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The officer sets down his pen and shrugs, scratching his forehead so that it nudges his hat brim up and down.
“Don’t worry about whatever you told him. The state will make sure he doesn’t come to collect. And you said what you needed to say to get out of the situation. That’s the most important thing, Miss Goring.”
Maxwell pulls me closer and buries his face in my hair. “That’s absolutely the most important thing,” he murmurs in my ear.
Finally the officer sighs, stretching and standing. He shifts his heavy belt with all of the leather compartments and keys on it to hike his pants up.
“That’s all we need from you today,” he informs me. “You may have to testify at some point down the road, but we will handle it from here. You are free to go.”
“Thank you, officer,” I mumble.
Maxwell helps me to standing, and guides me out of the police station. Back in the night air, I realize how completely exhausted I am. I can barely walk, but he’s there to help me.
Chapter 17
Maxwell
I can tell that she is shaken, but I’m shocked at how strong she is. She lets me help her into the car and I drive her home, listening to her take deep, calming breaths every couple of minutes.
When I park in front of her house, she turns to me with a questioning expression. I remember that I was giving her space, but now it is clear she’s asking me to stay. I don’t want to make her say the words out loud.
She lets me go ahead of her and I open up the door, walking swiftly to the house to see that it is secure. When I return to the living room I find her curled up on the couch with her shoes on the floor beneath her, her knees drawn almost nearly to her chest.
“She must have given him a key,” she says softly, figuring it out. “Or he stole her keys. Maybe. I had to make her a new set a few months ago.”
“This is not your fault,” I explain gently, taking a seat next to her and holding her hands. “You could not have known this was going to happen.”
Her eyelashes flutter as she looks at me, searching my eyes for answers to questions she won’t even ask. All I can do is be here and hold her hands, waiting for her mind to settle.
“How did you know?” she whispers plaintively. “How did you know to come back?”
“I didn’t know,” I admit. “I watched you walk in, and waited for a light to go on or something. I didn’t want you to leave. I was hoping you’d come back.”
“Really?” she asks, disbelieving. “That’s amazing. He came out of nowhere and I thought it was over. I really thought he would… I mean, if you hadn’t…”
“I couldn’t leave things like that,” I explain softly. “I needed to know how you felt. I had to ask you. I couldn’t leave it alone for another day, or a few more hours. I couldn’t wait that long.”
Silence hardens beneath us like concrete. If I don’t talk to her now, I may never get through it again. The truth is, I was chasing her. I promised myself to give her space, and immediately broke that promise.
“You don’t have to be in love with me,” I reassure her. “In fact, I can’t believe I’m even bringing it up so soon. But I need you to know. You don’t have to love me back yet. I just need to know if maybe, one day…”
The house is completely silent. I can only hear the ticking of the clock in the hallway and the sound of her breath. Her hands are warm in mine. She looks away for a moment, and then looks back.
“What if I’m afraid?” she asks, so softly I barely hear her.
“You can be afraid.”
“Well, I am afraid,” she admits.
I squeeze her hands tighter. I can sense how much she has to struggle to get these words out.
“But I am falling in love with you too, Maxwell,” she finally says, then breaks into a weird, happy laugh.
“And that is… funny?”
“No, not exactly funny. But yes.”
I’m confused, suddenly sheepish. I did just open my heart to this woman. And she’s laughing?
