She squeezed my hand. “I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I swear I’ll do everything I can to earn it.”
Despite the tears still rolling over her cheeks, her lips lifted into a small smile. Before I knew it, she reached across the console and drew me into a hug.
I was too stunned—and honestly, too freaked out—to move even an inch. My arms stayed glued to my sides while I awkwardly rested my chin on her shoulder.
It lasted maybe a second before Eleanor pulled away and shrank back in her seat. “That was weird, right?”
I nodded but didn’t say anything.
She gave me a sheepish smile. “That’s okay. We’ll get to where we once were. One step at a time.”
I wasn’t so sure. Thankfully, I didn’t have to tell her that since my phone buzzed in my lap. I sawMomflash on the screen before I answered the call.
“Come home.”
There was an urgency in her voice that made my heart stutter.
“What happened?”
“Sweetie, come home. Tristan is here, and so is his detective friend…”
I didn’t hear what else my mom said. If Mac was there too, there would be news. I just didn’t know whether it was good or bad.
“We need to go back.”
Chapter forty
Kate
We were out of that parking lot and on the road before I had time to take a proper breath. Weaving through the traffic like a professional race car driver, my sister pulled into my driveway in no time at all.
I was out and running toward the house just as the front door swung open. My entire world stopped.
“Millie.”
Hauling her into my arms, I held my little girl close to my chest. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry,” I sobbed into her hair. “I’m never leaving you again. Never.”
More tears fell. This time, the wetness staining my cheeks came from relief. The guilt was still there. I didn’t think it’d go away any time soon. But it didn’t matter. I had my girl in my arms, and I meant it when I told her I was never leaving her.
I had no idea how long I held her like that before a warm hand smoothed up my back.
“Baby,” Tristan’s voice sounded next to my ear. “Mac needs to talk to us.”
I shook my head. “I’m not letting her go.”
Millie didn’t speak, but the way her hold around my neck tightened told me she felt the same.
“Let your mom sit with our girl for a few minutes.” His fingers trailed over my skin as he pushed my hair behind my ear. “Please.”
It was the pleading tone of his voice that drew my gaze to his. We looked the same: dark circles, red-rimmed eyes. Only he wore a haunted expression that chilled me to the bone.
Because of that, I agreed to have my mom sit with Millie in her room. The way she cried when I walked away threatened to break my heart in two. Halfway to the living room, I hurried back and pulled her back into my embrace.
“I won’t be long. As soon as I am done with the detective, I’m coming straight back here.” I kissed her forehead. “I promise.”
“I’m scared,” she sniffled.
“Oh, Bug.” I held her a little longer before reluctantly joining Tristan and Mac in the living room.
