Page 108 of Echoes of You

“I’m on my way,” he gritted out.

“See you in a second.”

Aspen watched me with a worried look on her face. “The ex?”

I flipped the card around so she could see it.

Her expression shifted, growing darker. “It’s a threat without outright saying as much.”

I studied the card again. She had a point. “He’s always been good with words.” Knew exactly the things that would cut a person to the quick.

The bell over the door jingled, and Nash strode across the space. He glared at the blooms as if this happening was their fault. “Let me see.”

I handed him the card.

He let out a low growl. “He’s good. I’ll give him that. He’s threatening you without saying anything that could get him looked at harder.”

“Aspen just said the same thing.”

Nash’s gaze cut to my friend.

She shrugged. “I’m familiar with that breed of asshole.”

My stomach twisted at that. I couldn’t help but wonder if that was the story behind Cady’s father. But Aspen had never opened up about it, and unlike Janice, I wouldn’t pry.

Aspen waved Nash off before he could say anything. “Why don’t you take Maddie home? I can close up.”

“No, I can stay. And you have to pick up Cady.”

Aspen took the flowers from me. “She has a play date with Charlie, so I’m free as a bird. And you’ve already been pushing it by working with a concussion. Go home and rest. I’ll toss these in the trash.”

“Thanks,” I said. But I hadn’t agreed because of Aspen; it was the look on Nash’s face. There were too many shadows in those gorgeous green eyes.

Nash slipped the card into an evidence bag. “I just need to drop this at the station.”

“Okay.” I grabbed my purse and followed him out of the café.

Nash didn’t take my hand or drape his arm around me. He stalked down the street as if he were headed to burn down the world. Each step twisted my insides tighter.

He opened the door to the station, and I entered behind him. Nash handed the bag to the young woman on duty. “Give this to Law. He knows it’s coming.”

“Of course.” She hurried deeper into the station.

Nash moved back to the door, and I kept trailing right behind. He strode around the building to the parking lot, beeped the locks on his SUV, then opened the passenger door and held it for me.

I slid inside and buckled my seat belt as the door closed. A second later, Nash was behind the wheel, and we were pulling out of the lot.

He stayed quiet for the entire ride home. Each second that passed set my nerves more on edge. I hated the silence and everything that meant Nash was holding himself back from me.

When he parked, I quickly got out of the SUV before he could come around and open the door. I couldn’t bear another moment of him not looking me in the eyes or saying anything.

I pulled my keys from my purse and started toward the door. I got there before him, unlocking it and pulling it open. Clyde’s happy bark greeted us.

The sound soothed something in me. And the sight of a pile of Nash’s stolen shoes made a smile almost reach my lips. I gave the dog a good scratch. “Let’s get you out.” I walked to the back door and opened it so he could have a good romp in the backyard.

Clyde ran for the grassy area, making a beeline for the rope toy he often tossed in the air for himself. I left the door open so he could come back in when he was ready and strode back into the living room.

Nash leaned against the kitchen island, staring out the window, a look of nothingness in his eyes that killed me.

---