planning a wedding and all.”
Lindsey stopped dusting and looked at me. “Um, Mom, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“About Marcy?” I closed the spice catalog. “This sounds serious.”
“No … about shopping for prom. Amber offered to take me.”
My heart sank. I swear I could actually feel it drop to my knees. “Amber…?”
“Amber’s taste in clothes is absolutely amazing,” Lindsey rushed on. “And since we’re closer in age, she actually remembers what it’s like to be sixteen.”
It’s hard to speak after you’ve had the wind knocked out of you. Amber Leigh Ames was a thorn in my side. Not only had she usurped my place in CJ’s affections, now she was trying to insinuate her way into my daughter’s as well.
“Amber knows all the managers in all the coolest shops from her pageant days. She said they’d probably give me a discount.”
“And Amber can walk on water,” I muttered under my breath. It so happens, Amber Leigh Ames, the bane of my existence, was Brandywine County’s former Miss Peach Blossom and first runner-up in the Miss Georgia Pageant. Privately, I referred to her as Miss Peach Pit. Amber was a role model for many local teen girls, my daughter among them. Could the week get any worse? I asked myself. But I didn’t have to wait long for the answer.
The front door swung open and in walked Wyatt McBride, accompanied by Beau Tucker and a third policeman I’d seen before, but didn’t know by name. Beau and Officer Unibrow both avoided meeting my eyes.
“If you boys are looking to buy spices, make it quick. It’s nearly closing time.”
McBride held out an official-looking document. “Search warrant.”
If my heart dropped to my knees before, it now landed on the floor. “A search warrant?” I repeated, though it was hard to form words when my lips felt numb. “Surely, you can’t be serious.”
“Do I look like I’m joking?”
That had to be the finest example of understatement I’d ever heard. I’ve seen people less solemn at a funeral.
Lindsey watched our exchange wide-eyed. “M-mom, you okay?”
“Fine, honey,” I murmured. I grabbed the warrant from McBride’s hand and pretended to read it but, in my befuddled state, the legalese failed to register.
“Tucker, take the downstairs,” McBride ordered crisply. “Moyer,” he said, turning to Officer Unibrow, “you and I will search upstairs.”
“Sorry, Piper.” Beau Tucker sent me a sheepish look, then set about searching through cupboards and drawers, looking for what, I had no idea.
I felt sick to my stomach knowing the same was going on upstairs. A shudder of revulsion rippled through me at the thought of McBride pawing through my underwear drawers—an invasion of privacy of the worst kind.
“Mom … are you going to let them get away with this?” Lindsey cried. “Call Daddy. He’ll know what to do.”
I shook my head, stubborn to a fault. “I didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t need a lawyer.”
No sooner had the words left my mouth when CJ steamed through the door.
“Hey, baby,” he beamed, addressing Lindsey, ignoring me. “Got the text message you sent. Of course, you can go to the concert. Wouldn’t want you to miss out on havin’ yourself a good time.”
I caught the look on Lindsey’s face, part guilt, part triumph. The child was growing quite adept at pitting one parent against the other. That nasty little habit needed to be nipped in the bud.
Folding my arms across my chest, I glared at CJ. “There, you’re doing it again. Undermining my authority with our daughter. Whenever I say no, Lindsey goes straight to you. What about her report for language arts? Its due Monday and counts for nearly half her grade. She hasn’t even started it yet.”
“Don’t be so uptight, Scooter darlin’. The girl’s got all day Sunday to work on that damn paper. Amber can help her if she needs it.”
“Amber Leigh Ames barely squeaked through finishing
Lindsey stopped dusting and looked at me. “Um, Mom, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“About Marcy?” I closed the spice catalog. “This sounds serious.”
“No … about shopping for prom. Amber offered to take me.”
My heart sank. I swear I could actually feel it drop to my knees. “Amber…?”
“Amber’s taste in clothes is absolutely amazing,” Lindsey rushed on. “And since we’re closer in age, she actually remembers what it’s like to be sixteen.”
It’s hard to speak after you’ve had the wind knocked out of you. Amber Leigh Ames was a thorn in my side. Not only had she usurped my place in CJ’s affections, now she was trying to insinuate her way into my daughter’s as well.
“Amber knows all the managers in all the coolest shops from her pageant days. She said they’d probably give me a discount.”
“And Amber can walk on water,” I muttered under my breath. It so happens, Amber Leigh Ames, the bane of my existence, was Brandywine County’s former Miss Peach Blossom and first runner-up in the Miss Georgia Pageant. Privately, I referred to her as Miss Peach Pit. Amber was a role model for many local teen girls, my daughter among them. Could the week get any worse? I asked myself. But I didn’t have to wait long for the answer.
The front door swung open and in walked Wyatt McBride, accompanied by Beau Tucker and a third policeman I’d seen before, but didn’t know by name. Beau and Officer Unibrow both avoided meeting my eyes.
“If you boys are looking to buy spices, make it quick. It’s nearly closing time.”
McBride held out an official-looking document. “Search warrant.”
If my heart dropped to my knees before, it now landed on the floor. “A search warrant?” I repeated, though it was hard to form words when my lips felt numb. “Surely, you can’t be serious.”
“Do I look like I’m joking?”
That had to be the finest example of understatement I’d ever heard. I’ve seen people less solemn at a funeral.
Lindsey watched our exchange wide-eyed. “M-mom, you okay?”
“Fine, honey,” I murmured. I grabbed the warrant from McBride’s hand and pretended to read it but, in my befuddled state, the legalese failed to register.
“Tucker, take the downstairs,” McBride ordered crisply. “Moyer,” he said, turning to Officer Unibrow, “you and I will search upstairs.”
“Sorry, Piper.” Beau Tucker sent me a sheepish look, then set about searching through cupboards and drawers, looking for what, I had no idea.
I felt sick to my stomach knowing the same was going on upstairs. A shudder of revulsion rippled through me at the thought of McBride pawing through my underwear drawers—an invasion of privacy of the worst kind.
“Mom … are you going to let them get away with this?” Lindsey cried. “Call Daddy. He’ll know what to do.”
I shook my head, stubborn to a fault. “I didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t need a lawyer.”
No sooner had the words left my mouth when CJ steamed through the door.
“Hey, baby,” he beamed, addressing Lindsey, ignoring me. “Got the text message you sent. Of course, you can go to the concert. Wouldn’t want you to miss out on havin’ yourself a good time.”
I caught the look on Lindsey’s face, part guilt, part triumph. The child was growing quite adept at pitting one parent against the other. That nasty little habit needed to be nipped in the bud.
Folding my arms across my chest, I glared at CJ. “There, you’re doing it again. Undermining my authority with our daughter. Whenever I say no, Lindsey goes straight to you. What about her report for language arts? Its due Monday and counts for nearly half her grade. She hasn’t even started it yet.”
“Don’t be so uptight, Scooter darlin’. The girl’s got all day Sunday to work on that damn paper. Amber can help her if she needs it.”
“Amber Leigh Ames barely squeaked through finishing
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