Page 88 of Out of Peril

Grant did my checkup right there in the gym and seemed perfectly satisfied with my progress.

In the end, Taylor and I found a bit of common ground and despite my initial judgement of her, I agreed we could all get together for dinner sometime soon.

“You and Taylor are going to be really great friends. You'll see,” Walker teased.

“I always wanted a skank whore for a best friend,” I said dryly.

“Now there's the wicked beast of the east shining through,” he teased.

“I'll admit, that was a good one.”

We continued the light banter on the drive home.

But when we pulled up to the house, there was a woman with hair as blonde as mine sitting on the front porch waiting for us.

“Another skank?” I teased him, trying not to be jealous of the number of women in his life.

“No.” He jumped and ran over to her. “Lucy, is everything okay?”

“I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come. Shelby warned me tonight wasn't a good night for this.”

“For what, Luce?”

She looked me over with pain evident in her eyes.

“Are you Lindsey?”

I nodded, and she burst out in tears.

“What did I do?” I asked.

She shook her head and wiped her eyes.

“No, it's nothing you've done. Well, I guess that's not true. It's everything you've done.”

“Where's Micah?” Walker asked.

“He's at home with the kids.”

I suddenly remembered Shelby mentioning this woman and asking if the two of them could take me out and talk sometime.

“You're Shelby's friend.”

She nodded. “You have no idea how much it means to me and her to meet you.”

“Maybe we could do this another time?” Walker said.

I shook my head. This woman was hurting so much. I didn't know why she looked at me like I had all the answers, but if there was any way at all that I could help her, I had to try.

“It's okay. We have a lifetime together for us, right?”

He smiled and kissed me. “Right. Do you want me to run next door and send Shelby over? I suspect she has many of the same questions.”

“I'm so sorry I just barged in on you like this.”

“It's fine, Lucy. Go ahead and get Shelby,” I told Walker. “Do you want to come in?”

Lucy nodded.