Page 67 of Firefly Effect

I nod, feeling so much relief just thinking about how amazing Uncle Patrick was that night. “I don’t know what I would have done without him. He helped me talk to the Pruitts and the cops. He knows the woods like the back of his hand, so he was able to help me retrace my steps just by my description of where she was.”

At what comes next, a cloud overshadows my love for Patrick. “When we got back to the spot, the cops saw Foster covered in her blood.” I blink at Lincoln, wondering what he thinks of this whole story, wondering if he thinks Foster could be guilty just like the cops thought back then.

“And they assumed he did it.” Lincoln nods. He’s finally realizing the guilt and worry I’ve carried for all these years.

“Yes. And he was arrested right there.” I swipe at another tear. “After losing his sister. After trying to save her. He was still covered in her blood.” I choke on the words, but I refuse to stop, my anger over Foster’s jail time too much to bear. “And then he was interrogated for days. He didn’t even ask for a lawyer because he knew he was innocent. He just wanted to help. But it was like they wanted to pin it all on him, as if he would murder his own sister.”

I shake my head, disgusted all over again. “They had enough evidence to hold him, so they did for as long as they possibly could, but he was eventually let go. His prints weren’t on the rock that bludgeoned Carley, and that alone was his saving grace.”

“Sounds like it.” His arm slips away, and he clasps his hands in his lap.

I let out a deep breath, finally able to relax after reliving it all. Well, all but the one part of the night I still can’t seem to remember. “I’m so sorry to put all that on you.”

Lincoln frowns, looking almost angry. “What did I tell you about your apologies? I don’t want to hear them, Evie.”

“It’s just so dark. My past, my present.” I start to tremble, my concern now settled in the fear that he might see me differently. “I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to walk away from this right now.” I gesture at myself. “From me.”

His brows crease again, but this time, what shadows his features isn’t anger but sadness. “When are you going to understand? You are not the darkness. It’s your light I would find in the pitch-black night. Out of the millions and millions of fireflies racing through the sky, you’re the only one I see.”

“Really?” I say, my heart beating fast. “Maybe you just haven’t looked hard enough.”

He smiles and leans toward me until his forehead touches mine. “Oh, Evie. I’ve been searching for you my whole damn life. I just needed some time to get to you.”

Warmth blossoms in my chest. “Now here you are.”

His lips brush mine, and he nods. “Here I am.”

CHAPTER

TWENTY-FOUR

LINCOLN

After leaving my office, Evie and I stop by Firefly so she can pack a bag. Kyle reassures her that he can close down the bar, so she comes home with me. Lucy is in the middle of the living room, dancing along to her favorite musical TV show, when we walk in.

“Daddy!” she squeals. She runs to me, throwing her arms around my neck in a giant hug.

“Oh wow,” I say, picking her up. “That’s the best hug ever.”

I can feel Lucy’s gasp when she sees Evie behind me.

“Evie!” Lucy exclaims, shooting her arms out.

I take a hint and lower Lucy to the floor so she can hug Evie too. It’s the cutest exchange, one I know I shouldn’t love as much as I do. Evie is a new person in Lucy’s life, and I’ve always been careful about the amount of time she spends with other women. She could easily become attached, and I’m just not ready for that—or at least, I wasn’t. Until Evie.

“Everyone hungry?” Francine asks, walking into the living room from the kitchen. She winks at Evie.

I gave Francine plenty of notice earlier that Evie would be coming back to stay with us. But this time, Francine will be in her cottage while Evie will be in the guest room.

“Me, me!” Lucy says, jumping up and down.

“Me, me, too,” I say.

“I’m starved,” Evie adds with a sigh.

Something about the honesty in her tone clutches at my chest. She must have been so nervous all day that she didn’t even eat.

“You came to the right place, dear,” Francine holds her hand out and drags Evie into the kitchen. “I made lemon chicken, but if you don’t like that, there’s plenty of Lucy’s mac-and-cheese to go around.”

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