Page 76 of Quietly Falling
But you almost left.
You almost missed out on this.
The thought is jarring, and I can’t help the strangled gasp that claws its way out, the sound audible as Ella’s hand moves to hold mine.
My brother’s eyes are full of concern but he doesn’t say anything. Maybe he knows—he almost walked away from Lana.
But that was different.
“Why don’t you give the baby to me and go get some air?” Ella says softly.
“No, I’m all right,” I tell her, hoping that saying it out loud will make it true even as little dots dance at the edge of my vision. “Everything is fine.”
It has to be.
36
ELLA
The next couple of weeks flew by as winter finally gave way to spring, the sunshine a welcome reprieve from the extra round of cold we’d had.
I couldn’t completely hate it though, not when that particular storm had brought Bodhi and me together in a way I wasn’t sure would have happened otherwise. Our close proximity in the cab of Sorren’s truck during the road trip and the intensity of events that had taken place left us light-years ahead of the normal dating timeline.
The downside had been that neither one of us had known how to adjust to normal life once we returned. There were some growing pains, but nearly a month later, we had amostlyworkable schedule that held us both accountable.
Because there’s more to life than work.
“I have to let the dogs out,” he murmurs as he rolls onto his back, pulling me with him and making no attempt to get up.
“They can wait,” I purr, rocking my hips against him, a growl rumbling up his throat in response.
“You’re not helping,” he whispers, his mouth covering mine in an unhurried kiss.
A phone rings and Bodhi tenses. “We’re busy,” I mutter, making him chuff out a laugh before he presses a quick kiss to my lips as he slides out of bed. I miss him immediately, but my heart plummets to the floor the second I see his face.
“Tom,” he says tightly, the name taking a few seconds to register as he rubs his palm over his short dark hair. “Yeah, I can make the drive.” A pause. “You’re sure?” And another. “I’ll call you after I’m done.”
“What’s wrong?” My words are quiet as he slowly lowers himself onto the edge of the bed, his phone resting in his lap and his body still.
“The call I was waiting for in Trappers Ridge?” he says, nodding toward his lap. “That was it.”
“The investigator? What does he want you to do?”
“I need to go see someone,” he says, his voice barely above a whisper. “She was a foster kid at the house with us. She was only there a couple of weeks, but it was after Audrey went missing. She won’t talk to the police,”—he swallows hard—“but she’s willing to talk to me. Depending on what she has to say, if she’s willing to testify, it could change everything.”
“That’s great, right? That she wants to talk to you?”
Nodding slowly, he squeezes his eyes shut and then pinches the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.
“It’s good, but a part of me thought I might be able to sit this round out. Like I…” Dropping his hand, he turns his head and gives me a sad smile. “I lived and breathed the case the first time he went to trial and for years before. I didn’t think I’d have to be a part of it again—not like this.”
His eyes are haunted like the thirty seconds he was on the phone sent him spiraling into his past—a past I only have a glimpse of.
A past he still hasn’t been able to share.
“Do you want me to go with you?” Worry has my heart squeezing in my chest because even without knowing all the details, I know this is going to shake the ground he walks on.
And I think he knows it too.
