Sultry Nights

Chapter 2

Dani held her breath until her partner, Greg, pulled the bus back out on the highway after their lunch stop. She knew coming up here there was a chance she’d run in to him but she hadn’t expected it on her first day.

“You okay?” Greg asked from beside her.

“Yeah, I just saw someone I didn’t expect to see.”

“Who?” Greg glanced her way with a frown.

“My ex.”

“Your ex?” Greg looked at her again before turning back to the road, “You just got to town.”

“Yeah, he’s been an ex a while. I just didn’t realize it would be that hard to see him again.”

“How long?”

“Almost ten years.”

“Wow. You must have been what? Fifteen?”

Dani laughed. “Thank you for that.”

“No, I’m serious. You’re not more than what? Twenty five?

“You do know I have a kid right?”

“No, but he can’t be that old.”

“Thank you. I may have to marry you now.” She laughed.

Greg just shook his head.

“I’m twenty-eight and my son is nine.” ?”

“Twenty-eight? Really?” Greg glanced at her a couple more times. “So you’ve been gone for ten years and still managed to run into an ex on your first day on the job? Wow.”

“I knew it was a risk, stopping there. His family used to own it.”

“And you still let me stop?”

“It’s the only thing on this side of the lake, I can’t avoid it forever,” she shrugged. “Besides, they could have sold it for all I knew. “Looks like not.”

“Did he say anything?”

“No. He wasn’t inside. I only saw him from a distance, I don’t think he even saw me.”

“I guess that’s something.”

“I guess.” Dani knew it was just putting off the inevitable. Pelican Lake was a small community and sooner rather than later they would encounter each other, she knew. It wouldn’t help that she had a small copy of Zach in tow most of the time. Though, Marc was spending a few weeks with her mother in Prescott so Dani would have a chance to settle into the new job and house here. She knew he was having a blast, but she missed him. Dani was so used to it being the two of them that she was lonely with out him.

Dani had known running into Zach or his family had been a risk when she’d taken the job, but she’s missed the area so much, for years. When the job offer had come, she couldn’t turn it down because she was afraid of running into her ex. She wasn’t looking forward to it but she refused to be afraid of it. Thinking back, she realized she hadn’t recognized the girl behind the counter at the little general store, but she was probably one of Zach’s sister. They were several years younger and may or may not remember her. She’d spent less time around them and Dani wasn’t sure she’d recognize them anymore, though, they were probably old enough that they might have left the area. She was a little surprized Zach hadn’t. When they’d been together he couldn’t wait to get old to leave.