Page 54 of Flashback

“Where does she live again?”

“Twin Valley, Idaho. Not too far from my parents, actually.”

“Will you go see them, then, on your way back to Benson? Your family and Belle?”

“Maybe.” She nibbled on a chip. “I’m sure they’re all busy with their own lives.”

“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?”

Her hand froze. “It’s a fact. They all have jobs, families of their own?—”

“When’s the last time you saw them?”

“Belle’s wedding last February.”

“And before that?”

“What is this? Are you interrogating me or something?” Her chuckle fell flat.

He reached for her hand. It was still cold.

“Allie, I know something is bothering you. That breakdown by the river?—”

“Don’t make more out of it than it is. I almost drowned. My dog is still out there, lost, and there’s a crazy man probably trying to kill us. If that’s not reason for an emotional moment, then I don’t know what is.” She gulped down her own water.

“You said, ‘I already lost a baby. I can’t walk away.’”

Her body tensed and she tried to pull her hand out of his grip.

He didn’t let her. He could wait her out all day if needed. Because with all the ways she’d supported him, cared for him, he wanted to do the same. To be a safe place for her to fall apart. To hold her together when that happened. But in order for them to have any future, she had to face this.

“I was talking about Scout.” Her whisper was fraught with emotion as she tugged her hand free from his grip.

“You were pregnant, weren’t you? With Christian’s baby.”

She shook her head. “I…” Her voice cracked. She looked away and swiped at the tears already spilling onto her cheek.

“You’ve never told anyone, have you? And whatever happened to that baby, it’s tearing you up inside.”

ELEVEN

The walls closedin on Allie. She had to get out of there. She pushed her way out of the booth, ran out of the restaurant.

“Allie, wait!”

She didn’t look back, just ran. At the end of the block, she turned and headed to the river. There had to be somewhere she could be alone before she broke down completely. She must’ve lost Dakota.

Good. The nerve of that man saying out loud what she’d fought so hard to protect, to keep hidden. She should’ve left him as soon as they’d gotten back from the trail, but she wanted to see it through, to make sure Ethan and Nolan were going to be safe.

But she was the one in danger now.

She shouldn’t have let down her guard with Dakota.

He was too astute. And just like before, in the car, he made her feel safe. And again, just like in the car, she was too easily falling for him.

Well, now she’d probably scared him away for good. If he’d figured it out, he’d know to run far and fastawayfrom her. She slowed down to a jog. Her lungs seized as a coughing fit overtookher, forcing her to stop completely by a bench on the riverfront to catch her breath.

Stupid smoke inhalation. The near drowning probably hadn’t helped either. She collapsed on the bench and tried to take long, slow breaths.

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