Page 47 of Mountain Void

What must they think of me?

Lorenz pulled her closer to him, his hand settling lightly on her back.

“I probably should have mentioned, Charlie and I know each other.” He took a deep breath.

Ry’s eyebrows lifted, curiosity crossing his features.

Charlie let out a quiet laugh. That was one way of putting it.

“We were married,” Lorenz continued.

Beau kept a straight face—he’d be a good poker player—but Ry’s mouth fell wide open.

“Married?” he stuttered. “To each other?”

“To each other,” Lorenz confirmed.

Ry blinked once, processing. Then he let out a laugh.

“What were you thinking, Charlie, marrying this guy?”

His cheerful bluntness caught Charlie off guard. For a second, she just stared. Then, unexpectedly, a laugh slipped out of her.

“I ask myself that sometimes,” she said, tilting her head slightly as she glanced up at Lorenz.

Ry leaned a shoulder against the door frame, studying Lorenz with exaggerated skepticism. “I mean, he’s tall, I’ll give him that. Probably seemed like a good idea at the time.”

Lorenz’s playful scowl was good to see. “How about you mind your own business, Ry?”

Ry let out a bark of laughter. Charlie smiled. She loved—loved how much they cared about Lorenz. Loved that he had this.

Embarrassment at the situation still made her ears burn, but it didn’t feel quite so suffocating anymore.

A smile tugged at the corner of Beau’s lips, easing his stern features. Then his expression turned serious again. “Okay, back to business. We need you, Lorenz.”

Charlie nodded quickly. Of course. If they were here, that meant someone needed help.

“It’s okay,” Charlie said quickly.

But Beau wasn’t done. “Lorenz mentioned there was an incident last night at your house, Charlie?”

She’d almost forgotten the word dripping on her driveway.

“I’m sure it’s okay,” she said quickly. She didn’t want to add to their worries.

“We will make some inquiries,” Beau said.

Lorenz’s brow furrowed. “Please stay here, Charlie. I don’t want you going back to your place until we know it’s safe.” He looked at his watch. “Its five a.m. You can catch a bit more sleep. It’ll take you less than forty minutes to drive to school from here. Please promise you won’t go back to your apartment?”

Charlie thought quickly. She’d packed enough clothes to get her through the rest of the week. She didn’t have to go back. And she certainly didn’t want to go back alone.

“I promise.”

His palpable relief gave her pause.

He cares.

He was a good man—he’d always been a good man.