Page 106 of Colton's Last Resort

“What happened?” Alexis asked.

Laura felt relieved she was free to tell Alexis everything. Still, she found it hard to explain what had gone wrong the night Doug was arrested. “I broke a promise to him.”

“What kind of promise?”

Laura shifted her feet. Her heels poked through the bed of grass, making her reposition them for balance. “He lost Allison in the worst way possible. And before that, he lost his mother similarly. He doesn’t get close to people because he’s afraid of losing them.”

Alexis’s eyes strayed to the marks on Laura’s neck that were visible above her knotted black scarf. “He almost lost you, like he lost them.”

“I promised him the night before I wouldn’t confront Doug like I did Roger and Dayton Ferraday,” Laura admitted.

“Why did you?” Alexis asked.

“I thought he was going to hurt someone else or already had. It was the same way when Tallulah told me that Bella had been hurt. I didn’t think.”

“You went into mama-bear mode.” Alexis nodded. “I get it.”

“Those men brought terror, rape and murder into my home,” Laura said. “They brought it into a place where those things were never meant to exist.”

“Have you told the man this?” Alexis asked.

“We haven’t spoken since the hospital. He said he needed time.”

“Allison would take this moment to remind us that time is fleeting,” Alexis said, “and there’s no time like the present.”

“She would,” Laura admitted.

“Is that Bella?” Alexis pointed her out in the crowd.

Laura shaded her eyes with her hand and waved when she spotted the young woman standing close at Tallulah’s side. “Yes.”

“Is it true she’s coming back to Mariposa?” Alexis asked.

“Not yet,” Laura said. “She still needs to heal. But I think she will, eventually. Tallulah won’t be happy unless she has her under her wing. And I think Bella’s learning how strong she really is.”

“We’ll all take care of her,” Alexis asserted. “Not just Tallulah.”

Laura couldn’t agree more. “Are we still on for Taco Tuesday?”

“Absolutely,” Alexis confirmed. “The Tipsy Tacos’ owner called to say they’re planting a tree in Allison’s name in the courtyard where they’re opening up the space for outdoor dining.”

“I love that,” Laura declared.

Adam and Joshua walked to them. “We’re going to pay our respects to Noah,” Joshua told Laura. “Want to come?”

She took Adam’s arm when he offered it. “Of course.” To Alexis, she said, “We’ll talk later.”

“You know it,” Alexis returned.

As the three Coltons ventured closer to the tree line, Laura watched Noah. She knew the moment he spotted them. He didn’t so much stiffen as still—like a deer in the headlights. Laura felt her stomach flutter with nerves.

Sensing her agitation, Adam whispered, “Steady on, Lou,” and curled his hand around hers.

She fought the inclination to lean on his solid form, especially as the distance to Noah shrank to inches and, suddenly, they were face-to-face.

“It was a beautiful service,” Joshua told him.

“You did well,” Adam pointed out.

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