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“Haven?”
“Tess, I’m so sorry. I really am.”
The next sentence she utters steals my breath.
I want to turn back time a day, an hour, to anything before I had this knowledge.
The taste of bile is on my tongue and my voice scratches. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. He could have gotten off easy by naming Carrington and he held out.”
I shut my eyes. “Oh.”
“We’ve dealt with him. But that still leaves another problem.”
“Right.”
“Tessie?” Her voice becomes more gentle. “Are you okay? I’m at the club right now. I can come and get you.”
“I’m fine.” Except I’m not. I’m screaming inside.
“Text me later so I know you got home all right,” she says.
I look up and see Uncle Josh is watching me. The look on my face must be pretty transparent because he stands up.
“Will do,” I say to Haven and she clicks off without saying goodbye.
I need a minute. I need to think. I need to breathe.
I need Micah.
But I also need to sit down. If I don’t, I might collapse out here on the yellow bricks.
My uncle is about to come out and ask what the hell is happening.
There’s no way I can tell him. I need to sort this out in my racing mind before confronting the consequences.
I’m not hungry in the slightest but standing out here in a state of shock while my uncle worries isn’t a solution.
My troubled mind asks if there’s any way Josh Ballerini could have known.
Flashing back to the events of that night, I think not.
No, Josh couldn’t have known. He risked his own life.
Josh leaves the table when I finally walk through the café door. “You look like you’re going to pass out.”
“Just morning sickness.” I flash a weak smile. “It’s actually not just for mornings.”
He gets me settled in a chair and passes the bread basket. “Try and eat something. Maybe it’ll help.”
I select a buttery herb roll and nibble on a corner as a waiter fills my water glass.
“Could I get a green mint iced tea please?”
“Absolutely.” The waiter hands me a laminated menu.
Josh seems satisfied that I’m being taken care of. He scans the menu. “How’s Micah today?”
