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A tear rolled down her cheek. “Oh, Seth.”
“Are you crying?” Concern rang through the connection.
She reassured him, “Yeah, but good tears.”
“Why?”
She laughed softly. “You touched my soul with those words. This is special to me, too. You are special to me, and I feel like a teenager saying it after only six weeks.”
“When it’s right, what does it matter how many hours or days have ticked by?”
“Some would say we’re doomed because there aren’t that many hours or days between us.”
“Then they don’t know us, do they?”
She smiled. “No, they don’t.”
“It’s late. Go to sleep, babe. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“What are you going to do about your dad?” She slid back down under the covers.
“I’m going to see what assistance I can get and then decide. Someone I care for suggested that.” She could hear the smile in his voice.
“Well, that person is pretty smart.” Allison rolled her eyes.
“You are, but I don’t think you give yourself enough credit for that. Good night. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Good night.”
Allison disconnected the call, then put the phone on her bedside table and pulled the covers up, smiling at the ceiling. This, what was between them, was special, and he was right. People who may judge them didn’t know them, and she wouldn’t let her mind create problems that didn’t exist. Lord knew there were enough real-world problems to go around.
CHAPTER 17
Seth took a slow breath and sat in the armchair across from the couch, where Loretta sat curled into herself, eyes fixed on the floor. She hadn't moved much since Allison had let him in. Not even when Gomer had nosed her hand and whined softly, sensing something broken in her. He’d brought Gomer with him for that exact reason, but the woman didn’t reach out to the dog, which was unusual. Not unheard of but unusual. Allison’s mom was watching Chester while he whittled with Delbert, without his knowledge, of course. Seth now had time to develop a sense of safety for the young woman. With Gomer lying on the rug, still and watchful, he talked to Allison as she got him a cup of coffee.
Outside the apartment window, Hollister moved through the rhythm of a quiet afternoon. The wind rustled across the eaves, an occasional engine from Main Street sounded, and distant laughter from kids leaving school drifted through the open windows. Safe. Ordinary. Hollister at its finest.
He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “Loretta,” She flinched at the word.
“Lottie,” she supplied. “Please. I don’t like Loretta.”
“Lottie. Are you from around here? The reason I ask is that we want to help you. We won’t let anyone hurt you. We just need to know what’s going on. Help us help you, okay?”
She didn’t answer at first. Her fingers worked at the edge of the fabric on her knee, eyes locked on a patch of carpet near Gomer. “Spearfish.” She barely breathed the word.
Seth leaned in, and Gomer’s head popped up, his tongue lolling sideways out of his mouth. “I want to make sure I heard you. You said you're from Spearfish?”
She nodded, her hair falling forward, hiding half her face.
“How'd you end up here?”
She hesitated. Long enough he almost thought she wouldn’t answer.
“I waited until he went to work,” she said finally. “Took what I could carry. Got to the highway and just … kept going.”
The words were quiet. Measured. But her knuckles were white where she clutched the hem of Allison’s hand-me-down hoodie.
“He?”
