Page 73 of One Last Promise

But before he could ask, she got out. And what did it matter, anyway?

He turned off the truck and helped her with her bags. His mother had given her an extra suitcase and the Sorels, along with a hat and mittens for Hazel, and now Tillie shoved them all into her back seat.

He noticed that they joined a blanket and some pillows. “You are going to your house, right?”

Hazel climbed into the back seat, barely enough room there. He gave her a tight smile. She held on to her stuffed puppy, then barked at him.

“Okay, Kip. I’ll see you soon.” He petted the stuffed animal. Hazel grinned. Everything inside him hurt.

Which made no sense because he very muchplanned on checking in with Tillie. Tomorrow. Or tonight or—“Are you sure you don’t want to stay? I mean . . .”

She had rounded to the driver’s side. “Moose. You’ve done so much?—”

“I made you a promise.”

She cocked her head, a warmth in her eyes. “I know. Thank you. We’ll be fine.” Then her eyes seemed to turn glossy. And that was justit.

“What is going on?” He didn’t mean his tone to be so rough, but—“You are acting weird. Like I’m never going to see you again or?—”

“You’re not.”

He stilled.

She glanced inside the car, then shut the door and spoke over the top of it. “I’m leaving, Moose. I’m going to stop by and see Roz and then . . . I have to leave.”

He felt punched. “Why? What does this guy have on you that makes you need to run? I don’t get it. If you’re scared, stay with me. Axel is here. Tillie, I don’t understand.”

Her mouth closed, her eyes bright. And she just shook her head.

He looked away, back to her. “Then what was that kiss about? I thought—I care about you.”

“I care about you too, Moose.” Her words emerged so achingly soft his throat simply closed. “A lot. But this . . . this is bigger than you, or your promises. And I have to choose Hazel. Always Hazel. Rigger won’t stop looking for us—even if he has the money.”

“Why?” He didn’t mean for his voice to thunder or to scare that look into her eyes. But—“He has a family. And a home. And money. Why does he want you?”

“Because I can destroy it all.”

His phone vibrated in his pocket. He yanked it out. Axel. Moose growled as he opened the call. “What?”

“Hey, bro. Uh . . . we have a callout. Sorry.The state police called—the glacier dam at Skilak Lake down in Kenai broke. There’s flooding all along the river—people trapped. Sorry, it’s urgent.”

Moose looked at Tillie, watched her swallow, her mouth tight.

“I’ll be right there. Get the chopper ready.” He hung up. Met her eyes. “Please, please, stay.”

She drew in a breath.

“Please be here when I get back.”

And then he got into his truck and left his heart in two pieces as he turned and headed out of the driveway into yet another promise.

“Mommy, are you crying?”

Hazel’s voice emerged from the back seat, and Tillie blinked hard and looked away, hating that Hazel could probably see her in the rearview mirror.

“I’m just tired, honey. I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.”

She’d dropped like a stone on the sofa, barely remembering when Moose roused her the first time and no recollection at all of going downstairs until she woke, nearly screaming, hot and clammy from the nightmare.

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