Page 61 of Unforgotten

He stopped her, curved a hand around her jaw. Ran his thumb along her bottom lip. “It was foolish of me to kiss you like that. But I don’t regret it.”

Hope surged. “You don’t?”

“How could I? It was the best kiss I’ve ever had, Candace.”

“Yeah?” She couldn’t have stopped the silly, pleased smile that spread across her face if she tried.

“Yeah.” Leaning toward her, he pressed his lips to her forehead. “Sleep well. Lock the door after you get inside.”

“You sleep well too.” She opened the door, stepped inside, closed it, and locked it. As she watched through the door’s sidelight, he walked back to his SUV.

She sighed with contentment.

“Candy?”

Glancing to her right, she realized that her mother had been sitting in the living room. “Hey, Mom. I didn’t know you were awake.”

“I was just making sure you were okay.”

“I’m fine.”

She lowered her voice. “When you didn’t come inside immediately, I looked out the window. Candace, did he just kiss you on the forehead?”

“Yes.” She steeled herself. Waited to hear a lecture that she didn’t intend to actually listen to.

Her mother studied her a moment, then nodded. “That’s what I thought. Good night, dear.”

“Night, Mom.” She climbed the stairs to her bedroom, her mind a muddle. She wondered what her mother had seen in her face that had eased her enough to not ask another question. Thought about the conversation she and Ryan had shared. How fierce he’d looked. How intense he’d sounded.

The way his lips had felt against hers. The way her heart had felt like it was about to explode because the moment had been so special.

Thirty minutes later, after she took a long, hot shower and crawled into bed, she checked her phone. She had a text. Her heart danced a bit and her face heated as she wondered what Ryan would be telling her now.

She clicked on the app.

And felt her insides crumble.

Next to an unknown number were the words“I saw you. You’re going to pay.”

20

Ican’t believe I ever thought throwing a party for your father was a good idea,” Mamm said as she scanned their backyard. “I must have lost my mind.”

Bethanne bit her lip so she didn’t start laughing. “It’ll be okay, Mamm.”

By her side, her brother, Lott, didn’t seem to agree. Looking at her mother’s neatly written guest list, he frowned. “We have nearly half the county coming over. Daed doesn’t even know what to think about it.”

“All he needs to think about is being happy.”

Lott looked up at the sky. “Mamm, really?”

“Jah, really. Turning fifty is a big deal.”

“So was turning forty, but we didn’t throw him a party then. Or when he turned forty-five.” Folding his arms over his chest, her brother scowled at the five tables they’d rented since even the wagon that held all the furniture for church didn’t contain enough. “We haven’t had a party like this in years. I’m just saying I don’t understand why you’re throwing one now.”

“That’s enough, Lott,” she said in a sharp tone.

“What did I say wrong?” Glancing at Bethanne, he sighed. “Oh.”

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