You Shouldn't Have Come Here

by Jeneva Rose

“I’m sorry, Grace. I lied about Albert. He’s my uncle, my degenerate uncle. And I’m just embarrassed of him. He shows up every few months and crashes with me, picks up some of his stuff from the basement, and then he’s gone after a few days. I just didn’t want you to associate him with me.” Calvin folded up the photo and slid it into his back pocket. “I’m such an idiot. I’m not good at this type of stuff. I like you, and I didn’t want to give you any reason not to like me. It’s why I’ve told some dumb lies.” He shook his head. “I don’t get many chances with girls like you, and I didn’t want anything screwing it up.” Calvin just kept talking in circles, playing the I’m-a-dumb-country-boy routine. I wasn’t buying it, not this time. He was cunning and meticulous. “You can trust me, Grace.” His eyes were intense. Trust. I nearly laughed out loud, but I was walking a thin line between safety and whatever the hell Calvin would do to me. “Did Bri Becker trust you?” I narrowed mine and pressed my lips firmly together. He raised his brows. “Bri Becker?” “The missing woman. The one the sheriff came here asking about.” “I already told you and the sheriff. She never showed up. I didn’t lie about that.”