more in that moment.
After getting dressed in a pair of plain jeans and a t-shirt that said I like big books and I cannot lie , I headed into the kitchen to bake. Baking was my stress reliever. Some people exercised, I baked. While gathering ingredients to make an apple pie, my phone rang, and looking at the screen, I saw that it was my dad.
“Hi, Daddy,” I answered “How are you?”
“What’s this I hear about you getting roughed up at Finnegan’s last night?”
The thing about living in a small town, not even to mention being the daughter of the Ex-Sheriff, everyone knew everyone else’s business. You couldn’t pick up a pregnancy test at the corner drugstore without the whole town knowing within the hour. That was just how it was in Brown County. Normally I loved it, but in this situation it was debatable.
“Yes, daddy. The base player for the band attacked me. I think he was upset with me since I turned him down for a date last week. I didn’t do anything to provoke it. I’ll be heading to the station early this evening to press charges and to give Sheriff Mitchell my statement,” I informed him.
“Emmalynne, did you at least try and fight him off?”
Coming to the realization that I didn’t, I knew that answer wouldn’t bode well with my father. He had made it his mission in life to teach me several different self-defense moves, and I was even an excellent shot.
“Well, your silence says it all. Emmy, I’m glad to hear you are alright, but you should’ve punched the motherfucker, or at least kneed him in the balls. If anything would’ve happened to you…” I heard the hitch in his voice.
“I’m okay, daddy,” I tried reassuring him. “It didn’t even occur to me that my fight or flight instinct hadn’t kicked in. I was just so terrified.”
“I know, baby doll. But just the thought of it kills me. We lost your mom when you were so young and then I almost lost you five years ago. I just don’t know what I would do. You and Tucker are all I have left.” His soft, breathy tone brought tears to my eyes.
Trying to fight them from falling I continued reassuringly, “I know daddy. I’m not going anywhere, I promise.” Wanting to lighten the mood I went on to say, “I have a date tonight!” Trying to sound upbeat, not knowing whether this date was still a good thing since I had made a major fool of myself.
“I heard. It’s with Mac Finnegan’s nephew, right? Heard he’s a pretty good boy. Army Veteran.”
Oh wow. I didn’t even know that. That just goes to show how little I knew about Grady Finnegan, and there I went and tried to kiss him. Stupid. Stupid.
“Well, daddy I’m getting ready to bake an apple pie and I need to call and check on the store before Toby and Tessa come over. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Bye daddy.”
“Bye, pumpkin.”
My dad had always called me pumpkin. I loved his little words of endearment, it made me feel special, I guess. My mother had always called me Emmy-Lou, since my middle name was Louise, after her mother. I missed her calling me that. I missed her, period.
Calling Rose at the store, I found out that everything was great. She, of course, was worried about me after she heard what had happened last night. I assured her that I was indeed fine and I told her that I would see her in the morning.
Halfway through peeling and coring the six medium apples I needed for my pie, I heard the front door open. Toby and Tessa were here often enough they each had a key to get in.
Rounding the corner Toby’s eyes zeroed in on me and he came at me with outstretched arms. Squeezing my arms just a little too hard, I winced slightly. He jerked back and looked at my arms, realizing what I was wincing at.
“I’m going to kick his ass!” he growled, anger flashing through his eyes. Toby was utterly flamboyant but he could still kick ass. He had threatened many a time to kick Bryce’s ass for the way he had treated and spoken to me.
“Get in line! I
After getting dressed in a pair of plain jeans and a t-shirt that said I like big books and I cannot lie , I headed into the kitchen to bake. Baking was my stress reliever. Some people exercised, I baked. While gathering ingredients to make an apple pie, my phone rang, and looking at the screen, I saw that it was my dad.
“Hi, Daddy,” I answered “How are you?”
“What’s this I hear about you getting roughed up at Finnegan’s last night?”
The thing about living in a small town, not even to mention being the daughter of the Ex-Sheriff, everyone knew everyone else’s business. You couldn’t pick up a pregnancy test at the corner drugstore without the whole town knowing within the hour. That was just how it was in Brown County. Normally I loved it, but in this situation it was debatable.
“Yes, daddy. The base player for the band attacked me. I think he was upset with me since I turned him down for a date last week. I didn’t do anything to provoke it. I’ll be heading to the station early this evening to press charges and to give Sheriff Mitchell my statement,” I informed him.
“Emmalynne, did you at least try and fight him off?”
Coming to the realization that I didn’t, I knew that answer wouldn’t bode well with my father. He had made it his mission in life to teach me several different self-defense moves, and I was even an excellent shot.
“Well, your silence says it all. Emmy, I’m glad to hear you are alright, but you should’ve punched the motherfucker, or at least kneed him in the balls. If anything would’ve happened to you…” I heard the hitch in his voice.
“I’m okay, daddy,” I tried reassuring him. “It didn’t even occur to me that my fight or flight instinct hadn’t kicked in. I was just so terrified.”
“I know, baby doll. But just the thought of it kills me. We lost your mom when you were so young and then I almost lost you five years ago. I just don’t know what I would do. You and Tucker are all I have left.” His soft, breathy tone brought tears to my eyes.
Trying to fight them from falling I continued reassuringly, “I know daddy. I’m not going anywhere, I promise.” Wanting to lighten the mood I went on to say, “I have a date tonight!” Trying to sound upbeat, not knowing whether this date was still a good thing since I had made a major fool of myself.
“I heard. It’s with Mac Finnegan’s nephew, right? Heard he’s a pretty good boy. Army Veteran.”
Oh wow. I didn’t even know that. That just goes to show how little I knew about Grady Finnegan, and there I went and tried to kiss him. Stupid. Stupid.
“Well, daddy I’m getting ready to bake an apple pie and I need to call and check on the store before Toby and Tessa come over. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Bye daddy.”
“Bye, pumpkin.”
My dad had always called me pumpkin. I loved his little words of endearment, it made me feel special, I guess. My mother had always called me Emmy-Lou, since my middle name was Louise, after her mother. I missed her calling me that. I missed her, period.
Calling Rose at the store, I found out that everything was great. She, of course, was worried about me after she heard what had happened last night. I assured her that I was indeed fine and I told her that I would see her in the morning.
Halfway through peeling and coring the six medium apples I needed for my pie, I heard the front door open. Toby and Tessa were here often enough they each had a key to get in.
Rounding the corner Toby’s eyes zeroed in on me and he came at me with outstretched arms. Squeezing my arms just a little too hard, I winced slightly. He jerked back and looked at my arms, realizing what I was wincing at.
“I’m going to kick his ass!” he growled, anger flashing through his eyes. Toby was utterly flamboyant but he could still kick ass. He had threatened many a time to kick Bryce’s ass for the way he had treated and spoken to me.
“Get in line! I
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