Karrie pounded the steering wheel with the palm of her hand. "I must have left the door open. Just enough to leave the dome light on. This day just keeps getting better and better."
Jack held out his key ring. "We can use my car if
you don't mind driving."
"Is it stick? 'Cause I'm not that great using a
clutch."
"Nope. It's automatic."
Karrie took a deep breath. Maybe she could salvage this
disaster. "When I find that cat, I'll wring its neck."
Jack laughed. "That's drastic. Maybe ask around first
for a missing cat."
Reluctantly, Karrie smiled. "What about your
foot?"
"I'll be okay." He handed her his keys.
"How about I walk to your place, then drive by to
pick you up?"
"Good idea. Save my bum ankle for the shopping
ordeal."
"Seriously. It won't be that bad. Dash in for
salmon. Pick up cream cheese. Then back home."
About ten minutes later, she drove into the parking lot
of the closest supermarket in North Windham. "It's open. I was afraid they
might close early."
"And miss all the last-minute emergency shoppers
like us?"
"Yeah. What was I thinking?"
Inside, she walked directly to the dairy section,
purposely slowing her steps so Jack could keep up. She picked up a packet of
cream cheese, then headed for the fish department. Stopping in front of the
frozen case, she looked, then looked again. "I don't believe it. There's
no smoked salmon."
"Maybe it's somewhere else."
"Unh unh. This is where I always find it."
Jack flagged down a fish counter worker. "Any more
smoked salmon?"
He shook his head. "We've had a real run on it
today."
Karrie closed her eyes.
With one finger, Jack tilted her face up to look at him. His
glance snared hers. She craved the touch of his lips on hers…not the right time,
she thought, shaking her head and looking aside.
He cleared his throat and shrugged. "It'll be okay. We'll
punt."
Her shoulders slumped and her voice wavered. "Yeah. We're
definitely not scoring a touchdown today."
Jack slid an arm around her waist. "What about clam
dip? You have the cream cheese. We could buy potato chips, plus taco chips and
salsa. There's a great local one, Galaxie Salsa, made a couple of towns over,
in Buxton."
When he lifted his arm, she grabbed his hand. "Lean
on me. I'll be your crutch. I didn't think we'd take this long." She tried
to believe it was all about helping him, but she really liked his arm around
her. She'd been on an emotional roller coaster with her parents and Gram’s
death all week and she needed help getting off the ride.
He kept his arm on her shoulder while they finished shopping
and checked out.
Exiting the store, Jack looked up. "Snow's really
coming down."
"I hope they still have the fireworks."
"They will. I don't think even a Nor'easter would
stop them."
Karrie smiled. "Well, maybe you're exaggerating, but
I suspect nothing short of a powerful storm would interfere."
"Not that crew. Especially your Gram."
Karrie stopped so abruptly, Jack bumped into her. Tears
filled her eyes.
"Hey, what's the problem? Did you forget
something?"
"No. It's Gram. You probably didn't hear. Her
funeral was a couple of days ago."
He tightened his arm around her shoulder, pulling her
close. "I'm so sorry. My parents didn't say anything. Typical. If it's not
about them, it doesn't happen."
She couldn't think of anything to say. Maybe his family
hadn't been as perfect as it looked from the outside.
With the windshield wipers keeping the falling snow at
bay and the heater blasting, Karrie decided Jack's car was definitely cozy. Parker
now known as Jack. She'd never realized nice could be so attractive. She'd
always figured him for a straight edge guy, although not hard-core and all
preachy like some. But he was really nice.
Back in high school, Karrie never acknowledged a favor or
compliment. That would be dorky. She was too cool to say thank you. It was time
to move on. She wasn't that girl any longer. "I'm really glad you came
with me. Probably prevented a serious meltdown in the store."
"No problem. And you've definitely helped me,
volunteering to be my personal crutch."
She was silent for a moment. "Gram is the only
reason I came home. I haven't been back since graduating."
"That's why I haven't seen you."
"I'm surprised you noticed. We weren't exactly
friends."
"True. Mother would have had a cow if she knew I
spent time with you."
Karrie laughed. "I bet."
She slowed as they approached Running Brook Road. Turning,
the car fishtailed. Struggling to control the spin, Karrie over-corrected and
the car dove into the ditch. Hung up on the bank left by the snow plow, no
amount of rocking would get them free.
She rested her forehead on the steering wheel. "This
day totally stinks."