She marched to the bathroom, avoiding her reflection in the mirror. If she was going to talk to Brandon, she was going in guns blazing. She showered, did her hair how he liked it best, and wore his favorite outfit. Just being near him was hard for her—it always had been, because she found him so attractive in every way—so at the very least, she wouldn’t make breaking up easy for him either.
This time, she would fight—she’d fight for Brandon, because despite the lie, he was the only guy she’d ever been with who she felt was worth it.
For an ounce more of courage, she knelt down on the cold tiles of her bathroom floor and sent up a quick prayer.
Chapter 19
Brandon and Andy stood in Brandon’s driveway, at the back of Andy’s truck. The tailgate was down, and they had a map spread out in front of them with nearly every road and marked building crossed off in red marker.
“I don’t know, Brandon, we’re running out of options here,” Andy said. “We’ve covered everything in a ten-mile radius, and we’re running out of time.”
He was right. It was Friday already, and if they didn’t have Grant in custody by Monday, it’d be over for them. Brandon removed his hat and swiped a hand through his hair. He knew what they needed to do, but he wasn’t sure how to go about it without everyone in town finding out.
Brandon ran a hand over his three-day old beard. No point in shaving without Allie. “We need to get a local involved. Someone who knows the roads, and buildings, and hiding places not on the map. The trick is finding someone who won’t blabbermouth to the entire town.”
He could really use another miracle from God right now. He glanced heavenward, sending up a quick prayer.
“Is that a real concern?” Andy asked.
“It’s a small town, Andy. Of course it’s a real concern. How do you think people keep entertained?”
Andy ventured a guess. “Making moonshine in their bathtubs?”
“Pretty sure they only do that during the harvest moon,” he joked. A breeze blew up one corner of the map, and Brandon dropped his hat on it to keep it down.
Andy frowned. “Really?”
“No,” Brandon said. “Now help me think.”
Andy sucked his teeth at him.
A sedan pulled down the driveway, drawing their attention. Cash stepped out and wandered over. The men all exchanged formalities and handshakes.
“What’re ya doing here, Cash?”
“Well, seems my soon-to-be sister-in-law has been holed up in her apartment the last three days, bawling her eyes out and refusing to leave her room,” Cash said. “I was wondering if you knew what that was about?”
Brandon’s heart swelled in his chest. “She’s been crying?” he asked. He felt sick. He’d done that to her. Made her cry. But he also felt great that she was missing him as much as he was missing her.
“Nonstop, according to my soon-to-be wife.” Cash leaned on the side of the truck. “So, what’s the story?”
Brandon took a deep breath. He could tell himnone of his businessand toget lost, but Cash was a local, and Brandon had just asked for a miracle. He sighed. “She knows I lied to her about something and is mad that I won’t tell her what it is—even though I told her that there were would be things I couldn’t tell her because of my old job.”
“So the secret has something to do with being military police?” Cash asked.
“Yes.”
Cash grinned. “She’s ticked because you lied, not because of why you lied, am I right?”
There was that pressure again, right at the bridge of his nose. “Yes.”
“She’ll get over it,” Cash said. “As soon as she lets it through her fog of anger and hurt that you only lied because of your job, yeah. Allie’s always let her emotions get the better of her, but she comes to her senses more often than not.”
There was that hope again, trying to fill that hole she’d blasted into his chest when she’d left.
Cash stared down at the map. “What’s this?”
Andy folded the map over. “Nothing.”