Page 101 of Unforgotten

“Danke,” Bethanne said softly.

After shaking Jay’s hand, the chief headed toward the door.

Her father exhaled. “Bethanne, I think it’s time you got some rest. Your aunt Dora promised to keep us updated on Candace.”

Bethanne knew that made sense, but she didn’t want Candace to feel forgotten. “I’m still worried about her.”

“Of course you are. We all are, but she’s in good hands. The doctors and nurses will take care of her, and Dora and Wayne will look after her too.”

“And I daresay Officer Ryan,” her mother added in a loud whisper. “The looks he was giving her at the hospital showed how much he cares.”

“I know he likes her a lot.”

“It’s more than that, Bethy. Trust me, it’s love,” Jay said.

Looking into his eyes, she felt a surge of warmth coat her insides. Yes, she was physically exhausted and emotionally wrung out. But the Lord was so good. In the midst of the hardest twenty-four hours of her life, He’d reminded her about how much she had to be thankful for. She had no doubt she and Candace would be even closer now.

She would also never take her family’s love for granted again.

Just as importantly, she realized that her hardened heart had softened enough to start beating again. She’d discovered what real love felt like, and it was the love she felt for Jay. That was love. That was everything.

Reaching out a hand to him, she said, “I’m so thankful you’re in my life. I’m so glad that you didn’t give up on me. That you waited for me.”

“Of course I waited. Giving up was never an option. My heart, you see, was never going to allow anything else.” Right in front of everyone, he gently wrapped his arms around her and kissed her brow.

34

After spending the night in the hospital, Candace had been released the following morning. The doctors said that resting at home would be the best medicine.

She had been looking forward to being home too—though she knew she was going to miss Ryan. Except for when he went to the station to write his report and then home to take a shower, he’d stayed by her side. He’d even gotten the nurse to let him spend the night in the chair by her bed. Every time she’d tried to convince him to leave, he’d taken a look at her face, seemed to understand that she was afraid to be alone, and said he was good.

It was because of him that she got any rest at all.

She knew her parents were a little taken aback by the way he’d hovered and the way she’d leaned on him for support. Actually, they seemed to be a little unsure about their relationship, but Candace didn’t let that bother her too much.

She’d kept them in the dark about just how bad Scott had been. She also hadn’t been very forthcoming about how close she and Ryan had become. Candace had assumed there would be a time and place for explanations, and she knew she’d have lots of time while she recovered.

In addition, those last moments in Scott’s presence had been particularly frightening. She’d realized that her time on earth was fleeting and that anything could happen. If the police hadn’t arrived when they did, she didn’t know what else Scott would have done. He’d seemed to be getting increasingly unhinged with each passing moment.

When she got home from the hospital, her mother had helped her draw a bath. When Candace first sank into the steaming water filled with bubbles, she’d begun crying. In the privacy of the bathroom, she allowed herself to admit just how petrified she’d been. She’d been sure she was about to die. Or, at the very least, would be covered in cuts by the time Scott finished with her. She’d had no way to save herself—and worse, she’d just about run out of hope.

Her mother had found her sitting on the floor wrapped in a towel and shaking uncontrollably. To her surprise, all her mother had done was pull out another towel, wrap it around her, and then sit on the bathroom floor with her arms around her. Eventually she’d gotten dressed and fallen asleep in her bed.

Now that another day had passed, Candace was sitting on the couch and wrapped up in her favorite blanket. She’d eaten her favorite breakfast of pancakes and was half playing on her phone and half dozing.

In her best moments, the entire experience felt like a bad dream. It was surreal that such a short amount of time could transform the entire way she viewed both herself and her family.

At her request, she’d asked that her parents keep any visitors away. They’d agreed, especially since Ryan and Chief Foster were expected to come over between one and two and ask her more questions.

When the doorbell rang, she knew she should be ready foranything. But seeing Chief Foster and Ryan brought back everything in a flash. Her eyes filled with tears, and she began to shake. Next thing she knew, she launched herself into Ryan’s arms.

He held her close. Whether he didn’t care about the chief and her parents standing there or he’d simply forgotten about them, she didn’t know. All that did matter to her was that he was holding her close and that some of the nerves and fears seemed to be held at bay whenever she was in his arms. “I’m so glad to see you.”

He rubbed her back. “Hey,” he said in the sweetest, softest voice ever. “Sweetheart, how are you doing? Still shaken up?”

“Kind of.”

When he looked down to meet her eyes, she said, “I mean, yes I am.”

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