Page 24 of Refuge for Cherilyn

“You’re welcome. Thanks for having these for us.”

“You’re welcome. I wanted to talk to you about tomorrow.”

Had she hoped he wanted to talk to her about something else? She wasn’t sure, but that wasn’t what she’d thought he’d say. “Okay. What about tomorrow?”

“SheriffMcEvers is coming to talk to you.”

Fear gripped her heart. “No.”

“Yes. You have to talk to somebody, and she’s the perfect person.”

“She?”

“Yeah. CarlyMcEvers. I’ve known her husband all my life. She’s a super nice lady. You’ll like her, I promise. So she’s coming to talk to you about what happened. I’m hoping she’ll have a way for the county to help you with some kind of lodging until they get Frymire in custody, and then you can go about your day-to-day without having to be afraid and always looking over your shoulder.”

So hedidn’treally want them there. “I’m sorry we’re taking up your hospitality and getting in your way.”

Shaw gave her a strange look, his brow wrinkled downward. “What makes you think you’re in my way?”

“I mean, you’re trying to find me somewhere to go, and I don’t really blame you.”

“No, Cherilyn, it’s nothing like that. I just assumed you really wouldn’t want to stay here. I mean, I figured this was awkward for you, living in my house, and you’d want your own place.”

Take a chance, stupid, she told herself. “Actually, I feel really safe here because I know you won’t let anything happen to us.”

The smile he gave her was gentle. “You’re right about that. I’d take a bullet for you. I wouldn’t do that for just anybody, but I think you’d be worth it.”

“Thanks. I think that’s just about the nicest thing anybody’s ever said to me.”

Shaw leaned forward, his forearms resting on his thighs and the soda can between his hands. “Let me tell you something. I think you’re a remarkable woman. You’ve handled all of this, and even though I wish you’d handled it in a different way, your only real thought was to keep your kids safe. To somebody else, it might look like you dragged them out into the woods to save your own ass, but what I know is that you’re terrified something will happen to you and there’ll be no one for them. So let me put those fears to bed. If anything were to happen to you, those two girls would have a home here for as long as they wanted. I wouldneverturn them out, not after seeing how much their mother loves them. I’d definitely honor that. So you can talk to SheriffMcEvers and not have to worry about your children. They’re safe here.”

Her hands started to shake, and she could feel sobs bubbling up in her throat. “Why? Why do you even care?”

“Because I happen to think that you’re all worth it. All three of you.”

A river of tears streamed down Cherilyn’s face. Her parents loved her, but they fought constantly and were far too busy trying to keep from killing each other to pay much attention to her. Frankie had been the worst thing that ever happened to her. All he’d done was run her down and tell her how worthless and ugly she was until she’d finally started to believe it. She’d look in the mirror and see someone who had no value and no purpose. Why would Shaw look at her and think she had value? “I’m totally useless. Nobody wants me and nobody cares about me. I know you think you do, but?”

Shaw leaned out and pressed a finger to her lips to shush her. Then he smiled. “Stop it. Don’t talk about yourself that way. Have I lied to you?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Then if I say you have value, you have value. I wouldn’t lie about something like that.”

It was hard for her to form words with her emotions so raw. “Look at me. Nobody would ever want to date me, or marry me, or have anything to do with me. Frankie was the absolute best I could do, and if that’s the best I can do, I’d rather be alone.”

“Why do you think that’s the best you could do?”

“Look at me!” she almost yelled, her face still tear-slicked. “I’m skinny. Hell, my hands are bony. My hair looks like shit. My skin looks like hell and I’m pale as a ghost. I don’t have boobs and I don’t have a butt. I look like I don’t give two shits about myself, because I don’t. I’m just a wreck.” There was nothing left to say, and she buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

“Then you need to start giving a shit about yourself, because I do.”

“But why?”

“Let me make a list. Know what attracts me to a woman?”

“Big boobs and nice hair?”

“No. She needs to be smart. Resourceful. Frugal. Faithful. Honest. Open. Hardworking. Clever. And another thing?she needs to be funny. Thing is, I think life has dragged you down until you’ve had nothing to laugh about. I think I can change that if you’ll let me.”

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