Secrets in Summer(54)

“Well, you know,” Darcy said in a jokey voice, “pecans are very healthy.”

“I try not to eat too much ice cream. Mom says I can’t afford to get fat, that as I get older, any weight I put on will be hard to get off. But I don’t know any kids my age here. So I get kind of bored. I’m not big on going to the beach, either, and the one time I went, Logan hit on me.” She sighed. “You see how well that turned out.”

Darcy said, “I think you’re perfect, maybe even too thin….” She let her voice trail off. She didn’t want to contradict anything Autumn had told Willow. Still, she had an idea….“Willow, do you like kids?’

“Duh. Who doesn’t?”

“I guess I mean kids in crazy noisy hordes. We do a summer story time program at the library, and our enrollment is full, and I want to offer another story time, maybe even two. They last about an hour, and it’s simply reading a book with cool pictures to a group of kids about two to five years old. You could choose which mornings you wanted to do it. The library would pay you, not much, but something.”

“Wait, what? I can read stories to kids? Awesome sauce!” Willow almost bounced off the sofa. “That sounds like so much fun! Gosh, I haven’t looked at picture books for years and years.” Willow talked as if she were fifty years old. “I used to spend hours with picture books.”

“You’d have to be capable of dealing with rambunctious kids,” Darcy told her. “And of course, we’ll need to get permission from your parents.”

“Oh, they’ll give me permission. The library with old ladies and little kids? They’ll be thrilled.” Willow squinted her eyes as her words replayed in her head. “I don’t mean you are an old lady. I just…”

“It’s fine, Willow. And look, I think your parents are home. Lights are on in some of the rooms now.”

“Oh, groan.” Willow’s shoulders sagged. “They’re going to be wicked pissed.”

“Let’s go get it over with,” Darcy said.





11


As they walked down the lane to Willow’s house, Darcy tried to push back her misgivings. Of course she’d done the right thing, stopping Willow from snorting heroin. But Boyz wouldn’t like that Darcy had asked Willow to work in the library and he especially wouldn’t like that he’d told Darcy he knew what was happening with Willow and tonight Darcy had proved him wrong.

At the steps to the porch, Willow came to an abrupt halt.

“They’re going to kill me,” she whispered.

“You can handle it,” Darcy said. “They love you. Come on.”

She started up the steps to the side door. Willow stood frozen. Darcy reached back and took her hand. She was surprised when, as they entered the house, Willow kept a tight hold on her hand, and there they were, in the gleaming space-age granite-countered kitchen, standing together like two girls facing their headmaster.

Boyz was at the refrigerator, taking out a bottle of carbonated water. “Autumn, want some water?” he called. He wore a navy blazer and a striped button-down shirt, open at the collar. Loafers without socks. Party clothes.

“God, no, I’ll be up peeing all night as it is.” Autumn came to lean against the door from the dining room. She’d kicked off her stiletto heels, and still looked stunning in a tight pink strapless sheath. Her abundant red hair was falling down from its elegant chignon. Seeing Willow and Darcy, she recoiled. “Willow! What the hell?”

Boyz turned, startled, then snorted. “Oh, Darcy, honey, this is too much.”

It was Willow who spoke first, in a shaky little girl’s voice, and she squeezed Darcy’s hand so tightly as she spoke, Darcy thought she’d have bruises.

“Dad, Mom, listen. Something happened. I have to tell you.”

Autumn surged toward her daughter. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. But I almost did heroin with Logan.” Willow rushed out the words in a breathless squeak.

“Take a deep breath, Willow,” Darcy whispered. “You’re hyperventilating.”

“Darcy ran into the yard and stopped us.” Willow gave a half grin. “You should have seen her—she was like a maniac, she totally scared Logan!”

Autumn put her hands on her daughter’s shoulders and ran them up and down Willow’s arms, in the process accidentally—or not—sweeping Darcy’s hand away. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I—”

“Heroin?” Boyz crossed the room in three steps and loomed over the women. “Are you telling me you did heroin?”