Page 48 of Mountain Summons

Lena blinked. “Tristan?—”

“I’m not asking you to do it for my parents. I’m asking you to do it for me. For us.”

Her breath hitched.

Then, very quietly, she said, “Okay.”

Tristan exhaled slowly, his fingers slipping into her hair. It felt like the first crack in the walls she kept so tightly built around herself.

“Okay.”

19

Lena

Of course, her father had to be home early.

Today, of all days.

She couldn’t think of another time when he’d been home before seven, and yet here he was at five o’clock sharp, standing in the doorway like he’d been waiting for her.

She should have expected this.

She’d been back a couple of times over the last week, to grab things she needed, but always when he was at work. They hadn’t actually seen each other since that day at the hospital. And now, standing in the entryway of her childhood home, she felt trapped in a conversation she wasn’t ready for.

Her father’s expression was unreadable, but his voice was careful. “Madeleine. How are you?”

“Good. Is everything okay, Dad? Why are you home?”

“I was hoping to see you.” His gaze dropped to the bag by her feet. “Are you moving back home?”

Lena nodded. “Tristan’s going back to work tomorrow.” Her father didn’t even blink. “But you probably know that already, don’t you?”

“It’s my job to know that.” He cleared his throat. “I wanted to see how you were doing. If?—“

“Dad,” she interrupted. “Tell me you’re not choosing this moment to have a heart-to-heart. Please. I’m tired. And it comes years too late.”

The words came out harsher than she’d intended, but she couldn’t bring herself to take them back.

And for a split second, she saw it—the flicker of something raw in his expression. The kind of emotion her father had always been so careful to keep locked up behind duty and discipline.

Like she’d actually hurt him.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I just don’t think you have any right to get between me and Tristan.”

Her father’s expression darkened. “That’s not what I’m trying to do. I think Lieutenant Devallé?—“

“You can call him Tristan when you’re with me, Dad.”

Her father grit his teeth. “I think Tristan’s a fine man. I just don’t think he’s right for you.”

Her chest constricted. “Because of his job?” Lena asked. “Isn’t that a bit like the pot calling the kettle black?”

His mouth pressed into a hard line. For a long moment, she thought he might not answer.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t always there for you, Madeleine.”

That was the first time he’d ever said that out loud.

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