Page 89 of Love Me Fearless

I draw in a slow inhale and release it, willing my fight-or-flight system to stand down.

“Let’s sit on my tailgate while we wait.” Hutch ushers me to the back of his truck, then lowers the tailgate and gives the makeshift bench a sweep with his hand. “A little dirty, sorry.”

I smile. “It’s okay.”

He lifts me up, then slides next to me. I lean into him and he drapes his arm across my shoulders, wrapping me in his solid strength and warmth.

“Who would do this?” I ask.

He rubs my shoulder. “Either it was some innocent person who had no idea about the break-in, or it’s someone wanting to upset you.”

“But I see white roses all the time and it’s never made me feel like this.”

“Seeing it on your car, though, it triggered your memories. Who else knows about the rose?”

“The detective. My roommates.”

“Did you tell your friends? Your family?”

“No.”

He gives me a look.

“The detective told me not to. It was something he wanted to try to use to find whoever did it.”

His eyes narrow. “But he failed.”

I cover my face with my hands. “I’m starting to feel really stupid.”

“It’s not stupid and it’s not your fault. You were terrified, Ava. I heard it in your voice.”

“Because of a silly rose,” I grumble into his chest.

Zach returns, his concerned gaze washing over me. “Is this the only time since the break-in that something like this has happened?”

“You mean a rose?”

He cocks his head, frowning. I can practically hear the gears of his thoughts grinding to a halt. “I mean anything.”

Hutch gives a soft exhale. “Your front door.”

“Wait, what?” I stammer.

“What front door?” Zach asks at the same time.

Hutch glances at me. “A few weeks ago, we came home from a run and her front door was ajar.”

“And you didn’t call it in?” Zach asks.

“It could have been me,” I protest. “I wasn’t sure. And there was nothing missing, nothing out of place.”

Zach whips out a small notebook from his breast pocket. “When was this?”

Hutch rattles off dates and times and also tells Zach about my hide-a-key rock.

Shit. Does someone know where I was hiding my key? Have they been inside my house? My stomach flutters and my face heats.

Hutch rubs down my arm. “Last night, I woke up out of the blue. Thought I heard something. I checked all the doors and windows but didn’t find the source. Then a car drove away, out of sight. I shook it off, but now…”

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