“No.” My voice is tight. “The one with you.”
She glances down, exhaling. “Oh. That.” She pauses. “It was just an interview. Wes asked me to talk about Nathan.”
“Yeah, I get that.” I swallow to keep my voice calm. “I just want to make sure you’re okay with it. Wes has a way of turning little things into problems.”
Her eyes narrow as she studies me. “Are you worried about me or about what Wes is doing?”
“Both,” I admit. “I know Wes isn’t a bad guy, but he’s careless. He draws the kind of attention you don’t want. I don’t want you caught in the middle of his mess.”
Her posture softens. “I can handle myself.” She takes my hand, guiding me to the couch to sit. “But… thank you. For looking out for me. I’m grateful.”
Some of the tension in my chest eases, but not all of it.
“I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.” I pause, swallowing. “Or for someone careless to break your heart.”
The truth is, I don’t want her to want Wes. I want her to want me.
She lets out a startled laugh, though it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “I don’t think Wes is going to break my heart.” Her gazelifts to mine, her eyes filled with longing. “But that doesn’t mean my heart isn’t at risk of being broken.”
Her words throw cold water on me.
I inhale, pushing down my reaction, and change the subject.
“The police found footprints. A man, heavy boots, size 10. He was waiting for you. Beyond that, they’ve got nothing useful.”
Her shoulders sag, worry flashing in her eyes. “So we still don’t know who it was or what they wanted.”
“No. Until we do, you have to be careful. Stick close to Ms. Connor and Hannah. Don’t stay here alone—especially at night. You should move into a room near Ms. Connor.”
“I’ll be careful. I promise.”
I rest my hand on her waist and gently squeeze. She’s soft, warm. “If you need anything—day or night—you call me. Got it?” I’m staring at her lips, wishing this was the time and place I could taste them.
Her eyes meet mine, filled with trust. It soothes the restlessness inside me.
“I will. Thank you.” She rests her hand over mine, sending a jolt of electricity to my heart.
I give her hand a squeeze before saying goodbye and turning toward the door. As my hand touches the handle, her voice stops me.
“Scott?”
My heart picks up when she says my name. I turn back to her. “Yeah?”
She beams at me. God, I don’t want to leave.
“Goodnight—don’t let the bedbugs bite.” Her sweet smile melts my heart.
I laugh. “Okay, goodnight sweetheart.”
Chapter 17
Maddie
I spread Nathan’s hand-drawn maps across Hannah’s kitchen table, their edges curled with wear. She sits across from me, her arms crossed. Her expression is a mix of concern and frustration.
“I can’t believe you still haven’t told anyone else about these.”
Guilt stirs in my chest. “You’re the only one I trust with this right now. I’m not ready to share it with anyone else yet.”
