I stare at her for a moment, deciding if I’m ready to read my words out loud. If she hates it, at least she’ll be on the road soon and I won’t have to see her for two weeks. I tuck a pillow behind my back, cross my legs underneath me, and open my computer.
I glance at Cam, and she nods her encouragement for me to begin. “I have nowhere to be and nothing but time. Read to me.”
“We need to get your car from—” I almost saidGabriel’s.
Is that in my lexicon now? Gabriel has a physical place again?
“The woodworking shop,” I finish.
Cam eyes me. She knows what I nearly said. “It’s not going anywhere.”
I take a deep breath and open my mouth.
Here we go.
CHAPTER 3
AVERY
My sister stares at me,slack-jawed.
Slowly, I close the laptop. I read to her for nearly three hours, pausing once to get water, and a second time for the bathroom.
“That’s it.” My shoulders reach up to my ears, then drop heavily. “That’s all I have so far.”
Cam gnaws on her lower lip. “I…I don’t know what to say.”
“You’ve been stunned into silence? I should be recording this.”
Cam smirks. “Just kidding. My words are back.” She reaches for my hand. “Avery, I didn’t realize everything you went through. You never told me about St. Lucia.”
“I couldn’t bring myself to.”
“I get it. If Dani was the one struggling, I don’t know if I’d be able to tell people either.”
“Apparently I’m ready to tell people.” I gesture at the computer on my lap as trepidation washes over me. “I don’t know. We’ll see. Sometimes when I think about telling our story, it feels like I’m betraying Gabriel.”
“He told you to use your story.”
“He was in an emotional place when he wrote that letter. What if he doesn’t mean it anymore?”
“I guess you could ask him.”
I shake my head. “I think it would be better if I stayed away from him.” Better for me. My mental, and emotional, health.
“Whatever you say, Baxter.” Cam drops my hand and climbs off the bed. “I need to get going back to Phoenix. Come on.”
I drive Camryn to Intricate Wood Works, where she abandoned her car to whisk me away from the sudden appearance of my past. She gives me one long look before she leaves, and hugs me hard.
“Are you going to be ok?” Her forehead creases in concern. “I can stay overnight. Cuddle in bed with you. Tell spooky stories and scare the crap out of each other.”
I laugh softly. “No, I’m ok. I promise.” I look over at Intricate Wood Works. Is Gabriel in there? Probably not. It’s late in the day, and there aren’t other cars in the parking lot, and even if there were, I wouldn’t know if it belonged to him. Does he still have his truck?
Camryn follows my gaze. “You can always come home,” she says, looking back at me. “You don’t have to stay here.”
I shake my head. “I want to stay. When else will I get an opportunity like this? To sit in the woods and focus on my book? Besides, you saw where I’m staying. There are only a few other places nearby. I’m not going to run into Gabriel again, and I’m not going to go looking for him.”
Cam believes me, or at least she accepts my words. I tell her she’s welcome up here at any point in the next couple weeks, and remind her to check my mail. She gives me a mock salute and takes off.
