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I know how to make your body sing, Ava, in a way that no one else has or will again. The reason no one will again is because I have no intention of ever letting you go.
Had he meant those words? Did she really ma
tter to him, and would she still after this nightmare ended?
“Come on,” she heard him say, taking each girl’s hand in his. When they let go, Ava missed the warmth and comfort the sweet girls gave her.
“Wanna come along?” Tabon asked.
Ava nodded, still unable to find her voice with him.
“I thought they were twins,” she told him after they’d been on the beach long enough that the girls had lost interest in playing frisbee and were playing in the water instead.
“I can understand why you would’ve thought that. It’ll only be a minute before Savannah is taller than Sierra.”
“I’m sorry for what I said earlier. I don’t hate you.”
“I know you don’t, and I knew you didn’t when you said it. And you were right, if something like what you’re going through ever happened to Saylor, the only way anyone could stop me from trying to find her would be to shackle me.”
“I’m so scared.” She sat on the sand, lowered her head, and Tabon sat next to her.
“Come here,” he said, putting his arm around her and drawing her close to him.
There wasn’t a single thing she could think of that would feel better right now, except a hug from her sister.
“I asked Saylor to come over to get her advice.”
“What about?”
“You.”
“I was afraid you were going to say that. Has Saylor been a bodyguard too? I know that isn’t what you really do but you know what I mean.”
“No, but she’s always given me the best advice when it came to girls I liked.”
Ava stared out at the waves. It was low tide, so they rolled in gently, rather than crashing against the rocks on the shoreline. “What was her advice?” she asked without looking at him.
“To give you space, but never be too far away. Be smart enough to know when you need me to leave you alone and when, instead, to give you a hug.”
“Does she know about…you know?”
“No. And she wouldn’t ask.”
Ava nodded. “So, she just thinks I’m a bitch?”
“Saylor is the least judgmental person I know.”
“Aine is like that.”
Tabon nodded. “I want you to understand I know how hard this is for you. I truly believe our team will find your sister and bring her back safe, or I would’ve been on that plane myself.”
“But you stayed with me instead.”
“I did.” Tabon scrubbed his face with his hand. “Do you not understand that I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to you?”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, again trying so hard not to cry.
“There’s nothing for you to be sorry for. I get that you think I’m this annoying guy who has the hots for you, but it’s so much more than that for me, Ava. There hasn’t been a day since I met you that you haven’t popped into my head at least once.”
