Chapter 36: Cole

Cole PULLED INTO the driveway and stared at Scarlett's front door. He hadn't heard from her since she dropped him off Tuesday morning to get his car from The Watering Hole. There was this big, gaping hole where she belonged.

What the hell happened?

It was Friday.

He'd texted.

He'd called.

And silence.

She'd mentioned having a few events this week. He'd done his best to stay patient, not demand too much of her time. But three days of silence?

His first assumption was that something had happened to her. But that was quickly discarded. If something had happened, word would have spread. Hell, he'd heard about some kid's broken arm, a marital spat that went down at David's Market in the parking lot and teenagers loitering too long outside The Grill. Anything that would have kept Scarlett from returning his calls would have been town news by now.

Which meant there was only one explanation.

She was ducking him. He couldn't call it ghosting because the town was too small. She