Page 43 of Run with Me

Xavier shrugged. “It’s just a guess.”

For my baby. I ran away for my baby, but once the town was safe again, I’d go back to Pace. Once Ben was gone, I’d take my little girl to meet her father.

“Okay,” I smiled, looping my hand through Xavier’s offeredarm.

We took the elevator down and walked through the same tunnel we had before, then headed up to Jack and Mary’s apartment.

“We’re all going out to dinner?” I asked.

“Sort of. We’re staying in. We figured it’s better that you stay out of view for a while. Burning down a Cortez house isn’t exactly a small crime.”

I felt my body stiffen.

“What’s the matter?” Xavier asked.

“Nothing.”

Except for the fifty million I stole aswell.

He sighed. “It’s all right, Anna. You’ll tell me when you’re ready.”

The front door opened before Xavier pressed the doorbell.

“Welcome!” Mary greeted us with open arms. “I’m so happy you could come.” A delicious aroma of cooked food reached me and I felt my stomach grumble. I didn’t recognize most of the smells, but they made my mouth water.

“I hope you like Italian. Joe and Silvia have been cooking all morning.”

Her overexcitement was contagious, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you, Mary. I wish I could have brought something.”

“Nonsense.” She waved her hand. “Come onin.”

While Xavier and Jack poured themselves drinks, I listened to Mary as she explained all the dishes that were being prepared. Fighting the urge to jump behind the kitchen counter and stir or chop something, I twisted a tissue in my hand until I couldn’t twist it any longer. It felt weird just standing around while someone else worked.

“Mary, you shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble. I could have cooked forus.”

Mary waved her hand dismissively. She passed me a glass of orange juice and then took a seat besideme.

“So you’re staying with Xavier?”

“For now, I guess. At least until I can find a job and save some money for my own apartment. I’m so grateful that Jack found me. And I can honestly say that seeing Xavier just changed my perspective onlife.”

“How isthat?”

“He gave mehope.”

Mary narrowed her brows. “Wait a minute. You’re the girl he talked about when he came back from our wedding three years ago, aren’tyou?”

“It was your wedding?”

“My family is from Los Angeles. Xavier couldn’t shut up about you all weekend and thensome.”

“Really?”

“Yes, he’s a good guy, Anna. Stick with him and he’ll make you happier than anyone in this world.”

I felt my face fall. The only person I wanted to make me happy wasJohn.

“I’m sorry.” She leaned in to me, eyeing the cooks. They moved away as if knowing that Mary needed privacy. “From what I’ve overheard from the boys, I can only imagine how difficult this must be foryou.”

---