Page 20 of Willow Embers
“Here we are. Safe and sound. As promised.”
Is that a hint of sadness I hear in his voice?
Doubtful. He’s probably just tired and ready for this whole ordeal to be over.
Our hands brush as I take the leash, but there’s no flicker of electricity like I read about in my books. It’s more like a bone-deep longing that threatens to swallow me whole.
“Thank you, Beauden. Really.” My throat tightens on the last word. Not because I’m overcome with gratitude, but because this is goodbye— and I don’t want to do this with him again.
We said goodbye once, and it just about broke me.
He dips his head. “Anything for you, Nixie. Always.”
The air leaks out of me slowly.Anything for you.He used to say that. When I asked him to grab me a snack while we were watching a movie. Or when I called and asked him to bring me my favorite soup when I didn’t feel well.
I swallow hard and just stare.
How the hell am I supposed to respond to that?
Part of me is aching to reach out and wrap my arms around him, but I know if I do, I’ll never want to let go. So, I open my car door, shoo Tiberius in, and sink into the driver’s seat with my heart in my throat.
If he really would do anything for me, he would be trying to stop me right now, right? Not just looking at me like he’s not done with me yet.
Neither of us says another word. I back my car out of the parking spot, put it in drive, and give Beauden one last look. Leaning back against his truck with his arms folded over his broad chest, he’s somehow the same boy I knew thirteen years ago and a man I wish I could get to know better.
But I can’t. My heart wouldn’t survive it.
With that cheery thought, I offer him a little wave and drive away.
Why is this so hard? Iwantto leave. I want to go home. I have a life, a nice apartment, and a thriving business to get back to.
What I need is perspective. I punch the button to call Breigh on the screen on my dash, and drum my fingers impatiently on my steering wheel as I drive waiting for it to connect.
She picks up on the second ring. “Oh my god, Nixie! Please tell me you’re alive,” she yells into the phone.
“Oh, whoa.” I turned the volume down. “How would I be calling you if I wasn’t alive?”
Breigh huffs out a breath. “You know what I meant! Good grief, girl, you had me worried sick. I was about ten minutes away from calling in the cavalry. Did you find him? Is he okay? Are you okay?”
I tackle her rapid-fire questions one at a time. “Yes, yes, and I don’t know.”
She’s silent for a beat, and when she speaks, I hear the hesitation in her voice. “You’re pissed at me, aren’t you?”
I was, and maybe I still should be, but I’m opting to put a pin in that whole situation for a minute. “Can we talk? Over breakfast?”
“Of course. You want to hit the diner?”
And risk running into Beauden again? No thanks.
“Any chance you’d be willing to grab some coffee and bagels and head over to my mom’s? I’m headed back into town now to get cleaned up and feed Tiberius.”
“I’m on it.”
“And Brie?”
“Yeah?”
“Lotsof coffee,” I say, letting how tired I am bleed out through my voice.
