Page 43 of Elsie's Strong Shelter

“Elsie isn’t just a friend. She’s the woman who has helped me to see beyond the pain you caused. Helped me to believe in loyalty and trust and all the things you tarnished. Because that’s who she is. She’s a woman who stands by the people she loves even when it’s hard. Even when it makes her life messy. Even when things look impossible, she keeps fighting.”

He squeezed Elsie’s hand and looked down at her partially open mouth and warm brown eyes. “I might not be more than a friend for her, but she’s more than that for me. And the fact that she doubted that, for even second, has torn me up inside.”

“But you two kissed,” Elsie said. “I thought you were getting back together. I didn’t want to be in the way.”

Leaning closer, he ignored Gina and everyone else in the room. Inches separated them, his forehead almost brushing against hers. “You are never in the way. You are everything I’ve searched for, and I don’t want anything to ruin what could be between us before we even give it a chance.”

Elsie grinned. “I don’t want that either.”

“You still want to take that walk?” he asked.

“More than anything.”

Gina’s scoff lifted his attention back to her. “So that’s it? You’re going to throw away our history to start something new because you think she can give you what you want?”

“Honey, you threw us away and left me to pick up the pieces. And now that I have, I won’t waste one more second on you. Good luck with everything, I really mean that, but your future isn’t with me. Not anymore.”

As he sidestepped the woman who’d almost broken him, a sense of peace settled in his gut. He didn’t know what was in store for him and Elsie, but he knew that he could trust her. That he would give her his whole heart because he had finally found someone worthy of his love.

He just hoped she felt the same way.

17

Elsie’s heart threatened to explode with joy even as fear for Mila stayed rooted in her soul, a dizzying combination that was becoming all too familiar.

And as much as she wanted to forget everything except Dean’s confession and the look on his ex-wife’s face, they had more pressing issues waiting for them.

Stepping outside, Dean turned her toward him. “I hope what I said didn’t scare you, but I needed to be very clear with Gina. I didn’t want to leave any doubt on where things stood on my end.”

“Are you serious? Everything you said, the way you described me, I don’t even know how to explain how much that meant.” Heat climbed up her neck. No one had ever made her feel so seen, so appreciated, and he’d done so with only a handful of words. “No, nothing you told Gina scared me. Only made me realize what an idiot I’d been earlier to think the worst of you. I’m sorry.”

He tucked his thumb under her chin. “You have nothing to be sorry about. Neither of us could have predicted Gina showing up at my house like that. I would have thought the same as youif I’d walked in on your ex laying one on you. Which, just for the record, is not something I ever want to witness.”

She grinned. “Seeing as the only ex-boyfriend I have is happily married with a baby on the way, I don’t think you need to worry.”

“Good. And listen, I know your mind is centered on Mila. I don’t want to push you. We can take this as slowly as you want, however you want. You’re worth waiting for.”

Lifting onto her toes, she pressed her lips to his. Excitement stirred in her gut, but she broke away before their sweet kiss morphed into a hot make-out session in the middle of town. “I’ve never been a patient woman. Yes, things are all out of whack right now and my attention needs to be on Mila, but that doesn’t mean I can’t think about you, too. Besides, I need to give Mila some good stories when she gets home.” She forced the last words from her mouth with a tight smile. Hope was harder to cling onto with each passing hour, but she had to believe they’d find Mila. The alternative was too devastating to handle.

“Okay,” he said, grinning. “I’ll call Calvin quick to get information on Justin’s mother and then give her a call. Then we can sit down and talk about us. Sound good?”

She nodded, although talking wasn’t exactly high on her list of things she wanted to do with Dean. Her mind wandered back to earlier, before they’d been interrupted. Being in his arms, his mouth on hers and his hands all over her body, had felt so right. And after days of pain and worry, she just wanted to be loved.

While Dean called Calvin, she studied the river that trickled along beside her. The constant gray clouds of the last few days had dissipated, leaving behind a clear blue sky. She leaned against the railing separating the sidewalk from the grassy incline that led down to the water. Something about the gentle gurgle of the rushing stream calmed her nerves and reminded her life was always moving, always changing. A sign from abovethat no matter what, she would be okay and figure out how to move forward.

Her phone rang in her pocket, jolting her back to reality. She hurried to retrieve it, and her chest tightened at the sight of her mom’s photo on her screen. “Hey, Mama,” she said, answering. “How are you?”

“Hanging in there. Any news?” The tightness of her mother’s voice gave away her worry.

An internal war waged. She wanted to confide in her mom, but also didn’t want to add to her stress. Nothing they’d learned had given them any clue on how to actually find Mila, and everything they’d found pointed toward an outcome nobody wanted to accept.

An outcome that would destroy her mother.

“There’ve been a few developments. Dean keeps telling me each new piece of information is pointing us in the right direction, even if it doesn’t feel like it.” At the mention of Dean, she glanced up to find him disconnecting his call with Calvin.

Her mom sighed. “Jimmy’s getting antsy. He’s worried about his mom and missing you. Any chance you could drop by? Maybe we can find some way to keep him occupied.”

Guilt burrowed into the pit of her stomach. She’d been so consumed with finding Mila she hadn’t stopped to consider how Jimmy was handling things. Yes, she wanted to help in any way she could, but Mila would want her to be there for Jimmy.

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