Page 47

Chapter 47

Fleur

T here’s no word from Liam the rest of the day or the next morning, and the dread knot twisting in my gut gets larger.

Speaking with both of my parents yesterday offered more support than I knew I needed. I explained it all to them, my mom crying along with me. And when our conversation was over, I felt more at peace than I had since the raid except for the lingering comment my dad made.

“You need to come home, Fleur.”

His words rang in my ear all night as I tossed and turned and throughout the morning as I helped Mrs. Northgate prep some rooms for guests arriving today.

It doesn’t help she had to rearrange her guest room assignments because of me taking up a room. I tried to tell her I could go to the hotel a town over, but she swatted at my hand while I was tucking a corner into the foot of the bed, telling me to never speak like that again.

It’s midafternoon and the biting chill has me grabbing a blanket from the basket on the porch for guests.

Leaves start to wrinkle on the branches, dawning their yellow and red tips. While the back porch is serene and peaceful, the front porch is lively. Squirrels chase each other up the towering oaks, and every so many minutes a car will pass, adding to the wind chimes playing from the post.

A car slows, pulling into the employee drive for the bed-and-breakfast. River gets out, raising a hand at me and waving furiously.

Her tall brown boots crunch through the fallen leaves as she makes her way over to me.

“Hey!” she says. “Didn’t think I’d see you here.”

“Here I am. What are you doing?”

“Mrs. Northgate had some items she wanted me to pick up for the store. Said she was tired of them sitting around.”

Funny. She never mentioned anything about items she needed dropped off. I could’ve done that for her. “Huh,” I say.

River walks up the steps and sits on the porch swing next to me. Her eyes rove over my face, and conscious of her study, I tuck a piece of unruly hair behind my ear.

“How are you holding up?”

“Not the best,” I say. “Still haven’t heard from Liam.”

She nods, her eyes glazing over as she looks out across the road.

“I’m sure he’ll be a while, but I’m not sure what to do until then. My dad wants me to come home.”

Her eyes snap to mine. Are those tears?

“I think you should.”

I blink. She does?

“You’re blessed to have parents who support you, Fleur. Who want to help you get back on your feet and protect you from the men in your life who can’t seem to get it together.”

I narrow my eyes at her, unsure if she’s truly talking about me. However, I consider her words alongside my dad’s. I do want to go home. To curl up on the couch with my mom with a cup of tea, put a puzzle together with my dad. Gosh, I miss them.

My lips pinch together as I shake my head. “The agent who took my statement gave me this.”

I pull out the lawyer’s business card and run the corner over my thumb back and forth. This piece of cardstock has burned a whole in my pocket since she gave it to me. Mostly with anxious anticipation. Was Liam under the impression I’d contact him already? Did he tell Agent Evans to give this to me as a way to suggest an annulment?

River leans over and plucks the card from my hand. “A lawyer?”

“For an annulment.”

She sighs. “You’ve been through some crap, girl. No one would blame you for taking some time to collect yourself back in the safety of your family.”

“It’s not like I have anything left here to pack up,” I add. I’d still need to deal with the farmhouse property, but other than that … “Hey, have you talked to Adam?”

Her eyes widen. “Absolutely not. Heard he ran off with Raven’s crew.”

Guilt gnaws at me when I forget to ask about her brother. “And Goff? Is he okay?”

She nods, offering a sad smile. “He made it out before they rounded everyone up. Told me Darrin told him not to waste his life and made him leave.” A tear leaks from the corner of her eye and she smacks it away. “Can you believe that? Darrin,” she scoffs.

We sit together, enjoying the silence until Mrs. Northgate brings us the first of the season’s apple crisp, and the three of us enjoy simple stories from recent guests, not discussing the events of the recent days for the next two hours.

It isn’t until I’m alone in my room with Mrs. Northgate’s borrowed computer that I type in the flight information and book a ticket home.