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He knew Bryce was right. Somehow, he’d find a way to apologize. This was all his fault, and he refused to follow in his dad’s footsteps. He’d take responsibility for his actions, make his apology. Whether Allye accepted it or not was her call.

“By the way? Pull a stunt like that again, andI’lltake your head off.”

34

Allye drove toward the pharmacyon autopilot. Her doctor’s office had finally returned her call and let her know they’d sent in her new prescription, but she only had a short window to reach the pharmacy before it closed. She’d wanted to ask them about the research that had been dominating her thoughts the past couple of hours, but she knew the office staff wouldn’t give her any advice. She’d need to send her doctor a message or book another appointment.

She was still reeling from the possibility that her home could be basically poisoning her. Could her issues of the past months be something so simple? Of course,simplemight not be the right word for it. Though medical opinion seemed to be split on the matter, there seemed to be at least a decent possibility that prolonged mold exposure could cause all sorts of long-term problems, including triggering autoimmune issues in some people. The possibility that permanent damage could have been done was frightening. Still, if they could determine the cause, they could better treat it.

Red and blue lights flicked on in the car behind her. She groaned and glanced at her speedometer. Five over. Not too bad, but bad enough to get ticketed if the officer was in the mood to hand one out.

She pulled to the side of the road and turned off the engine. A ticket was the last thing she needed right now. She checked the clock. If this stretched out, she might not make it to the pharmacy in time, and she really didn’t want to have to decide between a migraine and risking another dose of hydrocodone if the pounding in her head ratcheted up again.

Movement caught her eye, and she returned her attention to her mirror. The door to the unmarked car opened, and a man stepped out. Allye stiffened. Why was Eric making traffic stops? He wasn’t a patrol officer anymore. And why had he pulledherover? No way he wouldn’t have recognized her car with the huge Allye’s Photography logo on the rear windshield. He knew it was her.

She lowered her window as he approached but kept her eyes straight ahead.

“Everything all right?”

“Everything is fine, Detective.”

He hesitated as if her use of his title had thrown him. “You haven’t answered my calls.”

“Is that why you pulled me over?” She wasn’t in the mood for this.

“You were speeding.”

“I’m aware.”

“Allye, I need to—”

She finally met his gaze. “Are you going to give me a ticket?”

He stared at her a long moment, regret in his eyes. “No.”

“Then may I go?”

“We need to talk.”

“I need to get to the pharmacy before they close and pick up mymigrainemedication.”

He winced and stepped back. “Later?”

“Later.” Sometime. Maybe.

She waited until he was almost to his car before screeching back onto the road. Tears filled her eyes, but she refused to lookin her rearview. She felt a little bad for being so short with him, but his accusations from this morning still stung.

She punched the radio on and turned the volume as high as she dared to drown out his voice. It silenced her mental replay of the encounter but did little to lift her spirits. Despite her long break from dating, she’d never let go of the hope of one day finding someone to spend the rest of her life with. Until she’d gotten sick, anyway.

But despite her reluctance to pursue anything when her health hung in the balance, Eric had made her hope that a relationship might be possible. Then today he’d shown her a side she didn’t know he possessed. And she wasn’t about to let herself get drawn into a relationship with someone who couldn’t trust her or felt he had to control her.

She made it to the pharmacy with minutes to spare. “Thank you, Lord,” she murmured, throwing her seat belt off. She hurried inside and to the back. Thankfully, the line was short. Only two people waited ahead of her, and she recognized the tech behind the counter. Michelle would get them through quickly.

When her turn arrived, she mustered a smile and approached the counter.

“Hey, girl!” Michelle’s grin was wide. “It’s been a bit. We missed you at Bible study this week.”

She felt her smile slip. “I totally forgot. This week has been so hectic, it didn’t even cross my mind.”