Page 7 of Perilous Healing

“Morning, lovely!” Lilly greets, setting a coloring page and some crayons in front of her.

“Morning, Mrs. Phillips! It’s my birthday!” Eloise greets.

“It is?” she exclaims, placing both hands on her hips and smiling widely. “Happy birthday, then! Special birthday pancakes coming right up.”

“Yay!” Eloise claps her hands together and starts coloring as Lilly turns to Silas.

“Morning, Silas, what can I get for you?”

“Just coffee, thanks.”

“No problem.” Lilly leaves the table, and I pick up a crayon and start coloring the page alongside Eloise.

“Uncle Lassy is taking me to the arcade downtown. We’re going when he’s done with his meeting. It’s going to besofun because we’re going to do the dance-off game. And Mrs. McGinley said I get to help her reshelve the books at the library while he’s in his meeting! I love books.” As Eloise keeps chattering happily, I sneak a peek at Silas, who’s staring out the diner’s window.

His expression is hard, uncomfortable, as it always is when we’re near each other. Which makes it even more awkward, given we share either side of a duplex on the other side of town. A not-so-happy coincidence to be sure.

I know why he hates me.

I hate myself most days.

But it doesn’t take away from the fact that I wish, for once, he’d look at me like he did all those years ago. Back before he knew the truth.

Chapter3

Silas

“We have two installations this afternoon,” Lance announces as he checks his clipboard. “Michael is flying out next week to head a protection detail in LA, and Jaxson will be out of town until the end of the month, though he’s handling some of our digital work from his brother’s house.” He writes something on his clipboard, then sets it aside and withdraws some large black radios from a box beside him. “These will work if the cell towers go down with the hurricane. We have plenty of food, water, batteries, blankets, and medical supplies to help the town should we take the brunt of the storm.”

“News said it will be hitting sometime tomorrow morning,” Elijah says. “I helped Mrs. McGinley board up the library, and we’ve taken care of Doc’s place and the church, too.”

“Good.” He turns to me. “You prepared?”

I nod.

“How about you?” he asks Bianca.

“I’ll be getting my windows boarded up as soon as I get home,” Bianca replies.

I have to force myself not to steal a glance at her. Just once. Sitting across from her this morning was torture because even as I despise everything she is and the lies she told me, I still find myself drawn to her.

Like a moth to a flame—she would destroy me, burning me up until there’s nothing left but ash. If I ever let her that close again. Which I won’t. Even I’m not that stupid.

“Great. Caleb is coming in for an onboard interview this afternoon. He’s finally agreed to come on as one of our techs.”

“Yeah?” Bianca sounds so thrilled I steal a glance at her now. She’s beaming at Lance, her emerald eyes bright with joy. “That’s wonderful!”

“He finally caved,” Lance replies with a grin. “I’ve been trying to get him to come on—even just part-time—since he moved here.”

Up until about two years ago, Caleb was living in the swamps of Florida, completely off-grid. That had come in handy when Michael had been shot. Reyna, Michael’s now-wife, and Michael stumbled into his homestead, desperate for aid.

He’d been there to offer it, and we’d found them tended to and safe.

After that, he’d decided to leave the swamps and relocate here, though he maintains a good distance from most of the residents as he tries to acclimate to being around people again.

Still, he’s a good man, and one I’d trust to have my back.

“Glad to hear he’s coming in,” I say.

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