Page 67 of Break My Fall

Meredith looked at her and said, “I’m so sorry, Beep. I didn’t mean—”

“Hush. It could have been you or me. They have reason to get rid of both of us and you know it. It doesn’t really matter who the main target was. We have to be careful.” Bronwyn turned to Gray. “Right?”

“One hundred percent.”

“I still don’t think Judy was involved.” Meredith shuddered. “No way.”

“I never said she was.” Gray hated what he was doing to Meredith and Bronwyn, but he didn’t have a choice. “But you need to use caution with everyone. Even your friends.”

Ten minutes later, Gray watched Meredith and Bronwyn leave, followed by the two officers who’d been assigned to shadow them. He should turn the case over to someone else. Donovan would do a good job. Brick would as well.

But no one would care as much as he did.

He’d been an idiot. And he might have to live with his stupidity for the rest of his life. But if anything happened to Meredith?

Lord, I’m gonna need some help here.It wasn’t healthy to feel this level of panic about a woman. Although, if he gave himself a little bit of permission to be human, a certain level of terror was normal when someone you loved was in danger.

Because despite his best efforts, he’d fallen hard for Meredith Quinn. He couldn’t ignore the facts. But that didn’t mean he could pursue her. If anything, it meant he should try to stay away from her.

Although, that wasn’t going to happen. He cared too much to do anything less than everything possible to keep her alive and healthy.

And when this mess was over, he’d step back—way back. She would find someone else.

The very idea of another man touching her made his chest burn. The idea that she would give her heart to someone else?

It would be torture to watch.

There weren’t that many eligible men for her in Gossamer Falls, though. She was related to half the town.

Maybe he wouldn’t have to watch her fall in love and get married after all. No. That didn’t make him happy either. He wanted her to have everything she wanted and more.

But she wants you. Or, she did. Until you messed it up.

Seriously, Lord. Why did you bring her into my life? I was happy on my own.

No. He hadn’t been. But he’d thought he was. Now he knew it’d been a lie.

He took some time to pray for direction and wisdom and peace and hope. And when he was done, he got to work.

EIGHTEEN

The following Sunday afternoon, Meredith walked along the river that ran between her property and Bronwyn’s. There was a big football game on, and she didn’t care about it at all. Mo had been out of town all weekend and would be driving home later tonight. Cal was with Landry at The Haven, watching the football game with a few actual pro football players whose season had ended in January. Bronwyn had decided to throw a big viewing party. Landry, The Haven’s art teacher, had made some football-themed serving bowls that Meredith had to admit were awesome, and Bronwyn had asked Landry and Cal to help her host the event.

It hadn’t been a hard sell. Cal had jumped at the opportunity and had already sent her a photo of him between two men who were apparently famous. Meredith didn’t recognize them, but she was happy for Cal.

Bronwyn had asked Meredith to come too, but she declined. She hadn’t been alone in days. Gray had made sure that there was an officer in shouting distance at all times. He’d even had one follow her home from work on Thursday and Friday.

She had gone to The Haven to help with the decorating andhad made a few quick arrangements for the party, but then she’d happily returned to the safety and solitude of her own home. A place where she didn’t have to fake being happy.

A few months ago, her life had been quite lovely. She’d been reasonably content. Maybe even a bit on the self-satisfied side. Now? The man she thought she loved had rejected her. And her do-gooder ways had put her on a hit list.

Pride goeth before the fall.

She’d heard that her entire life. She hadn’t expected the fall to be quite so ... brutal. Or to last so long. She was so tired. Tired of hurting. Tired of being afraid. And tired of everyone feeling sorry for her.

She’d tried to hide her misery. But based on the way people treated her, she’d done a poor job of it. The Sunday after the kiss that shouldn’t have happened, her mom called her out for being a grump. She had to come up with an explanation. One that didn’t involve saying, “Gray kissed me and then apologized for it. And then he explained, and it was heartbreaking and stupid at the same time. I told him that, and now we aren’t speaking to each other. And probably won’t ever. At least not until I attend a wedding with him in a few weeks, but I can’t think about that.”

She’d blamed her gloom on the short days and long nights. Many people suffered from seasonal affective disorder. Why couldn’t she?

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