Page 11 of The Only Road Back
JACK
Beth is always on my mind.
A week has crawled by since she left, and every morning, my first reflex is the same: I check my phone. I scroll through her old messages—always short, always careful, never giving away how she’s really doing.
But I know she’s not okay.
Her replies come slower each day. She never calls. I can feel her slipping away, and it’s gnawing at my insides.
She shouldn’t have gone back.
Now she’s stuck in that house with her nightmare of a family, facing a town that would rather swallow her whole than let her breathe. And I’m here, pacing the length of the garage, hands restless, heart pounding in my chest, waiting for something, anything, to change.
From his spot at the workbench, Henry watches me like I’m a sideshow act. He leans back, coffee in hand, a smirk playing at his lips.
“You keep this up, man, you’ll carve a ditch in the floor.”
I glare at him. “Real helpful, Henry.”
He laughs, unbothered. “You’ve been at it all week. Why don’t you just go after her?”
I stop pacing. “What?”
“You heard me. Drive down there. Bring her back.”
I shake my head, raking a hand through my hair. “She made her choice.”
He sets his mug down, eyes hardening. “She left because she thought she had to, Jack. Not because she wanted to.”
My teeth grind. “She needed to deal with her family.”
He shrugs. “And how’s that working out for her?”
I have no answer. Truth is, I don’t know.
Beth’s texts are vague at best. Her family is a nightmare. Clark’s spreading lies all over town. She’s struggling, I know that much, but how badly, I can only guess.
And guessing is killing me.
Henry sighs. “You gonna keep pretending this is fine, or are you gonna do something about it?”
I look away, jaw clenched. “What am I supposed to do? Show up and drag her home?”
He grins. “Yeah. Exactly.”
I want to snap back, but he’s not wrong.
I pull my phone from my pocket, thumb hovering over Beth’s name. Before I can text, a message flashes across the screen.
You need to come here. Now.
I stare at the name—Lori. Beth’s friend. The one who got her out of that disaster of a wedding. How’d she get my number? Whatever. Doesn’t matter.
Me: What’s happening?
Lori: She’s barely holding on, Jack. Her family’s tearing her apart. Clark won’t back off. She’s miserable.
Me: She says she’s fine.
Lori: She’s lying.
My grip tightens around the phone.
Me: Are you sure?
Lori: She needs you.
That’s it. That’s all I need.
I drop my phone into my pocket and turn toward Henry. “I’m going.”
He gives me a knowing look. “About damn time.”
I don’t wait for more. I get in my truck and head home, grab a duffel, and toss in some clothes. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone—a weekend, a week, longer. Doesn’t matter.
I’m not leaving without her, not unless she tells me, face to face, that she wants to stay.
And if she wants to come back with me, I won’t let her go again.