“If who is busy?” Tessa’s voice came from behind Lori.
Lori turned to see Tessa walking toward them. She must have left Jake in the basement to work.
“Tessa!” Piper stood up and ran to her for a hug, which Tessa returned warmly. “Do you want to come with us for a ride to drop me at camp?”
“Uh...” Tessa’s eyes moved to Ryan, and something flickered in her expression that Lori couldn’t quite read. “I don’t know. Jake is here working on the fuse box. I should probably stay and make sure he has everything he needs.”
“That’s okay, Tessa,” Lori interrupted quickly, sensing an opportunity. “I’ll look after Jake. You go ahead.”
“Are you sure?” Tessa asked, looking relieved.
“Absolutely,” Lori assured her.
“Okay then,” Tessa said, a smile spreading across her face. “Let me put my sandals on and let Jake know I’m leaving.”
“Great,” Ryan said, though his smile had tightened considerably. “We’ll wait for you at my pickup.”
“Okay,” Tessa agreed, then turned and ran upstairs.
Ryan looked like he wanted to say something else, but he just nodded and started to turn away. Then he seemed to remember something and turned back.
“Lori, my father said to tell you to please give him a call to let him know when you have some time this morning,” Ryan said. “He wants to introduce you to his friend who has come to visit for a while.”
That must be Marcus, Lori realized. Mitch wanted to introduce her to Marcus.
“Okay, I’ll call him as soon as Jake leaves,” Lori told him, smiling.
“I’ll see you later, Misty,” Piper said, giving the dog one more enthusiastic hug. “Have a nice day, Lori.” She waved and bounded out the door with all the energy only a ten-year-old could have.
“Bye! Have a good day at camp,” Lori called after her.
“See you later,” Ryan said to Lori, then followed his niece down the porch steps and across to his pickup truck.
Lori stood at the door, watching them go. A few minutes later, Tessa came hurrying down the stairs, sandals in hand. She hopped on one foot as she slipped them on, then grabbed her purse from the hook by the door.
“Thanks for this,” Tessa said, giving Lori a quick hug and peck on the cheek. “I won’t be long.”
“Take your time,” Lori told her. “Enjoy yourself.”
Tessa flashed her a grateful smile and rushed out the door.
Lori watched from the front door as Tessa climbed into Ryan’s pickup. Piper was already buckled in the middle of the bench seat, and Tessa slid in beside her. Ryan said something that made both Tessa and Piper laugh, and then they pulled out of the driveway.
Lori stood there at the door, a genuine smile on her face for the first time that day.
Despite everything that was happening—the surveillance, the danger, the fear, the realization that she and Tessa might both be targets—despite all of that darkness, there was still some light.
There was still the possibility of joy. Of connection. Of love.
Looking at Ryan and Tessa, seeing the way they orbited each other even when they tried not to, seeing Piper light up around Tessa and Tessa soften around Ryan, Lori realized something.
There might be a love story unfolding through all this danger and mystery this summer after all.
And that thought, more than anything else, gave her hope.
6
MITCH
