“Red Wilder, you had enough hope for us both.
“On our wedding day, when my dad refused to walk me down the aisle, I decided Claire Wilder would be a new person. One who was stronger. One who left her past behind. You know what happened then.”
Bridget paused, and Red remembered that moment in the church, and what it had meant to him.
She went on.“But I couldn’t leave Claire Reilly behind, Red, even though I wanted to. That little girl is still a part of me.”
Bridget let out a little sob and opened her handbag for her handkerchief. “I’m sorry, Red,” she said. “I can’t.”
“Keep reading,” he ordered, then softened his tone when he saw the tears glinting on Bridget’s cheeks. “Please, Bridget.”
She blew her nose, then started again with a ragged voice.“When I sold Marigold, you were so angry. Is that why you left? Or did it have something to do with Dell? All I knew was that you had turned into a stranger. You were so far away from me, even as we slept beside each other that last night. It was all so terrible and when you left for Libby, I was afraid you were leaving me forever, just like Mother.
“I didn’t know how to talk to you or even if I could trust you.”
Red’s hands tightened on the steering wheel as the words hit him like arrows in his heart. She didn’t trust him. She couldn’t tell him.
Bridget sniffed and swiped at her eyes.“It felt safer to push you away. I told you I didn’t need you—that we didn’t need you—but Red, nothing could be further from the truth. I need you. I’m not fine without you. I want to trust you with my secrets, and I need you to trust me with yours. Please come back, Red. Don’t give up hope for us. All my love, Claire.”
Claire wanted him back. She wasn’t leaving him. He blinked hard, the road in front of him blurring. He slowed down to bump over the bridge across the Madison. He’d kept secrets from her, and she’d hidden things from him. But they could fix it.
“There’s a postscript,” Bridget said.“I’m sorry about Marigold. It was the only way to prove to my sister (and Dad) that we were happy.”
Red pressed down on the gas pedal. Marigold didn’t matter anymore. They were almost to the turnoff to Hebgen Lake and the road that would take them to Ennis. He’d find her there and tell her everything.
The headlights illuminated a vehicle on the side of the road and Red jammed on the brakes. “What—?”
Bridget put her hands on the dash to stop herself from lurching forward. “Is that your truck?”
Red was already out the door, running to the truck, hope briefly flaring to life. Claire and Jenny. He wrenched open the driver’s side door but even as he did so, he already knew.
The truck was empty. His wife and child were gone.
chapter 37:CLAIRE
Beth was not looking well.
Claire made her eat a sandwich and drink water, like Bridget had ordered. What she needed now was sleep. Unfortunately, it looked like Frannie and her friends were going to be staying up late.
Paul had taken forever to set up the tent, then the two girls—Vicky and Jerrylynn—hauled a downed tree trunk to the campfire to sit on. Now, they were burning hot dogs black and drinking beer, singing goofy campfire songs Claire recognized from her days as a savage. Claire couldn’t blame them for enjoying the beautiful night. The full moon shone on the river, and a light breeze was keeping the mosquitoes at bay. If it wasn’t for Beth’s situation and her troubling thoughts about Red, Claire would be enjoying herself, too.
Jenny started to wiggle and fuss in Dottie’s lap. “She wants her bottle,” Claire told the young woman. When Claire came back from Paul’s car with the bottle of formula, Dottie took it from her hands. “I’ve got a hot plate in the trailer to warm it. Be back in a jiffy.”
Jeffrey watched his wife walk away. “She’s from a big family and can’t wait for us to have kids.”
Claire missed Red even more, looking at this couple. By the time Claire had Jenny’s diaper changed and put her into her pajamas, Dottie was back with the warmed bottle.
She gave Beth a concerned look. “Are you feeling okay?”
Beth attempted a smile. “Just tired.”
“Let’s get to bed as soon as Jenny is asleep.” Claire looked at the tent, then at the four teenagers making a ruckus at the fire. “I’ll ask them to quiet down.”
“Jeffrey,” Dottie said, reaching to take her husband’s hand and looking up at him with pleading eyes. “Let’s sleep in the car tonight.”
Jeffrey looked at her like she was crazy. “Why?”
Dottie gave him a meaningful look. “So we can see the moon. It’s so gorgeous and romantic.”
