“So, it’s true,” I eventually concluded once I was able to talk again. “Without memories, I really can’t consent, even if I wanted to.”
“Hey…” Trent set his own plate aside. “That’s not what I said. I just wanted to double check.”
“No, but it’s what Brody said. He thinks he took advantage of me and that last night was a mistake. He’s probably right. Not about taking advantage, but about the mistake.”
The dogs came sniffing around our plates, looking for scraps. Trent reached around me and dumped the eggs I clearly didn’t want on the ground from them to eat.
At least the food wasn’t wasted.
“Do you think it was a mistake?” Trent asked as he stored my now empty plate under his own.
“No, but… I’m not really a person, so I can’t make that decision.”
I could feel Trent’s scowl even without looking at him. “Don’t say that. You are a person.”
“No, I’m not. I’m just an empty shell, like the remains left on the beach after a crab molts. It may have the same shape as the crab, and a person looking at it might even mistake it for a crab, but there’s nothing inside.”
Trent grabbed my arm, cutting off my rant that was building up.
“That’s not true. A person is more than just their memories, and I’m sure Brody doesn’t see you as an empty shell.”
“Well, he certainly doesn’t think I’m someone worth getting involved with. I’m just a mistake. He made that clear this morning.”
The venom in my voice surprised even myself. I thought I’d accepted Brody’s decision, but apparently it bothered me more than a realized. Acid churned in my stomach, and for a moment I feared I would bring up what little breakfast I’d managed to eat.
Trent just rubbed my shoulders for a moment as I got myself under control.
“You know,” he eventually spoke up. “Just because Brody thinks sleeping with you was a mistake, doesn’t mean he thinksyouare a mistake. Brody and Magnus are both good guys, and good guys like them would much rather walk away than risk causing unnecessary harm.”
“Soooo,” I drew out that one word, giving myself a moment to think. “You’re saying I should keep going after him?”
Trent just shrugged but there was a smile on his face. “Hey, you’re a person who can make his own decisions. I can’t tell you what to do.”
From there, the rest of our conversation was much lighter, but Trent’s suggestion continued to circulate in the back of my mind. A few minutes later, Brody finished his phone call and returned, announcing that he would be going into town to meet with Deputy Hillard in person so they could discuss things face to face.
“Magnus and I will stay here,” Trent spoke up before anyone else could say a word. “While you’re doing that, we’ll see if we can find out anything more about what happened to Creed.”
This idea was immediately accepted, and with the decision made, everyone went their separate ways. Brody headed for his truck, while Trent and Magnus returned to Magnus’s house to continue the search for Creed.
Just before he shut the door, Trent gave me a pointed look and nodded in Brody’s direction.
I hesitated for a moment, but just before Brody reached his truck, I managed to find my courage.
“Brody, wait up.” I ran off the porch. “I’m coming with you.”
CHAPTER 7
Brody
“No.”
My voice wasn’t as strong as I wanted, but even that single word was enough to put a frown on Ellis’s face.
“Give me one good reason why I can’t come inside with you.”
I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. There was nothing I could say that I hadn’t said a dozen times already, but I tried anyway.
“Because this meeting doesn’t concern you and there’s no reason to put yourself in the middle of it.”