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“Stop.” I slam my hand on the front console.
“Cole.” Savannah stares at me in shock.
“My brothers don’t need to hear what I just heard, and neither does Leia. I’ll speak to Noah, but you stay out of this from now on, okay? Promise me that.” I wait for her to nod before I get out the truck and slam the door, marching for the stable so I can saddle up Rebel and take a ride.
Ifeel like a fraud when I step inside the house and have to act like nothing just happened. Of course, I understand why Cole thinks we should keep what we found out today to ourselves. I saw how it affected him and I just wish he would let me comfort him.
“How did it go?” Maisie asks, popping Brianna into the playpen with her brothers and heading over to join me on the couch.
“It was a dead end. Just an empty house,” I lie to my best friend and feel awful for it.
“At least you checked it out.” She shrugs.
“Where’s everyone else?” I look around at the unusually quiet house. Jimmer and his friends went to help Wade and Garrett at the cabin. Leia’s having lunch with her mom and sister, and Josie is sitting with Everleigh while Mitch does some work. Quiet, isn’t it?” She rests her head on the back of the couch and smiles.
“Too quiet.” I flop myself back to join her and sigh heavily.
“Where did Garrett say Harvey was staying?” I ask when a thought suddenly comes to mind.
“The Mountain Spring Resort. Why?” Maisie lifts her head back up and stares at me cautiously.
“Just wondered. I thought it might have been the same place where Leia’s mom likes to eat,” I lie again
“Wade would never have let her go where Harvey’s staying.” Maisie shakes her head. “And speaking of lunch, do you want me to make us some, or better still,youcould make some of those brownies?”
“I’d love to but I have somewhere I need to be.” I tap her leg before hauling myself up off the couch and heading for the stairs.
“Where?” Maisie stands up and stares at me suspiciously.
“I told Fiona at the guesthouse that I’d help out, remember? Wasn’t it you that told me I should look for something to do?” The lies just keep on coming and it shocks and scares me how easy it becomes.
Maisie buys my story and I quickly head upstairs. Routing through some of my old things, I pack what I’ll need in a rucksack then try to locate my phone before I head back downstairs but there’s no sign of it anywhere.
“What’s with the bag?” Maisie checks as I pass her.
“Just thought I’d take some old clothes in case Fiona asks me to do some work outside.” I’m impressed with how quickly I come up with that.
“Have you seen my phone?” I check the couch, getting frustrated when I fail to find it.
“Did you take it with you this morning?” Maisie joins in with helping me locate it.
“Yeah, I’ll bet it’s still in Cole’s truck.” I kiss her cheek and head out the door, making a beeline for Cole’s truck to find it before anyone else tries to question me on where I’m going. I don’t see it when I first open the door, then I figure it must have fallen out of my pocket when I pulled those race car maneuvers to get Cole away from the house I insisted we visit.
I search around the footwell, then when I slide back the driver’s seat I notice the leather whip under it and pull it free.It's tacky with fresh blood and my heart gets swallowed up by sadness when I realize why.
“What ya doin’?” I hear his voice come from behind me and quickly tuck it back in place.
“Just trying to find my phone.” I wipe the blood from my hand under the seat and quickly spin around to face him.
“It’s here. I was just coming to find ya so I could give it to ya.” He reaches inside his pocket and pulls it out. “That… and to say sorry.” He drops his head. “I shouldn’t have taken all that out on you. I just… I just don’t want my brothers to have those kinda thoughts in their heads, not while they’re so happy.”
“I understand that and I won’t say anything. I promise.” I let him drag me by my waist to be closer to him.
“Savannah, I need you to leave this Harvey thing alone now. Garrett knows what he’s doin’. We got my uncle helpin’ us. It’s gonna be okay.”
“Sure.” I nod my head, feeling angry and sorry for him all at the same time.
“Where ya headin’?” He tips his chin when he notices the bag on my shoulder.
