Page 24 of Shadowing You

“I want to, sweetheart. Do you need anything?”

Like so many of his questions, that one seemed to confuse her. “I don’t think so. I’m a little…I’m sorry.”

“You don’t⁠—”

“I know,” she said quickly. “I will try to stop apologizing.”

“I’ll cook the eggs when you’re ready, so take your time.”

“I will hurry.”

He forced himself to turn, to step out of the room and walk away.

She needed space, and he could give it to her, even if the thought of letting her out of his sight terrified him.

In the kitchen, he cracked eggs and whisked them, then found a pan and added a pat of butter. He’d bought a whole bunch of groceries the day before, unsure what she’d want or what they’d need. He doubted they’d eat a quarter of what he’d paid for. He eyed the box of protein bars. Those, he’d keep handy. His wife needed dense, nutrition-rich calories, and those would work in a pinch.

He brewed two cups of tea. He’d eaten all the pastries, but she needed protein, anyway. Maybe she hadn’t eaten a decent meal since January of twenty-twenty either. She’d always been thin, but not like now.

When they’d first met, she’d been obsessed with CrossFit. He’d never understood the draw of the crazy workouts, but Mei Lin loved the competition and teamwork.

“You can do so much more than you think you can!” He could still hear the enthusiasm in her voice. “Just come one time. You’ll love it.”

He hadn’t loved it, but he’d loved her enough to try it. His workouts were for solitude and thinking through the day’s cases.

For Mei Lin, workouts had been an event.

Now, she looked as though she barely had the strength to hold herself upright.

He set the steaming mugs on the table, then filled two glasses with bottled water. With nothing else to do, he leaned against the counter, scrolling through travel sites. If they hurried, they could get on a train and be in Hong Kong by early afternoon, even sooner if they caught the high-speed rail.

Gavin had texted him, telling him to attach a ticket to her ID and buy the tickets to the train they would actually take with cash.

Ethan didn’t like the idea of signaling that they were going to take a train, even if they took a different one. But what if he bought a flight and attached it to her ID, and then paid cash for the high-speed train? Considering the time it would take to get to the airport, get through security, and wait at the gate, the train would be just as fast or faster. If he timed the flight to leave after the train, then they could be out of town before whoever was after her realized she was gone.

He shifted to looking at flights. Plenty left Hong Kong for Canada tonight. The US would be better, but she needed a visa. Right now, Ethan just wanted…

He sensed movement and looked up.

Mei Lin stood in the kitchen doorway as if waiting for permission to enter. She wore a pair of navy joggers and a peach-colored T-shirt. The clothes were too big, though. Maybe he should’ve shopped in the children’s section.

But she was there. She was alive and breathing. The rest, he could deal with. “There you are, beautiful. Are you hungry?”

“I can cook.”

“So can I.” He nodded to the table. “Have a seat. I made you some tea.”

After she sat, he focused on the stove, giving her a moment to get settled.

When the eggs were finished, he spooned them onto two plates and carried them to the table.

“You did not have to do all this.”

He set a plate in front of her and sat. “It’s a pleasure to serve you.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.” She shook her head. “Sorry I keep saying that. I’ve forgotten… I don’t know how to be…me.”

He let that statement roll around in his head. Who had she been for the last six years?