Page 80 of Only You and Me

“Trina, did you go inside?” Ben asks.

“No,” I scoff. “I’m not like some dumb woman in a horror movie who walks into the dark basement.”

Ben’s frown tells me my attempt at using humor to deescalate the tension falls short.

After asking Rachel to wait with me for a few minutes, Ben walks across my lawn to make some phone calls.

A few minutes later, everything around us is a flurry of activity as several police department vehicles arrive to process the scene.

How did my life become a crime show?

* * *

BEN

Thinking back over yesterday, I recall how I couldn’t bring myself to let Trina leave her house without losing my mind. So, I asked her to stay until I finished working there and could go back to my house with her. When she agreed with no argument, it shocked me.Shocked and worried me, because throughout the day, I didn’t miss signs of her stress. Her shaking hands, the way she pinched the skin between her thumb and index finger on her left hand with those of her right, her pacing through the house.

All I want to do tonight is stay home with her, do the daily jumble, and hold her in my arms while she falls asleep, knowing she’s safe. But that’s not happening because tonight she was supposed to meet with Fitz and Emily so they could tell her something. Instead, we’re standing on Fitz’s porch waiting for them to answer the door so we can tell them things with Trina’s stalker have escalated.

When Fitz’s heavy wooden door swings open, Emily greets us. She pulls Trina in for a hug and looks over her shoulder at me.

“Hi, Ben. It’s good to see you. Come on in.”

After we’ve greeted Fitz, we all go out to the deck and then Fitz and Emily get us drinks. Trina and I take a seat at the table, and she stares out over Fitz’s deck into the darkness.

“You okay?” I ask Trina, squeezing her thigh.

“As okay as I can be. I just hate that I have to dump this on Emily.”

She turns and looks at me, and the dark circles beneath her eyes make me want to gather her in my arms and fix everything for her. It’s slowly killing me I haven’t found this guy yet. How can I protect her from a threat I can’t see?

“You’re not dumping it on her. You’re giving her a chance to be there for you and you’re protecting her by giving her information.”

Before Trina can respond, Fitz and Emily come out the French doors and set our drinks on the table before taking their seats.

“So…” Fitz starts, looking across the table at us. “You’re probably wondering why Emily and I asked you to come over tonight. We were hoping to talk to you about?—”

“I need to talk to you first,” Trina blurts out. “It’s important,” she softens her tone. She glances over at me, and I give her a nod of support and encouragement.

“Okay. Go ahead,” Fitz tells her. He’s rubbing his beard, blinking slowly at her. His concern is obvious.

Emily looks between Fitz and Trina, and it’s clear Fitz’s concern worries her.

Trina nods and takes a deep breath. “So, first I need to say there is no reason for you to worry.”

Emily’s gaze falls to Trina’s hands, where she’s doing the nervous pinching thing she does. Emily’s eyes widen and she quickly looks back up at Trina’s tension-filled face.

Fitz leans forward, waiting for Trina to say more.

“Well… Um, there’s been some stuff happening. Like… Uh.” It nearly breaks me how uncomfortable this strong, confident woman I love looks right now, her eyes darting everywhere but at Fitz and Emily.

“Trina and are I living together,” I blurt out.

Trina whips around to look at me and shakes her head. “Must you, Benjamin?”

I shrug at her. “It’s true.”

“No, it’s not,” she argues. Her eyes narrow at me like lasers, her lips pursed in annoyance.

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