Hometown Hero's Redemption. Jill Kemerer

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СКАЧАТЬ you’re going to love this fish. It’s covered in batter and deep-fried. Ask for double the tartar sauce. Just a tip from me to you.”

      Was that an eye roll? Drew grinned. An eye roll was better than dead silence. At least the kid was showing signs of life. He’d been subdued, shrugging and grunting yesterday when Drew asked him about school. Drew had met with his teacher earlier, and she’d assured him Wyatt, though quiet, was settling in fine.

      He wasn’t so sure.

      If Lauren didn’t show up tonight, he would take it as a sign he needed to find another babysitter. In fact, he should find someone else, no matter what. After she’d told him about leaving Chicago and not being able to handle the emotional pain of her cases anymore, he understood. It would be unfair to ask her to help, knowing she was still upset about whatever had made her quit her job.

      What had made her quit her job?

      The parking lot was ahead. The building must have been remodeled. It looked bigger, newer than it had when he was in high school. One thing that hadn’t changed? It was packed.

      All his peppiness about the fish fry wasn’t fooling his roiling stomach. This was the first time Drew would be out in public, and he dreaded what was coming. How did people greet a fallen hometown hero? He supposed he was about to find out.

      Parking the truck, he studied the entrance. Did any of his old friends still live around here? Would they treat him the same? He hoped not. He wasn’t the same. Didn’t ever want to be that guy again.

      “Aren’t we going in?” Wyatt asked.

      “Yeah. Let’s go.”

      Drew said a silent prayer as they crossed the lot. Lord, whatever happens, help me take it like a man in there.

      “Hey, Uncle Drew, isn’t that Lauren?” Wyatt tugged on the sleeve of his shirt.

      Just hearing her name flooded him with relief. There she was—long blond hair waving down her back. Her jeans, bubblegum-pink T-shirt and athletic shoes made him smile. She couldn’t have been prettier in a ball gown.

      “Lauren,” Drew called. She turned, a smile spreading across her face when she spotted them. She waited near the door until they joined her.

      “So, Wyatt, is it okay if I sit with you two?” Her eyes twinkled.

      Wyatt’s tongue must have frozen because all he seemed able to do was nod.

      “Good to see you.” Drew opened the door for her.

      She entered the restaurant. “Let’s find a table.”

      Drew stopped at the hostess station. The girl behind the stand held a stack of menus. “It’s a thirty-minute wait inside, but we have a few tables open on the deck.”

      He looked at Lauren. “Do you want to eat outside, or is it too cold for you?”

      “Outside is fine. It’s a beautiful night. What do you think, Wyatt?”

      Wyatt was eyeing the fish and deer heads mounted on the pine walls.

      “Wyatt,” Drew said.

      He flushed. “Huh?”

      “Do you want to eat outside?”

      He peered at the crowd. Large windows displayed views of the lake. “Yeah, sure.”

      They weaved through the tables on their way to the patio doors. Drew didn’t look left or right. He concentrated on following Lauren’s graceful movements.

      “Gannon?” A voice boomed over the lively conversation. “Gannon the Cannon?” The man leaped out of his chair and stood between Drew and Lauren. Wyatt instinctively huddled closer to Drew. He kept his arm around the kid’s shoulders.

      “It’s me, Mike Schneider. Man, I haven’t seen you in ages. How’ve you been?” Mike clapped him on the back, his face beaming.

      Drew’s inner serenity crumbled faster than a week-old cookie. Mike Schneider had been a linebacker on the team, one of the guys he ran around with. Someone who had thought he was above getting in trouble. The same way Drew had been.

      “Good to see you, Mike.” He nodded, hoping to bypass the reunion and get to the deck ASAP.

      “So what brings you to town? You visiting?”

      “I’m actually moving back. I start at the fire station next week. You still live here?”

      “Just visiting my folks with my wife—you remember Tori?” He pointed to the corner of the table, where Tori waved above several empty beer glasses. Another vaguely familiar couple sat across from her. “My sister, Paige, joined us. This is her husband, Brent.”

      “Good to see you, Drew. You’re looking good.” Tori winked. He gave her a tight nod. Tori James had flirted with Drew throughout high school and, if his memory served him correctly, had never had a nice thing to say about Lauren. The same way he hadn’t.

      The ladies began to whisper as Mike continued. “Hey, remember sneaking out to the Flats with Brittany? Man, did we have fun. Late-night swimming has never been the same.”

      Shame lit a bonfire in his gut. Drew stepped forward. “Yeah, well, we’re holding up traffic.”

      Mike ran a calculating gaze across Drew over to Lauren, and his eyes about bugged out. “Am I seeing things or what? Is that Prim—”

      “It’s Lauren Pierce.” Drew frowned. Lauren’s face was a polite mask—nothing was getting through it.

      “What? Are you two together?” Mike chortled as if it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard. “Is this your kid?”

      “This is my godson, Wyatt. Good to see you.” Drew clenched his jaw and propelled Wyatt forward. His veins felt like they were going to explode. Every table they passed seemed to be staring, pointing and whispering, but maybe it was his imagination. The patio doors were merely a few yards away.

      “What’s wrong, Uncle Drew?” Wyatt rubbed his biceps as soon as Drew let go when they made it to the deck.

      “Nothing.”

      “Are you mad?” Wyatt sounded worried.

      “I’m fine.” Drew studied the people seated outside but thankfully didn’t see anyone familiar.

      Lauren led them to the most secluded table. She patted the chair next to hers and smiled at Wyatt. “Drew hasn’t been home in years.”

      Wyatt didn’t look convinced. He began to nervously chew his fingernail. “Let’s go home.”

      What was bothering him? He’d been okay when they had arrived.

      “Do you want to go home?” Lauren asked, her voice calm and reassuring.

      “I don’t know.”

      His face looked pale. Drew ticked СКАЧАТЬ