a beautiful woman each time I see you.”

“Thanks, Farley,” she said, and simply to be polite, added, “And you seem to get taller each time I see you.” And more annoying.

“When I see you, it’s nearly impossible not to remember what good times we’ve had together.” She cringed inside. If he had the gall to bring up the time they… “You know what I particularly enjoy remembering?” Oh God. He’s going to do it. She walked a little faster. He slipped his hand into hers, causing her to startle and jump a little. He took advantage in her loss of momentum and pulled her close even as she resisted. “Your lips were like drops of summer rain dancing on mine. It was like…heaven.”

Her cheeks fired with intense heat and she tugged her hand out of his grasp. She took a quick glance around to make sure they were relatively on their own then glared at Farley, who was watching her with confusion at her obvious rejection. “Listen, Farley, I don’t feel that way about you. Once, when I was a teenager, I thought you were mildly cute. But I’ve grown up and we don’t suit. Please stop trying to make something out of nothing.”

“We had a connection,” he persisted, his brown eyes going melty and gooey again. He grasped her hand and put it to his heart. “I felt it here. I know you did, too.”

“Stop it,” she snapped, jerking her hand away. “You’re embarrassing yourself. Go find a connection with someone else. I’m not attracted to you in that way and I don’t relish hurting your feelings but you have to take a hint. It’s not going to happen with you and me.”

His mouth hardened. “We do suit. In time, you will see that. But I’m patient. I’ll wait.”

She groaned. “What’s it going to take? Trust me, if you wait, you’ll wait your life away, because I’m not interested. I’ve changed and you deserve someone who will appreciate your particular beliefs and way of life.” She was trying to be nice but he just wasn’t getting it. She didn’t want to pull her ace because it was also an H-bomb but she didn’t see that she had a choice. “Farley, I stopped being a vegetarian years ago. I’m a…meat eater.”

His eyes widened at her admission, which was exactly what she was going for. She didn’t like to think of herself as cruel but she did register the smidge of enjoyment she gained from his look of horror. “Meat? How could you?” he asked, pained.

She shrugged. “What can I say? I like a juicy steak.”

He shuddered in revulsion and she nearly crowed. “See? We don’t suit. Stop wasting your time on me and find someone who likes tofu.”

Piper thought she’d won but then the look on Farley’s face made her uneasy. He had the look of a man on a mission, like he was going to make it his job to bring her back to the fold. Oh, Lord, please not that. He clasped her hands in earnest and she wanted to stomp her feet in frustration.

“Piper, you’ve just lost your way. You can come back to us. I’ll help you, my love. You just need to remember that you’re eating a living being and think of the terror that animal must’ve felt at its last moment before slaughter. I know you’re not capable of that kind of cruelty.”

Ugh. She pulled away. “Farley…leave me alone.”

She was thankful when he stayed behind.

CHAPTER FIVE

PIPER MANAGED TO AVOID Farley for the rest of the day, a small fact she was immensely grateful for, but there was no escaping her thoughts.

She couldn’t blame Farley entirely for his misplaced affections. At one time, she had thought Farley was cute enough, but really, thirteen-year-old girls have no true appreciation for what makes for an attractive male and that fact shouldn’t be held against her for the rest of her life.

It was safe to say she’d changed in more ways than just her penchant for meat. During the blessing, her thoughts had wandered to Owen and it was a full minute before she realized the route and quickly redirected.

Her gaze drifted covertly over the crowd, taking in the people she’d known her whole life, and while she loved them to pieces, there was the distinct feeling she sat apart from them. At one time she’d felt completely at home eating tofu and sunbathing nude. Now, she didn’t know if that was her path.

Her father caught the unhappy sigh that escaped before she could stop it.

“What’s wrong, peach pit?” he asked.

“I’m just preoccupied,” she answered, which was only slightly untruthful. “I’m sorry I’m not great company today.”

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Pah. You’re always good company. And you know, don’t worry about that stuff I was saying about grandkids. I’m plenty young enough to wait a while longer. Just not too long,” he teased, eliciting a rueful smile on her part.

“No promises, but I won’t rule it out. How’s that?”

“Sounds like a good compromise.”

“Jasper…I was wondering…the other day I got the impression that you and Coral knew more about the Red Meadows incident than you wanted to let on. What was I picking up on?”

He frowned and pulled away. “Nothing. Why?”

An odd, uncomfortable tingle buzzed the back of her skull. She’d never known her parents to lie to her, about anything. Yet, she couldn’t stop the nagging certainty that her father was lying to her. “Dad?”

She only used the traditional name when she wanted to get their attention. It worked. Jasper shook his head, faint agitation in the movement. “Honey, why are you so curious about the Red Meadows stuff? It’s a terrible shame on the town of Dayton. We all would just like to forget about it.”

“I imagine it’s hard for Owen Garrett to forget,” she murmured, glancing up to meet her father’s troubled gaze.

“We all have crosses to bear,” he said simply.

“Yeah, but some are heavier for others, wouldn’t you say?”

He shrugged. “That’s the way it goes.”

“Why should a son bear the sins of the father?”

Speculation glittered in Jasper’s eyes. “Where is this coming from? This sudden need to know all about Red Meadow? It happened when you were just a baby. It’s ancient history by now and best left there.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“Why?”

“Well, I’ve been doing a little digging and—”

“Stop.”

She stared. “What? Why?”

“Because nothing good will come from dredging up that mess. There were too many people who were hurt, ashamed and broken after that incident. I don’t want you anywhere near it.”

“I don’t understand—”