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I didn’t know what to say to that, so I didn’t.
The doors burst open again, this time with Ember coming out, a phone pressed to her ear.
“We’ll be there,” Ember said to whoever was on the phone.
When she hung up, the occupants of the porch stared at her with confusion.
“What was that?” Gabe asked when she just stood there bouncing excitedly.
“The lawyer,” Ember said. “They got him bail. It was granted an hour or so ago. He’ll be out in about an hour as long as nothing happens between then and now.”
Gabe nodded, his entire body strung tight.
“He’s going to need some clothes,” I found myself saying. “They were talking about taking his for evidence when they left with him yesterday morning. If they’re going to keep the clothes, he’s going to need something to leave in. Will they allow us to get him some before that point?”
Ember turned around to barge inside, but I stopped her.
“I’ll get them,” I said.
Ember turned and nodded, her excitement a little dimmed now.
“I’m sorry, but he’s particular about what he wears,” I admitted. “The scars… they sometimes hurt. And I’m sure after being in shitty clothes for the last twenty-four hours, he’s going to want something soft against his skin. I can find that in our suitcase.”
Ember’s eyes softened minutely at that news.
“God, my baby,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes.
Gabe looped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into his chest.
My dad let go of Cora, who was up and walking to her parents in the next few moments.
When I walked away to give them space, I hadn’t expected my father to follow me.
When I looked up after finding the clothes I needed, it was to find him staring at me.
“I don’t think that what you did was the right way to go about everything,” he said. “You knew days ago. That was why you asked us not to come.”
I swallowed hard, not liking the way he was judging me without knowing the first thing that had happened.
“I realize what it looks like…” I started.
He tilted his head and stared at me, anger rising to the surface.
“You don’t know what the last two years have been like for her, Francesca,” Dad said.
I stiffened at his words, and at his use of ‘Francesca’ instead of ‘Frankie.’
I gritted my teeth, placed the clothes carefully on top of my suitcase so I didn’t lose my shit and throw them at him, then turned carefully so that I was facing him fully.
“I don’t know what it’s been like for her?” I asked calmly.
Too calmly.
He should’ve known better.
“Yes,” he said stiffly.
I took in two calming breaths.
“Let me ask you something,” I said. “Did Cora have someone to fall back on when she was grieving?”
Dad didn’t say anything.
“Did Gabe? Did Ember?” I pushed.
Still nothing.
“Well, I fucking didn’t,” I snapped. “Because my man was the one that went missing. The man that I wanted to have babies with was missing. The man that was my confidant. My best friend. The person that I turned to when I needed something. He. Was. Gone. Gone, Dad. Cora had you. Gabe had Ember, and Ember had Gabe. But me? My person was gone. Fucking. Gone.”
Dad opened his mouth to say something, but I talked over him.
“I’ve spent the last two fucking years thinking the love of my life was gone,” I hissed, getting more and more pissed off. “Two and a half years, Dad. While Cora’s had you, while y’all have raised your family, while y’all have spent time with each other, I’ve been alone. I haven’t had Luca. And then the last eight months happened. I thought I was losing my goddamn mind. I thought I was falling in love with my fiancé’s best friend. I went through grief and disgust at myself. All the while I couldn’t stop thinking about Luca. And then he finds out that the Navy fucked up. That he isn’t Malachi. That he’s Luca. So, when he asked for a few days—a fucking week, that’s all—to get his head on straight, I gave it to him. Want to know why? Because that’s what people do for the people they love. They support them. And, if you’d get your head out of your ass long enough, you would know that you’d do the same goddamn thing for Cora if she asked it of you.”
“I think.” A deep, menacing voice sounded from behind my father. “You need to back away and give us a few minutes alone.”
My breath hitched when I heard Luca’s voice.
Even after knowing he was okay, knowing that he wasn’t missing anymore, hearing the deep rasp of his voice was still like an ocean of feeling crashing in on me all at once.
“Luca,” I breathed.
Dad turned in the doorway, his eyes on Luca.
“Luca…”
“A minute,” Luca snapped.
