Page 211 of Hold Me Until Morning

“What is it?” she pressed.

“I really needed to talk to him. In private.”

A frown pulled across her face. “Are you in trouble?”

I wavered, attention dropping to the ground because I’d carried this secret with me for so long.

Welcome to the family you didn’t know you had.

The memory of what she’d whispered to me as she’d hugged me as we’d been leaving the ranch on Saturday twisted through my mind, and my heart thudded.

Because I trusted her, and it was time I stopped hiding.

Stopped hiding in plain sight.

“I am, and I need Ezra’s help, but I need to do it without Cody knowing because I don’t want him getting more involved than he’s already been. I can’t cause him any more danger than I already have.”

She looked over my shoulder like Ezra might appear there. “He left twenty minutes ago. You probably passed him on the road as soon as you left.”

Anxiety billowed. “Okay, well…can you call him and let him know I need to talk to him? Cody is at my house. Tell him to check in with Cody, and not to leave until I get there. I’ll talk to him outside.”

“Of course.” She hesitated then reached for me, taking my hand. “Is there anything I can do to help? I hate this, Hailey. Hate that I can feel the fear rolling off you.”

My head shook. “It’s just time I stood for what’s right, and I’m going to need Ezra’s help to do that.”

She breathed out the worry. “Okay. But I’m here. Whatever you need.”

I squeezed her hand back. “Your friendship is enough. I’m so grateful for it. For all of you. For making my daughter and me feel like we belong.”

“That’s because you do.”

Footsteps pounded from within the house, the clamor growing louder with each eager thud.

Olivia was suddenly pushing back in front of Savannah, an eager smile on her face. She rocked back on her heels as she handed me a piece of paper that was folded into a small square and had a bunch of pink tape and heart stickers all over it.

To my new best friend Maddie was scrawled in the middle.

“Would you please give this to Maddie, Miss Hailey?”

My heart clutched as I accepted it. “Absolutely.”

“Go on and get your hands washed for breakfast,” Savannah told her, though I knew she was making an excuse to get me alone.

“Okay, Mommy! Bye, Miss Hailey.”

“Bye,” I whispered, and she ran back into the house.

I looked up at Savannah. Care and worry vibrated from her.

“I’ll text Ezra right now and let him know you’re on your way.”

“Thank you.”

Throwing her arms around me, she hugged me tight. “Always and anything, Hailey. Just…be careful and text me later.”

“I will.”

She nodded against me, reluctant to let me go.

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