Tucked between a flower shop and ancient law office, Magnolia Cafe glistened with life. Lani hurried underneath the awning as raindrops pelted her, splashing through the small puddles on the sidewalks. Warmth greeted her when she stepped inside. She chose the cafe over their bakery so their dad wouldn’t overhear what she had to tell him.

Casey arrived first, having already picked them out a booth with Wyatt at his side. How would she bring it up with him? She hadn’t even thought to consider him bringing little Wyatt along, darn it. Lani didn’t want to blurt everything out in front of Wyatt. But she couldn’t hold the secret for much longer. She needed to tell someone, just to get it off her chest.

“Aunt Lani!” Wyatt grinned.

“Hey, buddy.” Lani slid into the booth across from them, plastering on a saccharine smile. “Whatcha been up to?”

“Me and Daddy went to the park.”

“Oh yeah? Sounds like fun.”

Before dipping into the dreaded conversation, Lani ordered herself an iced coffee and a sandwich. It gave her time to consider how to approach the topic while waiting for her order. As she drummed her nails on the table, she tried to think of the best way to break the news.

“You told me it was important we have lunch today,” Casey said, reaching for his own sandwich. “What’s going on? Did something happen?”

Lani should’ve been forthcoming about what she wanted to talk with him about, but she deflected. “That Emmett guy cornered me when I got to the bakery yesterday. I guess Dad let him in.”

“Cornered you?” Casey frowned. “What happened after that? Did he try to hurt you?”

“No. He just warned me how I needed to be honest about what happened with that woman,” Lani lowered her voice, leaning closer. “He thinks I killed her, when I most certainly did not.”

“Jeez.” Casey shook his head.

“He said there’s rumors out on the streets that I did it.” Lani shivered, crossing her arms over her chest. “Do you think he was just trying to scare me or is that true? You’ve seen the crap they put on the news, right? I don’t think it’s just gossip anymore.”

“I’m not sure. I’ll ask August about it when he gets home,” Casey replied. “He’s still got some old connections.”

“Thanks. Let me know what he says.” Lani sighed before sipping her iced coffee. “This is such a freaking mess.”

“I know, I’m sorry they’ve dragged you in the middle of it.”

Lani bit into her sandwich, sparing a glance at the dreary sidewalk. Raindrops echoed in her ears as she tried to find the words she needed. Maybe it would’ve been easier if he hadn’t brought Wyatt along. She couldn’t just ask him to leave his boy with someone else.

What if she was wrong? Sure, she witnessed the exchange, but she didn’t know what their dad bought from that guy. It looked a helluva lot like some kind of drug, but maybe it wasn’t. From that distance, it could’ve been pills, perhaps? Not like that made anything better. Opioids were just as dangerous and addictive.

“Lani, be honest with me. What’s going on with you?”

Lani blinked, ripping herself from her reverie. “Huh? I guess I’m just rattled up after that crap with Emmett.” She shrugged, drawing her cup of coffee to her lips.

“No, there’s something else.” Casey’s inquisitive glare pierced right through her.

“Having the cops snoop around doesn’t ease my mind either,” Lani murmured.

Casey had always been the intuitive one in their family. It was difficult keeping secrets from him. Meanwhile, he was far more stealthy at it. Maybe that was how he could always read her like a damn book.

“You’re avoiding something. I can sense it, cuz you always act this way when you’re hiding stuff. What is it? Did something else happen with Emmett or any of the other Rebels?” Casey fished for answers.

Lani groaned. “Okay, fine. I saw Dad yesterday, across the street, making an exchange. He gave the young guy some money and he gave him something in a little plastic baggie.”

“Seriously?” Casey clamped a hand over his mouth, letting the shock register. “Wow, okay. We’ve gotta talk to him about it. Maybe I can come over tonight?”

“I don’t know.” Lani cautioned. “I don’t want to confront him off guard like that. What if he gets upset or lies? I mean, what if what I saw isn’t what I thought it was?”

“I doubt he was buying a small baggie of flour from some rando off the street,” Casey retorted.

“No, you’re right.” Lani clutched her coffee cup in both trembling hands. “I just don’t want to believe it. Not Dad. He can’t do this to us and to himself.”

“Sometimes people turn to stuff like that to cope. With everything that’s happened, I can’t blame him. I don’t condone it, but I understand. Makes me wish I’d done more to help out now.”

“Yeah, me too.” Lani sighed.

Little Wyatt watched them both with intrigue, yet he didn’t say anything. He was a smart boy. Despite how they refrained from mentioning actual drugs, he probably understood something was wrong with his grandpa. Even she didn’t want to come to terms with it, but ignoring the fact would only delay the inevitable.