Page 105 of Family Bonds- Jarrett & Andi

“I always want to see you,” he said. “But Jack did ask if we were going to be together and if I could be around when he called. I got held up. He called earlier than I thought.”

“At least you’re honest,” she said, laughing.

“Always,” he said, kissing her. “Don’t ever forget it.”

“I won’t.”

Because like everything else in the past two years, she didn’t have much of a choice. If she didn’t trust him, she’d feel like everything she lived was a lie and she couldn’t survive believing that.

35

SNOW ANGEL

Jarrett was thrilled they managed to get through Jack’s transfer news. Jack signed a lease a few days ago on an apartment in a building that Scott and Mitchell owned. He was pretty sure that Jack bumped someone else up on a list. Jarrett had told Scott that it was a personal favor for Andi.

No one questioned it or doubted anything. They all knew what happened to Andi and that her cousin had flown in quickly as her only family.

He’d never said Jack was anything other than Andi’s cousin when he didn’t know the truth and ignored it when it was brought up to not lie now.

He’d rather focus on the weekend he was having with Andi and was thrilled that the weather wasn’t horrible for thetwo-hourdrive from the docks.

Though the higher they got into the mountains the more snow there was. The roads were at least clear.

“I miss this,” she said, looking out his window. “I didn’t realize how much I would. It’s exactly what I need.”

“I’m glad,” he said. “I don’t know the last time I had a few days off without worrying about work or being on call.”

“Are you on call now?” she asked.

“Nope,” he said. “All calls will go to another investigator that is on the islandpart time. I’m truly on vacation and it’s been a long time since that happened.”

“I haven’t been on vacation since my plane crashed into the ocean.”

She was laughing when she said that. “Not funny.”

She held her finger and thumb up. “It was a little bit funny,” she said. “Admit it. I mean if I can’t laugh over this, I might cry again and I’m tired of crying.”

Luke’s birthday was last week and he hadn’t known. He’d gone to see Andi after work and she’d looked as if she’d been sobbing and he was terrified something had happened to her, but she’d explained what it was.

That she couldn’t even go visit him at the cemetery. She’d gotten him a stone even though she had him cremated. She had his ashes in the house and he’d seen them in a silver container that was in a box hidden away.

He wanted to know why she did that and she said she hadn’t found the right piece to put them in and seeing them in that boring box was depressing.

He brought her to Laine Connors-Mills’s studio. Laine was an artist on the island and made a lot of custom pottery pieces and something was being made for Andi now.

“Sometimes we just have to do what feels good at the time,” he said.

“I know,” she said. “But sometimes I feel like a wuss. I never used to cry this much in my life and I feel as if it’s all I do anymore.”

“I don’t think you’re much of a crier,” he said. “And when you shed a few tears, you’ve got every right to do it. I know many that would be crying daily in your position.”

“Thanks for that,” she said. “I know there are people out there in worse situations than me. All things considered, I’ve got it good.”

“It’s good to have that attitude. This looks like it’s our turn.”

Jarrett saw the mailbox out front where his navigation was telling him to turn.

The long driveway had been plowed and he knew there was no snow in the forecast for the next several days but plenty for them to strap on snowshoes and walk the paths.

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