Page 85 of Flare Up
“I think your phone is vibrating.”
“I think so, too, though it was weird there for a second.” After she shifted away from him, he fished it out of his pocket and frowned at the screen. “It’s Danny. Why the hell is he using FaceTime?”
“Maybe you should answer it and find out.”
He did. “Hey, LT. What’s up?”
“I hate this thing.”
“Maybe hold it a little further from your face. And get one of those pore strips for your nose.”
“Maybe you should go f—Oh hey, Wren. Nice to see you.”
“Literally,” she said, smiling.
“Why the video?” Grant asked, cutting to the chase.
“It seemed like the easiest way to talk to you and Wren at the same time. In retrospect, speakerphone would have worked. Anyway, they found Mitchell.”
The words, dropped so casually like that, shook Wren to her core. She sucked in a breath, her body cold all of a sudden, and was barely aware of Grant’s free hand closing around hers.
“They arrested him at a gas station about an hour ago. Cuffed and stuffed, and he didn’t want to go, so he got taken to the pavement pretty hard.”
“They’re sure it’s him?” Grant asked, squeezing her hand.
“They’re sure. Cobb confirmed it before he called me. Mitchell violated parole in Virginia, plus he’s got the new charges here. Arson. Assault. Resisting. Anything else they can tack on to it. But the bottom line is that Ben Mitchell is going away for a long time.”
It’s over. Wren trembled, squeezing Grant’s hand back so hard she was surprised she didn’t break his fingers. She heard Grant asking more questions and then thanking Danny, but she couldn’t pull her thoughts together enough to speak.
It was really over.
Grant tossed his phone on the table and then hauled Wren into his arms. “You’re shaking.”
“It’s relief, I think,” she said, finally able to string words together. “He’s been a shadow in my life for so long and now he’ll be gone.”
“I told you to have faith in the system. And faith in us.” He kissed her forehead. “I’m glad you listened.”
She laughed and slapped his hand. “Did you seriously just I told you so in this moment?”
“According to the married guys on the crew, I need to celebrate the times I’m right because there won’t be many.” He shrugged. “Just practicing.”
After straddling his lap, she held his face between her hands and kissed him. “Thank you for sticking with me. I know this hasn’t been easy.”
“You’re worth it.” He ran his hands over her hips. “We’re worth it.”
She rested her hands on his shoulders and sighed. “I don’t even know what to feel right now.”
“Relief. Joy.” His nudged his hips up. “Maybe a little horny.”
“I’m definitely relieved. But I’m going to need a minute on the rest.” She considered. “Maybe half a minute.”
“So the coast is clear now,” he said, and she could tell he was getting at something, but she couldn’t tell what.
“Yes. Finally.”
“It was important to you that you not end up living here because you were here for your safety and just didn’t leave.” He paused and cleared his throat. “So now that the coast is clear, there’s no reason you couldn’t go back to Patty’s if that’s what you want to do.”
“And you bring this up while I’m straddling your lap?”
