Page 55 of Rescuing Erin

Colin beeped the locks and placed his arm around my shoulders, drawing me close as we walked toward Z Corps headquarters.

“Hey, what happened to the rental?”

In all the excitement, I’d forgotten all about driving from Texas to California.

“Totaled just like Abe’s cabin.”

“Shit. How pissed is Abe?”

I felt horrible about destroying Abe’s home. Not that we did it on purpose, but it was because of us the property had been infiltrated and the cabin had been on fire after two rockets, or bombs, or whatever the explosive devices were called had hit the house.

“He’s not. They don’t keep anything personal there, and he knows it will be rebuilt by Zane.”

“I feel really bad about it.”

“You shouldn’t. It comes with the territory.”

“Seriously?”

“Did I tell you why Fletch sold his house?”

“The one you bought?”

“Yep.”

“I don’t think so.”

“It all started when, Sadie, the niece of a hotshot PI out of Dallas was being guarded by her now husband. Everyone was gathered at Fletch and Emily’s having a wonderful evening until . . .”

Colin continued his story as we walked through the lobby of Z Corps. Only stopping to enter in a numeric code and place his hand on a scanner to get through the secure door that led to a long hallway.

“An RPG?” I gasped when he got to the part about the house exploding.

“Not one, but two.” He stopped again, placing his forehead against the plastic shield of the retinal scanner. “It was a bad night.”

The elevator door opened, and he motioned for me to precede him. “I’ll say. Was anyone hurt?”

“Yeah. Fletch was pretty banged up and so was Chase Jackson.”

“Damn. But they’re both okay now, right?”

“Yeah, sunshine, they’re both fine. But after what happened, even after the house was rebuilt, Fletch and Emily decided to sell.”

“It’s a beautiful house. Will we get to go back?”

“Anytime you want.”

“I want to go back soon.”

“Okay.”

He leaned down and kissed the top of my head as the doors slowly opened. Thankfully, Colin still had his arm around me because the squeal coming from a hugely pregnant Olivia nearly gave me a heart attack.

Once my heart rate settled, and I took a good look at my best friend who I’d turned my back on, my heart broke. I’d been such a bitch. I buried my face into Colin’s side and couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. Olivia was pregnant, very pregnant, and I’d missed it. Almost all of it. For what? Why hadn’t I’d seen her after she’d been rescued? Why hadn’t I gone to see her after she’d married Leo? Why had I been so stupid to let so much time pass? Now there was a chasm I needed to bridge.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” Colin was trying to get me to look up at him, but I wasn’t ready.

“Erin?” Olivia called out. “Get your ass out of the elevator and let’s go eat. I’m freaking starving. And I’ve waited for my one soda a day Mr. Bossy allows me to drink until you got here. I want my Dr. Pepper and I’m not going to stand here and wait for you all day.”