Page 50 of Love in the Storm

Asa’s phone rang, and he pulled it from his pocket on autopilot. Dawson detailed their ETA, and the call was over within seconds. “They’re almost here.”

“Asa, I’m sorry. I know you have every right to be mad at me, but I didn’t mean to keep this from you. I didn’t know how to tell you, and I was scared.”

He pulled her in to his chest and brushed a hand over her hair. “We have a lot to talk about, but you can relax. I’m not mad. Just confused. It’s a lot to take in.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“I’m glad you told me.” While Lyric’s old life wasn’t something that made him want to cut ties with her immediately, it did mean he had to be careful. If he was going to bring a woman into his and Jacob’s life, it had to be someone he could trust.

Telling him the truth had taken guts. Was the confession a sign of her integrity? He desperately wanted to believe it was.

But he knew what addiction could do to families. He’d seen countless addicts do unexplainable things. They would strike a match just to watch it burn. He couldn’t subject his family to that. Was it a possibility for Lyric? Would she relapse?

Asa lifted her chin to face him. “I want to know everything. No secrets.”

Lyric shook her head frantically. “None. I promise I’ll tell you the truth. I just don’t want you to think I’m that person anymore.”

“I get it. We don’t have a lot of time to talk now, but give me your number so I can call you when I get off work. I expect to be on overtime until the storm mess is cleared up.”

She brushed her sleeve over her eyes and rattled off her number. Asa saved it in his phone and tucked it away.

“I have a prepay phone, so if I don’t answer, it’s probably because I don’t have minutes.”

Asa’s heart rate spiked. Prepaid phones were popular for criminals, and he tried to push that littlefact to the side and focus on what Lyric promised him—the truth.

“I told Dawson I’d ride up to Mrs. Grant’s place with him, but one of the other officers can give you a ride home tonight and arrange for you to get your car when the roads are clear and the snow thaws.”

Lyric kept her head lowered. “Yeah. I’ll get my things.”

He reached for her hand as she started to walk off. “Lyric?”

“Yes?”

“We’ll get through this. I’m trusting you.”

She bit her lips between her teeth. “Thank you. That means a lot.”

He let her hand go, but she didn’t look convinced. Her eyes held that same defeated look as they did when the terrible conversation started.

One thing at a time. First, they needed to get out of here.

The next hour was a swirl of numbing cold. The storm was over, but the snow and destruction were everywhere. The mounds of snow hindered every job as they cleared the tree and got Asa’s crushed truck attached to the wrecker.

Lyric stayed in the cabin, but out of sight wasn’t out of mind. Nagging thoughts of her were just behind every move Asa made.

When the road was clear and everyone was ready to head out, Asa trudged down the drive to thecabin. So much had changed in the last few days, and more change was coming. He had big decisions to make, and hopefully, Lyric would open up and trust him to handle the truth. When all the cards were on the table, hopefully he’d know what to do. He was a father first and foremost, but what if Lyric wasn’t a good fit for their family?

He hesitated at the door as if the extra second would reveal something spectacular, but it didn’t. No amount of time waiting in the freezing temperatures would turn back time and erase the connection he’d found with Lyric, and it wouldn’t remove her crimes either. It was all mixed together–black and white jumbled into a hazy gray.

When he’d stalled long enough, Asa went inside. There wasn’t a vast temperature change walking in like there had been when he first arrived, but the power had been off a while with little heat circulation on the main floor.

His attention was drawn immediately to Lyric. Wearing her coat and scarf, she scrubbed dishes in the sink. The water had to be freezing since he’d unplugged the hot water heater from the generator hours ago.

The wind pulled the door closed behind him, and the slam echoed through the large open room. Lyric’s chin jerked up, and her eyes were wide in fear.

“Didn’t mean to scare you. I think we’re almost ready to go.”

She dried her hands on a towel and tossed it into an open garbage bag with other rags she’d used to clean. “Okay. I’m almost finished.”

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