“You have to know how dangerous this is,” he said, pleading that she would see this from all sides.
“I believe you. I really do. And I promise to be careful and listen to you, but I’m doing it either way.” Her words were final, laced with a determination that was both admirable and made his blood pressure rise.
He turned his hand to clasp hers. If they were stuck here for who knows how long, they might as well get along. “No one is doing anything right now. Can we not talk about it?”
Her hold on his hand relaxed and she nodded. “Okay.”
Zach nodded toward the couch. “You sit. I’m going to find us something to eat.”
Maybe he could think of a way to get her out of this if he wasn’t looking into her pleading eyes, but staying away from her was going to be tough now that they were snowed in together.
35
Lauren
Zach was doing an amazing job avoiding her. He brought her breakfast to the living room, they ate oatmeal in silence by the fire, then he disappeared.
She’d made it through a few chapters of the book that had been lying on the end table by the couch, butA Psychological Look at the Salem Witch Trialswasn’t holding her attention. Marking her place with one of the bookmarks made by the kids in her Sunday School class, she put the book down and pushed to her feet.
Her ankle was sore, and the skin around the cut on her arm tugged as she rose. A dull ache had settled in her neck and shoulders that served as another reminder of the fall.
Just because she refused to give up her search for Anthony didn’t mean she was blind to the mistake she’d made. Zach had been trying to scare her, and it worked. She didn’t want to attract the attention of any criminal organization if she could help it.
Still, the news that Zach had gone back there stung. She’d trusted him. She’d put away all her defenses and stopped looking for signs of deception.
But she’d done the same wrongs to him. Keeping secrets had hurt them both. If they were ever going to work through this, she had to own up to her faults.
Pressing the ball of her foot to the floor, she tested the injured ankle. The twinge that shot up her leg wasn’t anywhere near as bad as it had been yesterday or even this morning. With a quick hop, she took the first step.
Flattening her hand against the wall, she went in search of Zach. After a series of slow hops, she found him in the kitchen, resting his back against the counter. With his arms crossed over his chest, he stared at the floor, deep in thought.
When she stepped on a part of the floor that creaked, Zach raised his chin and his eyes widened. He pushed off the counter. “What are you?—”
She held up a hand, urging him to stay put. She had to do this on her own. He’d saved her once, but this time, she had something to save too.
He relaxed again, and she hobbled over to him. Stopping toe to toe with him, she looked up into his stormy eyes. He was so much bigger than her, yet he’d handled her with the utmost care as he carried her around the house.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m sorry for keeping things from you. I’m sorry for not trusting you withthe truth. I’m sorry I hurt you.” Her breath caught on the last word. “I’m sorry I?—”
“Stop,” he said. “I’msorry.”
Her chest was near bursting. She’d been prepared to have her apology thrown back in her face. Not this. “What?”
“I’m sorry,” he repeated as he wrapped his arms around her waist and gently pulled until she was flush against him. Her feet barely touched the floor, relieving the strain on her ankle.
Zach buried his face against her neck. “I’m sorry I went back. I shouldn’t have. I was mad at you, and I didn’t trust you.”
Oh no. She’d driven him back there. For all her hopes and efforts, she’d managed to do the opposite of her intentions.
“I knew it was wrong. Then I hated keeping it from you.”
She cradled the back of his head in her hand. “I know how that feels.”
“I still think they would have come after me eventually, but…who knows?”
“It doesn’t matter,” she said, “whatever happens, we’ll face it together.”
Zach slowly raised his head, looking at her as if just realizing who she was. “I don’t want you anywhere near my problems.”
