Chapter 12

He shoveled another forkful of mac and cheese into his mouth, ignoring the pang in his chest as his gaze caught on Uncle Will’s uniform, and on his sheriff’s badge. He could remember being small enough to be carried around on Dad’s hip, his little fingers finding the shape of Dad’s sheriff’s badge every time.

“I saw Quinn MacGregor last night,” he said.

Uncle Will straightened up, his eyes narrowing. “He’s back in town?”

“I didn’t know he’d left, honestly. But at the same time, I wasn’t expecting to see him.”

“Yeah,” Uncle Will said. “Right after…Right after everything. His mother took him away somewhere. I didn’t think he’d ever show his face in Spruce Creek again.”

That was a piece of strange symmetry, Aaron thought. Both their moms leaving town with them after it all happened.

“You and he were friends for a while, weren’t you?” Uncle Will asked. “I remember Charlie was dating him.”

“Yeah.” Will concentrated on his mac and cheese, not meeting Uncle Will’s gaze.