Page 63 of In the Air Tonight

“I’ll always support you, and you know that.”

“It may not even happen. Houston is talking to the AG’s office. It’ll be their call about whether to reopen the case after so much time has gone by.”

“Whatever you decide to do, I’ll be right there with you.”

“Thank you.”

“Come back over here.” He holds out his hand to me. “I missed you so much.”

I take his hand and sit next to him. “I missed you, too.”

As I lean into his warm embrace, I’m determined not to let the past interfere with my happy, contented present. But that’s easier said than done. Ever since Houston showed up on my doorstep, the memories of that time are as fresh as they were then.

“Have you told your dad about this?” Kane asks.

“No, I wanted to talk to you first.”

“You need to tell him.”

“I’m afraid Dad will killhimwhen he hearshe’srunning for Congress.”

“He won’t do that, but he’ll want to. Just like I do.”

“I can’t talk about this anymore if I’m to have any chance of sleeping.”

“What can I do?”

I wrap an arm around his waist and snuggle in closer. “Just this.”

“Thisis my favorite thing in the whole world.”

Chapter 14

Blaise

NOW

I’m awakened from an unusually sound sleep by a dog barking in the yard. It takes a second for me to recall where I am and why. The events of the last two days come flooding back to me. I told Houston what I saw. He’s contacted the AG about reopening the case against Ryder, and he’s working to locate Neisy.

I wait for my stomach to turn at the thought of people finding out about what I’ve done, but the only thing I feel is resolve and relief. I want everyone to know what he did, and I want him to pay for it. I don’t care anymore who might hate me for coming forward. I have to live with myself, and it’s a lot easier now that I’ve taken the first step toward making this right.

My phone buzzes with a text—the eighth of the day from my boss.

I ignore the texts. Whatever he wants can wait while I start my day.

I use the Keurig in the kitchen to brew a cup of coffee that I take with me when I go outside to see what’s going on.

Jack is throwing the ball for a gorgeous Golden Retriever. The dog sees me and loses interest in the ball as she charges over to greet me.

“Watch out for the lethal tongue from hell,” Jack says.

I sit on the stairs and find he wasn’t kidding as I’m bathed in dog spit, which makes me laugh for the first time in longer than I can remember. It takes about two seconds to be completely covered in dog hair and spit.

Jack rushes over to rescue me. “I’m sorry. I keep thinking she’ll grow out of her puppy behavior, but she’s three.”

“She’s beautiful. Where was she yesterday?”

“Having her teeth cleaned at the vet.”

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