Page 56 of Love Me Gently

Heather worked at Max’s Tavern for the fun of it but made her living being a social media creator and influencer. Ashley was married to her high school boyfriend. Robbie was an electrician and owned his own business. Ashley taught Honors English at the high school. All three would jump in with both feet to help.

And the fact Marie knew they were her best friends, and she’d spentyearsspending time with them…

“You must think I’m an asshole,” I told her. “All those years you had to be around us. Hearing her name.” Because she always came up. There wasn’t a way to prevent it when you had the same friends you’d had since you were practically born.

Marie’s sad smile told me I was right. “I knew what I was signing up for when we moved here, Cole. It hurt sometimes, but you were always honest.”

Not always. And certainly not enough. Either with her or myself.

“I can try to talk with her. Something needs to change, so yeah, you’re right, maybe I need to take a pushier approach, at least in getting her to talk.” I finished my beer as I considered my options. Ashley would be the kindest. Heather would probably force her to a stool at Max’s and shove drinks down her throat until she puked. “I’d like her to stay at my place though. She’s downstairs. Girls can just think she’s a friend. And she is, Marie. She’s just a friend I’m helping.”

She rolled her eyes. “Stop lying to me, and yourself. It’s a sad, overly replayed song.”

Crap. She was absolutely right. I tried a different, and completely honest one. “It’s safer at my house than anywhere else.”

“If the girls aren’t safe…”

“Don’t,” I warned. “You know I wouldn’t put them in danger. At least let me try it. I’ll keep an eye on the girls. The way Trina is now, I doubt she’ll even come out of her room when they’re there. Hell, she doesn’t do thatnow, Marie. She just stares at a wall all day. But you’re right. It’s not fair to you to have this all thrown in your lap. Try it my way, and if it makes the girls uncomfortable, we’ll change it.”

I saw her point, I did. Truly. But the thought of giving Trina up when I didn’t even have her was hard enough.

Marie’s jaw worked back and forth. “Fine,” she said, which really wasn’t fine at all, and we both knew it. “But be smart. With everything you’re saying, she might need more help than you can give her, as much as you want to save her.”

“I’ll be careful.”

She snorted. “Please. You haveneverbeen that, and we both know it. Current predicament proves it.”

Well, sure.

She had a point there.

Marie had a point.Trina needed time to heal, but she also needed company. She needed to start talking about what happened. Or at a minimum, start talking about how to heal from all of it. Being alone with her thoughts could only be detrimental to her.

I paused at the landing in my front door only long enough to ensure the house was quiet, that things were good.

The deadness in her eyes and the lack of any kind of hope or life in her tone every time we spoke worried me.

But that was why I was doing this.

She needed help. Someone to talk to, and if it wasn’t me, I’d get her someone. I kicked off my boots and hurried down the stairs. Like usual, it was dark, only the soft light coming from the downstairs bath to light her a path if she got up.

It wasn’t that late, just hitting nine-thirty. I expected to open the door and find her staring at that wall. Maybe at her lap.

A quick knock and silence followed. Sleeping. She was probably sleeping.

We could wait until the morning if she was. That wouldn’t be the worst thing.

I turned the knob and opened the door. It squeaked softly, and I braced to see the pale, lifeless expression on her face she wore like armor.

My heart sank to my feet. A made bed, slightly rumpled covers. A glass of water on the nightstand.

Nobody in it. No Trina anywhere.

Twenty-One

Trina

“Trina!”

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