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We walked away from Mya and Oliver, heading toward the gates where our SUVs were parked outside. Were they really getting along? That was weird. But nothing about the last several days had been exactly normal, so . . .
“You sure Charley and Lucy will be good to go back Stateside?” I asked, walking alongside Gray and Jesse.
“Yeah, my dad messaged me that they’re good,” Gray confirmed, and my good shoulder dropped another inch in relief. My bad one was still out of commission from any movement.
When we closed in on where Camila and Charley were hugging, we stopped and hung back, giving them space.
As the adrenaline left my body, my injured shoulder began reminding me of exactly how pissed off it was. I set my hand over the temporary wrap, realizing I probably ought to get it looked at before we flew home.
“You think she’ll want to go back to California?” Jesse’s question caught me off guard. “Or maybe live near your place in Virginia?”
I was only renting a place in Virginia because Gray and his wife were in that area. And as much as I wanted to find something there long term, well . . . was it too soon for me to tell Charley I’d go wherever she went? If she still wanted me in her life after this. Just because she saw a vision of my mother didn’t mean . . .
Fuck, now my heart was aching more than my shoulder. We hadn’t even had a real date yet. I was putting the cart before the horse, or whatever it was my dad used to say.
“I don’t know,” I whispered, unsure what to think as Camila and Charley approached us.
Charley set her sights on her sister who was still talking to Mason, then she focused back on me.
“I’m so sorry about everything,” Camila said when they reached us. “But I think it all worked out how it was supposed to.”
“And Erik? Do you know what will happen to him?” Charley asked her.
“He won’t be a problem for you, that much I know,” Camila said with a firm nod, then she peered around the sprawling estate still buzzing with activity. “I take it Carter took off?”
“That he did,” Gray said with a smile.
“I’ll find him. He can’t be too far.” Camila patted Gray on the shoulder. “I’ll be seeing you all soon.”
“Oh yeah? Another op? Can’t we have a little break?” Gray asked in a semi-teasing tone, and Camila lifted her brows and winked before walking toward the direction of some of her teammates, still talking to the uniformed officers.
“Sooo.” Jesse slapped his palms together and held them in a prayer position. “I’d like to get home to my wife now.”
“What do you say?” I turned to Charley, deciding Jesse was right and my shoulder could wait. “Ready to go?”
She stepped closer and set her hand on my chest, covering my heart. “There’s somewhere I’d like to go when we’re Stateside. Somewhere I need to be.”
I nodded in understanding. “Visit your mother?” I couldn’t imagine never having the chance to properly mourn my parents, and she’d been robbed of that.
“Yes, that’s what I’d like to do first,” she said, her tone hoarse, likely from nearly drowning, but also from the emotions catching up with her. “Can we have a second, please?” She looked at the others, motioning between me and her, and they quietly left us alone. Well, as alone as we could be with thirty uniforms in the backyard near the pool that had nearly stolen her from me.
“Something you want to say?” I cupped her cheek and smoothed my thumb over her dimple. Instead of flinching, she leaned into my touch.
“There is.” Her eyes fell closed.
Fuck. She was going to run. Tell me she wanted to visit her mother’s gravesite alone, and that she needed time away. And could I give her that time?
“I don’t own much, but what little I have is in Spain. I need to pack up my things. I don’t know where to go after that, or what I’ll even do. I never let myself plan a life that didn’t involve constantly being on the go,” she rambled, her voice trembling.
“Well, the beauty of it is, you now have your whole life ahead of you to figure it out,” I murmured, reaching for her wrist. I smoothed my thumb over the ink that said Never Let Go written there. “If you need time, I, um, understand.” I just hate it, and I want to take back those words, because screw time. I want you now and forever.
Her eyelids parted, and her glossy eyes met mine. “I do need time.” She wet her lips, and my heart was on the verge of shattering into multiple pieces that’d cut me apart from the inside out. “But I was wondering if you’d spend that time with me?” She swallowed. “Ever been to Spain?”
Chills racked my body, and every fiber in my being may have snapped from relief. Pretty sure she might have to catch me this time, because I was going to fall. “I have.” My turn to gulp.
She stepped back and opened her palm. “Feel like going again? I’ll totally be putting those muscles of yours to work packing and carrying boxes, but . . .”
I accepted her palm and gently tugged her against me. “I’ll follow you anywhere,” I rasped. “And you can use me all you want.”
