Page 67 of Keeping Secrets

They hung up, and he walked into the little diner. Rachel was already there, waiting for him in a booth, and he sat down on the opposite side of the table.

“Hi,” she said brightly. “It’s good to see you.”

“You too,” he said honestly. Because, to his surprise, it really was. Some of his anxiety faded away when he saw how healthy she looked.

The first time he had seen Rachel, she had been gaunt and emaciated, with dark circles under her eyes. Now there was a healthy color to her cheeks, which had filled out considerably. She looked like a kid again, like she had regained the youth and vitality that was her due.

He had saved her. Maybe that was giving himself too much credit, but really, what would have happened to her if he hadn’t intervened? Nothing good.

And she knew it too. She looked at him with such a warm glow in his eyes; it made him think of the way that Keely looked at Nick. It was a little-sister kind of adoration, the knowledge that she was safe with him. No one had ever looked at him with such profound gratitude and admiration.

He would do it again, regardless of the consequences, and that realization brought him some measure of peace.

“How are you?” he asked. “You look good. Healthy, I mean.”

“Yeah, thank you. I am good.”

A waitress came by and tossed down a second laminated menu. “Can I get you anything to drink?”

“I’ll have a cup of coffee,” he said.

“And you?” she asked Rachel.

“A chocolate milkshake, please.”

“Coming right up,” the waitress droned.

“I’m staying with my aunt,” Rachel said as their waitress walked away. “She has a huge garden full of flowers that she sells at the farmers market, so I’ve been working for her part time. I even ran one of the markets all by myself this week.”

“That’s great.”

She nodded, glowing with pride. “I’m taking a couple of classes at the community college, too. I’m going to take a full course load next semester.”

“Good for you,” he said warmly.

“Thanks. Yeah. It feels good. Like I’m finally moving forward.” She smiled at him. “How are you?”

“I’m fine. Work’s been a bit hectic.” He ran a hand through his hair, then folded both hands together on the table in front of him and looked down at his interlaced fingers. “The investigation is still going. They brought in another woman the other day, someone who hadn’t so much as spoken to Adam in months. They’re hunting down every lead they can.”

“That just means that they don’t have anything.” She reached her hand across the table and put it on top of his. It was an innocent gesture, one of solidarity and comfort, but automatically he pulled his hands away.

“I thought the same,” he acknowledged. “Still, it’s hard not to worry about it.”

“I can imagine. I’m sorry you have to deal with this.”

“I would do it again,” he said, voicing his realization from before. “If I had to. I don’t regret it.”

She met his eyes and nodded solemnly.

“Chocolate shake and a coffee,” the waitress droned as she plunked their drinks down on the table. “Anything to eat?”

“Nothing for me, thanks,” Travis said.

Rachel looked at the waitress and shook her head. “I’m fine.”

He wrapped his hands around the warm mug and took a sip of coffee. It was weak, but it was hot and comforting all the same. He wondered how Rachel could drink an ice cream shake on a blustery day like this, but it was warm enough inside.

She wore a thick sweater. It had looked like a jumble of squiggles at first, but on second glance, he saw lines of white reindeer patterned on top of the dark blue.

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