“I only know because Sadie follows youonline. She saw your name mentioned in a story about it,” hesaid.
Chantelle had been grateful for thefriendship she had with his daughter. “She reached out to me so Iappreciate her. I hope...” She looked down at her lap, but thenlifted her chin. “I hope I didn’t embarrass the town too much.”
Seemed as if Chantelle was alwaysembarrassing the town. Her teen pregnancy. Eloping with Lance. Themiscarriage. Their divorce.
Mr. Perkins cocked his head to the side.“Delta Heights knows you. I didn’t believe a word those trolls saidonline. Half of them wouldn’t dare say it to your face,anyway.”
Chantelle’s heart felt full. “Thank you. I’mglad you think so.”
“You have a good heart and you’re a talentedwriter. You know what I’m going to ask you, right?” He raised hiseyebrows.
Chantelle held back her smile. “You ask meevery time I come here.”
“It’s a great idea. I can’t think of a betterperson.”
“I don’t think so, Mr. P.” Move back to DeltaHeights and run the newspaper. Chantelle had worked too hard forher life in Chicago. How could she give that up?
“You won’t know unless you come back. I’mretiring soon and I need someone I can trust. You have the heart ofa writer, but you’re a leader too. You can take Delta HeightsPress to a new level.”
Chantelle laughed. “That would be something.”Running her own newspaper? That would be a dream come true. “I’llthink about it. Will that work?”
He pointed to her. “You could do it.”
“I see why my father was friends withyou.”
“He was… the best friend I ever had.” Hisgaze turned serious. “If you need anything, let me know. I’m alwayshere for you.”
She met his stare and caught his wink at her.“Thank you.”
***
Balls dropped and rolled on the wooden floorof Delta’s Bowling Alley. Chantelle laced her shoes. Music blaredthrough the loudspeakers while she listened to friendly trash talkbetween friends bowling together. She hadn’t been too keen onhanging out with Elise and her friends, but to keep her mind offLance, she agreed to a girls’ night out with her sister-in-law.
Dimmed and neon lights for the glowing ballscaught her eyes. Electronic score boards hung from the ceiling,while Elise sat at the machine entering their names for theupcoming game. Chantelle’s stomach growled as she stood to herfeet, so she would visit the concession stand soon.
“Okay, I have Chantelle and me against Cheryland Krista.” Elise announced.
“I’m not competitive,” Krista said with awink of her eye. She pulled back her jet black curls into aponytail.
“I am.” Cheryl’s eyes scanned the group. “Nooffense. I play to win, but I have good sportsmanship.”
Chantelle giggled, walking over to choose herbowling ball. She spotted a few bowling teams in matching shirtshigh-fiving each other. Her dad had been on one of those same teamswhen he was alive. He loved the game and taught it to Chantelle.She wouldn’t disclose that to Elise’s friends, but she was surethat was why her sister-in-law picked her for her own team.
Sauntering back over to their lane, Chantellefastened her grip on her neon pink bowling ball. “Are weready?”
“You’re up,” Elise said. She bit her bottomlip as if to hide her grin.
Chantelle inched up to the lane with her eyeslowering to the floor. Recalling the techniques her father taughther, she released her ball and watched it glide down the lane.Tilting her head to the side with her hands on her hips, shewatched the perfect strike unfold as all the pins fell over.Moseying back to her seat, she caught Krista and Cheryl staring ather performance.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Cheryl said.
“You knew about this, didn’t you, Elise?”Krista asked, pointing at her.
“I’ll neither confirm nor deny that.” Elisewaggled her arched eyebrows. Chantelle sat next to her as Cheryltook her turn. Her sister-in-law nudged her shoulder. “Feelingokay?”
Rubbing her hands against her pant legs, shebobbed her head. “I am. Thanks for inviting me.” Leaning over towatch Krista, Chantelle added, “I don’t think your friends willlike me after tonight.”
Elise dismissed her comment with a wave ofher hand. “They mean no harm. Krista is happy to be around adultsbeing a stay-at-home-mom, and Cheryl needed a break fromstudying.”
“Grad school?”
“Family counseling.”
“Cool.” Chantelle’s shoulders drooped for amoment.
“Are you sure everything’s alright?”
“Yeah, I’m making progress with mystory.”
“How’s Lance?”
“Cooperative.” Chantelle giggled.
“I’m glad you two are getting along.” Elisesighed and stared ahead.
“How are you? Everything okay with you and mybrother?”
“I think so. We’ve been talking aboutkids.”
Chantelle beamed despite the dull ache in herheart. “I’m going to be an auntie?”
“Not yet. Well… I don’t know for sure. I havean appointment next week. I hope Grant will be happy.”
“Why wouldn’t he be?” Chantelle asked.
“He wants children, but I think the realityof it makes him nervous. I think he’ll be great. I’m the one whoshould be nervous.”
“You’ll make wonderful parents.”
Elise eyeballed her. “What about you? Ithought for sure a man would visit you from Chicago. Or issomething brewing with… Javier?”
“I forgot this town was small.” Chantelleshook her head. “It’s only been twice since we’ve hung out. We’vebeen talking on the phone, and we’re getting to know eachother.”
“And?” Elise practically sat on the edge ofher seat.
“I don’t know. Can we take things slow?”Chantelle scratched at her head.
“You can take it slow. Only make sure youknow what you want,” Elise said, her expression soft.
“Come on Elise, you’re holding up the game.”Cheryl joked.
“Don’t rush me,” she said, rising to herfeet.
Chantelle folded her hands in her lap. Whendid things get complicated? She was here for a job, and now oldfeelings for Lance were creeping inside. Then her cell rang. Shereached inside her cross body purse to see who was calling.Javier.
Signaling Elise, Chantelle stepped outside toclear away the noise. “Hi.”
“I know you’re having a girls’ night, but Iwanted to hear your voice,” Javier said.
He was too sweet. Chantelle’s chest expanded.“That’s thoughtful of you.”
“Are you having fun?”
“I am. Haven’t bowled in a while, but I’mgetting back in the habit.”
“Bowling.” He sounded intrigued. “I see.Think you’ll win?”
“Why? You want to know if I’m competition foryou?”
He chuckled. “We’ll find out later.” Sheheard a dog bark. “Better take him out for a walk.”
“Thanks for
