“And the sheriff will get that information eventually,” her father added. “You just won’t be here to watch them escalate.”
Addie’s chest rose and fell on a deep inhale. Noah tightened his fingers around her thigh.
Jesus, her parents were really pushing it. Did they not respect Addie’s wishes at all? She was an adult, for Christ’s sake.
“Mom, Dad, I really appreciate you coming to check on me,” she started slowly. “I’ve missed you both so much, but my answer hasn’t changed. There is nothing you can say that will make me leave.”
Annoyance flared in her father’s eyes, while her mother just looked ready to keep arguing.
“Hi, Addie. Noah.”
Everyone looked up to see Jules by the table.
Noah frowned. The second Addie had told him that it wasn’t her who’d told the deputies about his flashbacks, he’d pieced together that it had to have been Jules. It hadn’t been Colt. And of course it hadn’t been Toby. She must have overheard his conversation with Colt when she was looking for the photo.
Addie smiled. “Hi, Jules. How are you today?”
Jules’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Probably just as shaken as you.”
Was it Noah, or was she avoiding looking at him?
Addie turned to her parents. “Jules, this is my mom and dad, Diana and Mark. Mom, Dad, Jules runs a food truck at the park. She was there when we found…Rhett yesterday.”
Jules’s brows shot up. “Your parents? I thought you lived in Bozeman.”
“We’re visiting,” her mother said gently, still looking worried.
“Oh, okay.” Jules tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “It’s nice to meet you both. You’re a teacher, right?”
Addie’s mother nodded. “I am. I managed to get some last-minute leave from work to come see Addie.”
“What a wonderful job. I always wanted to be a teacher, but life got in the way.” Jules cleared her throat, an emotion Noahcouldn’t place passing over the woman’s face. “Well, I’ll leave you all to it. Addie, let me know if you need anything, okay?”
Addie nodded. “Thank you.”
“She seems nice,” Diana said, once Jules left. “The poor woman though, finding that body with you.”
“Cass is the one I’m worried about,” Addie said gently. “She was dating Rhett.”
That was a little fact that Noah still found interesting. Neither Cass nor Rhett had mentioned anything to him or Colt. And there was still the fact that Cass had neglected to tell Jesse that Rhett had been left alone with the equipment. When Jesse had questioned her about it, she’d told him she’d just forgotten, but that was bullshit. She had to be covering for him.
Noah couldn’t trust her anymore, and a part of him wanted to let her go from the park for the omission, but they had time to think about it because obviously the park wasn’t reopening today like they’d planned.
Her father leaned forward. “Addie, I’d really like you to think about what we’re saying.”
Jesus Christ, they weren’t going to stop.
Addie climbed out of the booth. “I’m going to the bathroom, then I might need to go. I’ve got some work to do.”
Her mother stood too. “I’ll come with you, honey.”
If the expression on Addie’s face was anything to go by, she’d have preferred to go alone. Still, the two women crossed the café to the bathroom together.
Noah looked back to Addie’s father. “With all due respect, sir, I think this is Addison’s decision to make.”
Mark looked at Noah, expression unreadable. “Addie told me you’re a Marine.”
“No longer serving, but yes.”
