Chapter 51: A Certain Crime

By the time she received Rob’s text, Hallie was walking with her mother through an outdoor market, tasting samples of olives, dips, and chips. They had decided to enjoy the rest of the day shopping and sightseeing.

“Is that Terry?” her mama asked after Hallie had looked at her phone.

Hallie shook her head. “Actually, it’s Rob. He’s coming to town too, it’s some kind of invasion.”

Her mama laughed lightly. “Be nice to him. He really cares about you, you know.”

“I know,” Hallie said wearily.

She knew just how much Rob cared about her since he had seen her at her worst when she was a teenager who felt misunderstood by her family and angry at the world. He knew too much about her, and that was why she was always reluctant to see him.

Every time she saw Rob, she felt the shame of being caught in her stupidest actions all over again.