“You don’t call. You send exactly three texts a year,” she said, the words wobbling despite her best effort. “And now you’re just… here. With a black eye.”
Eli stood then. He was her big brother, solid in that familiar way, but when he looked at her, the bravado slipped just enough for her to see the wear underneath.
“I need to lay low,” he said. “Figured Crystal Lake was the last place anyone would look. I was hoping you wouldn’t mind?—”
Grace didn’t hesitate. Not even a second.
“Of course you can stay here.”
Relief flashed across his face before he could stop it. He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “You didn’t even ask how long.”
“I don’t care how long,” she said. “You’re family.”
He huffed out a quiet laugh. “You’re my little sister. I should be the one looking out for you.”
She stepped closer, wrapping her arms around his middle. He froze for half a beat—then melted into it, arms coming around her, holding her tight.
For a moment, Grace forgot everything else.
The heartbreak. The ache. The careful way she’d been holding herself together all day.
Eli hugged her like he meant it. Like she was enough.
“You okay, Gracie?” he murmured into her hair, voice softer now.
Her throat burned. She nodded against him. “Yeah.”
It was a lie. But it was a survivable one.
He pulled back just enough to look at her, eyes narrowing with big-brother scrutiny. “You don’t look okay.”
She swiped at her face and forced a smile. “Long day. First graders and… life.”
“Ah,” he said knowingly. “Life’ll do it.”
She glanced at his eye again, worry clawing back in. “You really should ice that.”
He sighed, surrendering. “Okay, okay. Ice. But only because you look like you might fight me if I say no.”
She snorted despite herself and stepped away, heading for the freezer. As she grabbed a bag of frozen peas, she glanced back at him.
“You hungry?” she asked, nodding toward the pastry box on the counter. “I’ve got a raspberry Danish with your name on it.”
His grin widened, genuine this time. “God, I missed you.”
Grace smiled, something warm and steady settling in her chest.
“Yeah,” she said softly. “Me too.”
Grace lockedher front door and stood on the small porch for a second longer than usual. Inside, Eli was still asleep on her couch. He’d insisted he was fine, that he just needed a day or two to regroup.
But black eyes didn’t come from nothing. Neither did the way he’d flinched when a car backfired down the street last night.
She adjusted her tote on her shoulder and turned?—
—and froze.
Luke stood near the curb, one hand resting on the roof of his cruiser. Uniform crisp. Badge catching the morning light.
