Page 76 of Pretend You Love Me

Chapter Twenty

Brooklyn

I watch him on the phone while I finish making eggs. I wish I could hear him, but he’s too far away.

When he returns, he’s still brooding.

“I’m going to run to the library in a little bit, but I’m not working later. Do you want me to make dinner? Will you be around?”

“Sure.” He’s buttering his toast without looking up. Grumpy has returned. I know he’s mad, but I also know why I’m here. I can’t get sidetracked - or rather, I can’t get more sidetracked than I already am.

“Are you going to follow me again today?” I ask as I wipe down the counter.

“Do I need to?”

“Of course not.” My voice is sweet. I don’t want him to see through me.

He growls a little.

“Well, I should run,” I say. “I’ll be back in two hours at the most.”

He sets his fork down and watches me rush out the door.

I look over my shoulder the entire drive. I make some detours. I stop several times. I even get out of the car and start walking toward random houses. He hasn’t followed me. I’m a bit surprised.

I make my way back to the house from yesterday. There’s one more thing I have to do, and I cannot let Kip know about it.

I pull up to the house, take a deep breath, and then I slip inside. I walk back to the bedroom, the little girl’s bedroom, and take a moment to look around. My chest feels so heavy. The feeling of helplessness is crushing me. This is the only thing I can think of to do. I pull an envelope out of my purse and slip it into one of the pillowcases on the bed. As soon as it’s there, I rush back to my car and drive back to the cabin.

Kip is working in his office when I get back. He steps outside and gives a little wave. He looks relieved to see me. I grab the tablet and go out to the patio, so I can check the headlines and look up a recipe for dinner. Blue comes and sits at my feet. Nothing too eventful has happened in the world, thank goodness.

No word about my disappearance. I’m wondering what all my siblings are doing. I know they are mad at me. I know I probably won’t be able to make them understand. I wish more than anything I could just tell them I’m fine. I wish more than anything I could take away their worry.

I sigh and close my eyes, and then I hear a car coming down the driveway. Kip pops his head out of the cabin, and our eyes lock. I know it’s Hawk even before I see the cruiser come into view. What am I going to tell him this time?

The car stops, and I stand up to walk over to him. I step toward the stairs, and at the same time Blue bounds forward knocking my feet out from under me. I trip forward. The tablet is in one hand, and the cast on the other. I have no way to break my fall, and I smack my face hard against the table as I go down.

Chapter Twenty-One

Kip

Hawk gets to her first, and I’m not far behind.

“Stupid animal,” I mutter. Hawk is helping her sit up. My stomach sinks as soon as I see her face.

Hawk is kneeling in front of her, asking her questions.

“I’m fine. I’m fine.” She’s trying to stand up.

“Easy there.” Hawk tries to keep her in place. “Don’t need you falling again and smacking your face a second time.”

Hawk looks up at me, and then he says, “I’ll get some ice and a washcloth.”

I rush to take his place beside her and cup her face in my hands. “Oh Ginger.”

“I’m okay,” she nearly yells this time. To her credit, I’ve seen grown men cry over lesser injuries.

“That’s quite a shiner.” I lean in to examine her eye. Her lip is busted too.