Page 93 of Mine To Hunt

"I’m calling her." I say quietly.

Al nods once, not stopping me.

The call rings only once.

"Ree! Hey!"

Her voice is bright, warm, completely normal, like nothing is wrong at all. The sound of it hits me harder than I expect. My chest tightens, and suddenly I have to swallow before I can speak.

"Mads…" My voice comes out softer than I meant it to. "Al just told me what happened. I’m so sorry. This is all because of me."

There’s a small pause on the other end. Not silence exactly, I can hear faint movement, maybe fabric shifting, maybe her adjusting the phone, but it’s enough to make my stomach twist.

"Ree, stop." She says gently.

Her tone isn’t annoyed. It isn’t upset. It’s calm. Reassuring. The same tone she always uses when she’s trying to steady me.

"It’s not your fault." She continues. "Dad’s just being dramatic like always. You know how he is. He’ll calm down. He always does."

I stare out the window as the city lights blur past, my fingers tightening slightly around the phone. "I still feel awful."

"Well don’t." She says immediately. "Because I’d do it again in a heartbeat."

Something in my chest loosens just a little.

"You’re my best friend." She adds. "That’s kind of the job description."

A small, breathy laugh slips out of me before I can stop it. "You’re impossible."

"And you love me for it." She replies without missing a beat.

I shake my head faintly, a weak smile touching my lips. "Yeah. I do."

We talk a little longer, about small things, normal things, the kind of conversation that doesn’t carry weight or fear or tension. She tells me something random about a movie she watched. Nothing important. Nothing heavy. And somehow that normality feels like relief.

By the time I hang up, my chest doesn’t feel as tight as it did before. I lower the phone slowly.

Al glances at me from the driver’s seat. "Feeling better?"

I take a second before answering, checking in with myself, noticing the difference. "A little." I admit. "Thanks for telling me."

He gives a small nod, like that answer matters to him more than he lets on. "Anytime."

Silence settles in the car for a few moments. Not uncomfortable silence. Just quiet. The kind that gives your thoughts space to breathe.

Then he speaks again. "So…" He says casually, though I catch the tiny hesitation before the word. "Are you free tomorrow?"

I look at him. "Yes. Why?"

A small grin appears on his face, the kind he gets when he knows something I don’t.

"I’m taking you somewhere."

I blink. "Where?"

"It’s a surprise."

I narrow my eyes slightly. "Since when do you do surprises?"