Page 179 of Shadowing You

He turned to his daughter. “Not fair. I have to share everything.” He added a little foot-stomp to make his point.

Rolling her eyes, the girl went back to playing with Levi.

Alyssa perched on the arm of a chair and spoke to Ethan. “You doing okay?”

“Yeah, getting better.”

“Okay.” She nodded a few times, her expression turning serious. “I wanted to apologize for that day in Driftwood⁠—”

He laughed, then pressed his hand to the side. “Ow. Don’t, please. We’re good. Honestly, I’m so thankful for…everything.” Ethan’s gaze bounced from Alyssa to Callan. “I’m sure you told me, but I don’t remember. How did you guys get there so fast?”

“We were on our way to see you two.” Alyssa shifted to include Mei Lin, who’d settled on another chair. “Callan wanted to interview Mei Lin.”

“That’s right.” The details were fuzzy. “So you were driving up?”

“We were about ten minutes away when we got Asher’s text.”

Asher must’ve heard his name because he rounded the sofa. “You guys talking about me again?”

“Just reminding Ethan what happened.”

“Oh.” His amusement faded. “I knew they were coming. They texted before we went snowmobiling. I figured I’d tell you when we got back to the house. Then there was no time, so I sent them those coordinates.”

“How did you choose that spot?” Ethan asked.

“Totally random. It wasn’t far and there was a road. I hoped you’d make it, but…” He shrugged. “I’m glad it worked out, even though your bodyguard blew it.”

Callan scoffed.

Cici said, “Asher, you were amazing.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Ethan looked at these women—his sisters—who were as shocked as he was. “You took out three guys by the house, if the story I heard tracks.”

“I let too many get through,” Asher said, “and they caught up with you. It’s just lucky Grant got there on time.”

“Lucky?” A woman called from somewhere behind Ethan. “Grant drove like his back end was on fire and he was trying to outrun it.”

From behind the group, the refrigerator-turned-teddy bear grinned. “Sometimes, it helps to be a cop.” Grant looked at Ethan, then Asher. “It wasn’t luck. It was God, and…” He dipped his head side to side. “The fast car didn’t hurt.”

But the drive to Shadow Cove had taken two hours. Which meant… “Where do you live?”

“Coventry, New Hampshire,” Gavin said. “Not far from where you were.”

“Oh. I didn’t realize that. Thank you for doing that.”

Kenzie pushed in between Grant and Forbes and plopped a tray of appetizers on the table. “If I bring food, can I join the club?”

“Always.” Callan snatched two of the tomato-mozzarella-basil skewers. “These are the initiation fee.”

Kenzie’s smile was tentative when she met Ethan’s eyes. “I’ve been meaning to apologize⁠—”

Alyssa groaned.

Brooklynn said, “Don’t bother.”

Ethan smiled at her. “We’re good.”

“I shouldn’t have blurted it out like that. I should’ve…” She didn’t seem to know what she should’ve done when she first realized who Ethan was.