“Tell Miranda not to worry,” she says gently. “This isn’t as bad as she thinks.”
I swallow hard. “Okay. Thank you.”
“I got you,” she assures me.
And with that, I step out of her office—hopeful.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-NINE
MIRANDA
As much as I try to follow Miles’s advice—to relax, to breathe, to distract myself—it’s impossible. I’ve done nothing but think, and pace…and think some more. I’ve worn a path into the living room rug, back and forth, so many times that my feet actually hurt. My mind refuses to slow down. Every horrific scenario loops on repeat, my pulse tripping over itself every time my imagination gets too loud.
There’s a soft knock on the door, and my head whips toward the sound. My stomach drops. I force myself to stand, walk over, and pull it open.
Anna stands there, holding a grocery bag.
“Hey,” she says gently.
“Hi. What are you doing here?” I stammer, praying Miles didn’t call her.
She steps inside without answering, sets the bag on the foyer table, and wraps her arms around me in a hug. The second her chin touches my shoulder, I know.
Miles definitely called her.
A part of me wants to push her away, to beg her to stop taking care of me like I’m still that broken girl she once rescued. But I don’t. I hold her tight and let the quiet settle between us.
Just love. Which somehow makes my chest ache even more.
When she finally pulls back, she gives me a sad, soft smile. “Miles called me.”
I nod. “Of course he did.”
She squeezes my hand, grabs the grocery bag with her other hand, and says, “Come on. We have ice cream to eat.”
In the kitchen, she scoops the ice cream she brought into two bowls. We sit across from each other at the table like we’ve done a thousand times.
“So,” I ask, bracing myself, “what do you know?”
“Pretty much everything, I think. Miles filled me in.”
My throat tightens. “I’m sorry. I just… I really didn’t want to burden you with this.”
She shakes her head instantly. “Miranda, if I had a problem—or if I was sad or scared or needed help—and I didn’t tell you… how would you feel?”
“Horrible,” I admit.
“Exactly.” She reaches across the table, taking my hand. “I want to help you. I want to be here for you. Because I love you.”
A humorless laugh escapes me. “Yeah. That’s what people keep saying.”
“Well, first of all,” Anna says pointedly, “Miles wanted me to tell you not to worry, and that he’s handling everything.”
“Yeah,” I mutter. “That’s what he says. He seems pretty confident, but I just don’t see how.”
She shrugs lightly. “Even if he doesn’t fix it… so what?We don’t need to give our energy to entertainment gossip.”
