AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Wren
Elliegrabbedmyelbow tentatively as she opened the door to her car.
I narrowed my eyes. “I can get in the car all by myself, El.” I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
Her big blue eyes widened as she shrugged, not taking her hand away. “I’m not going to risk it. If anything happens to you between here and home, Atlas will probably arrest me.”
I sighed. It had been almost two weeks since I’d been dragged out of that basement. Two weeks of doctors and hospital beds and healing. Atlas had been by my side for almost all of it, but he’d taken all the vacation he could and had to work today. Which was why Ellie was finally, finally bringing me home from this godforsaken hospital.
“I’m fine,” I insisted as I gingerly lowered myself into the car, wincing. My wounds were healing well, but I hadn’t moved around this much in a while and my muscles were reluctant.
Only when I was safely sitting in the car did Ellie let go of my elbow. Her eyes scanned me briefly, a flicker of sadness flashing in them before she forced her lips into a smile and snapped the door to the car shut.
Ellie rounded the car and climbed into the driver’s seat. She picked up one of two iced coffees sitting in the cup holders and handed me one with a wink. “You’re welcome.”
I took it with a grin. “You’re the best.”
“I know.” She shifted into drive and pulled out of the hospital parking lot.
I took a sip of my coffee. The sweet, comforting taste fueled my soul as I leaned back in the seat and looked out the window. I was so excited to be getting out, but part of me was nervous to go home. I’d decided to go back to the little guest house I’d come to love so much.
“I can’t believe I’m going home,” I said, my heart fluttering.
Ellie was quiet a moment, and I glanced at her from the corner of my eye. Her face was pinched with that unfamiliar sadness that had plagued her the last couple of weeks.
She cleared her throat. “Speaking of home.” Her eyes flicked to mine briefly. “Have y'all heard from him?”
All my excitement flattened like a deflated balloon. I glanced down at my coffee, swallowing the bad news I had to tell her. “He’s…been in touch with Atlas. But I don’t think he’s planning on coming back soon.”
The silence was heavy. Ty had unexpectedly left town the days following my rescue. No one knew where he went or why, but Atlas thought it had something to do with their father. Ty had been to visit him the day that he died, and Atlas said he didn’t seem quite right after that. He’d just been too focused on me to be able to do anything about it.
Ellie nodded, her hands gripping the steering wheel. Ellie had been there for me so much these past couple of weeks, and she pretended she was fine, but I caught the glimpses she tried to hide when she thought people weren’t looking. I knew what had happened with Tony had shaken her more than she was letting on. And I think Ty’s sudden disappearance devastated her more than she was willing to admit. She wouldn’t talk to me about it, but she was struggling. I just wasn’t sure how to get through to her yet.
“Ellie,” I said softly, unsure how to comfort her.
She shook her head, a smile so wide it almost looked manic plastered on her face. “Anyways,” her voice took on a false cheeriness as she pulled onto the highway toward the bridge into Cypress Falls, “will you be coming back to work when you’re all healed up and finally get that awful cast off?”
I sighed, knowing she wasn’t going to talk about Ty anymore. She firmly shut that door. She did it every time.
“I’m not sure.” I answered Ellie’s question honestly. Wanda had visited me in the hospital a few times and offered me my job back, with incessant apologies. She didn’t tell me exactly what had happened to convince her I hadn’t stolen the money, but I’d received a suspiciously large flower arrangement sent from Liv Johnston while I was healing. She hadn’t apologized, but the card had wished me well.
“I love working there, but after everything that happened, I think I want to try something different.”
Ellie raised a brow. “Really? Like what?”
I took another drink of coffee. “I think I might finish my massage therapy schooling.”
Ellie’s eyes widened. “Massage therapy? I didn’t know you went to school for that. That sounds amazing. And I can’t believe you’ve never offered your services before.” She glared at me playfully with narrowed eyes.
I smiled. “I’m so sorry. Anytime I need to practice, I’ll let you know.”
“Good.” She nodded.
My smile fell as I glanced out the window again and realized we’d missed our turn. “Ellie,” I said. “Where are you going?”
Ellie bit her lip. “Hey, I’m only following directions.” She put a hand up. “I was told to bring you somewhere that isn’t home.”
I frowned, my brow furrowing. “Directions? Directions from who?”
