Harbor Street (Cedar Cove #5)(86)

Anson refused to meet her gaze. “They said it was reduction in force.”

“Maybe business slacked off,” she said, thinking quickly. “That happens, you know.”

“It was an excuse.” His eyes narrowed as he spoke.

“Do you think there was another reason?” she asked softly, her hand still on his arm.

For the first time he looked directly at her. But this boy wasn’t the Anson she knew. He was irate and resentful, and she felt as though every bit of his fury was directed at her. Allison nearly dropped her hand and stepped back.

“Mr. Gunderson thinks I took something that didn’t belong to me. He thinks I took cash out of his office.”

Allison had the sudden urge to sit down. She walked over to an empty table and pulled out a chair. Anson followed.

“You didn’t do that.” She refused to believe Anson was guilty of such a thing.

Pain flashed from his eyes but was immediately shielded. “That’s not what Seth Gunderson believes.”

“He talked to you?”

Anson nodded. “He talked to everyone.”

“Did he have any proof?”

“How could he?” Anson asked hotly. “I didn’t do it.”

Allison reached for his hand, curling her fingers around his. She needed to touch him, to reassure him. At first he resisted and tried to pull away. Then he entwined their fingers, holding onto her as if she were the only solid thing in a world that was crumbling. Allison didn’t know what to say that could make this better.

“What can I do?” she asked after a while.

“Nothing,” he said and swore. “I wouldn’t go back there if they begged me to. I worked my butt off for that restaurant and then they treat me like—”

He didn’t finish. He didn’t need to; Allison knew what he intended to say.

“I’ll talk to my dad,” she suggested. Her father had been willing to help Anson before. Once she explained the situation, he would again. She hoped.

“No.” His voice was harsh. “Not this time.” He laughed. “Your father can’t do a damn thing for me. I was the obvious suspect, you know. Mr. Gunderson knows I was responsible for setting the park shed on fire. If they were going to accuse anyone, it would be me—and why not? I’ve been in trouble. I was a convenient scapegoat.”

“But it’s not right!”

“Not everything is right, Allison. You live in this comfortable world where everything turns out perfectly. It isn’t like that for everyone. You’ve got parents who care about you. You’ve got a home and a future. Some of us don’t.”

“You have a future. We all do.” Her fingers tightened around his. “We each make our own.”

His eyes met hers as he digested her words. “I just don’t have the options you do.”

“Do you know who did it—stole the money, I mean?”

He hesitated. “No, but I have my suspicions.”

“Who? Tony?”

“Tony said I made everyone look bad because I worked hard and put in extra time. He was hired before me and then Mr. Gunderson talked to the chef about training me to be a prep cook. Tony didn’t think that was fair.”

She’d report this to her father and have him talk to Mr. Gunderson. “My dad and Mr. Gunderson are friends.”

Anson shook his head. “No. I’ll take care of this in my own way.”

“What are you going to do?” she asked, afraid of what he might do in this state of mind.

“I don’t know yet.”

He had a wild, disheveled look and she suspected he hadn’t slept in a long time. “Have you been home?”

He shook his head. “Mom’s brought home a new friend.” His lips curled in a half snarl. “We don’t get along. To put it mildly.”

Anson didn’t need to spell it out for her; his home life was dreadful. Allison frowned. His problems seemed huge, overwhelming. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

“Yeah, right. Like I said, some of us were dealt a lousy hand.”

She wanted to take away his burdens. She knew that was impossible, and the ache in her heart increased.

Allison glanced at her watch. Kaci had to be to work by four and Allison didn’t want to make her late.

Anson stood abruptly and checked his watch, too. “I gotta go.”

“Where?”

He shrugged, his gaze focused elsewhere.

“When will I see you again?”

That, too, was answered with a shrug, as if he didn’t know. As if it didn’t matter.

Allison tried to brush aside her disappointment. “I need to know,” she insisted.

“Why do you care?”

“I care,” she whispered. “I care more than you’ll ever know.”

“Don’t,” he said starkly. “You’re wasting your time.”

“I’m not,” she told him. “Just promise me you won’t do anything stupid.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Anything. Please, Anson, this is too important. Everything will work out in the end. I’m sure of it.”

He snickered as though he found her attitude amusing. “Things like this don’t work out for people like me. It’s time you learned that.”