Page 136 of Taken Away

Aubrey watched them climb together to the mezzanine level, cross to the far corner, and disappear into his office at the end of the hall.

Bennett closed the door behind them.

Aubrey’s grip tightened on the folders.

“Unbelievable.” The word slipped out before she could stop it.

Then she caught herself.

Because Vanessa wasn’t the problem.

And Bennett wasn’t either.

The problem was that somewhere between Mabel’s funeral and waking up in Bennett McCrae’s bed, she’d started caring.

That realization was far more alarming than Vanessa Mercer.

Burke glanced up.

Their eyes met briefly.

Aubrey looked away first.

She turned and walked back into Mabel’s office before he could call up to her.

She dropped the folders onto the desk with a little too much force.

Aubrey sank into the chair. Stared at the paperwork.

And discovered she could no longer remember a single thing she’d been reading.

THIRTY-TWO

Bennett’s House

Aubrey

The Mercedes climbed the final curve of the mountain road.

Aubrey barely noticed.

Her hands rested lightly on the steering wheel of Mabel’s old convertible.

The car was nearly thirty years old. Cream-colored. Immaculate.

Mabel had bought it new and treated it better than most people treated their children.

It felt ridiculous driving something so beautiful. She’d fallen completely in love with it.

Aubrey parked beside Bennett’s truck. Turned off the ignition. And sat there.

The engine ticked softly as it cooled.

She made no move to get out.

Instead she stared through the windshield.

Vanessa.