"You’ve got that look," she insists, nodding like a smug psychic who just nailed her first prediction. She presses her lips together for emphasis. "You like him."
"He's really sweet," I say, turning my face away so I can hold onto the memory—him sitting beside me, his thigh brushing mine, the quiet weight of his arm as he pointed out each tattoo. The words inked into his skin:She’s all I have.
Something shifts in my chest, sudden and sharp. My heartbeat picks up, thudding hard against my ribs.Izzywas allIhad. And she was violently torn away from me.
"Elle. Earth to Elle," Tina's voice cuts through the haze, distant for a split second before snapping me back from the edge of the worst moment of my life.
"Now you’ve got another look," she says softly, her teasing replaced by something more tender. "You’re thinking about Izzy."
"You’re right," I whisper, the words catching a little in my throat. "You know me better than I know myself."
***
"You've been in a brown study for days, Elle," Tina says, staring at me for a second, her brow furrowing with that familiar concern. "Your mind's been lost in some deep place, and you haven’t come up for air."
I blink at her, confused. "A brown study? What the heck is a brown study?"
Tina gives a soft laugh, shaking her head. "It’s a term my grandmother used to use. She’d say someone was in a ‘brown study’ when they were so wrapped up in their own thoughts, they might as well have vanished from the world for a while. Deep, but kind of melancholy, you know?"
I look away, feeling the weight of her words. I haven't exactly been the most present lately, my mind swirling in a haze of missing Izzy, wishing there was something I could’ve done. But I don’t want to go down that path again.
"Come on, Elle," Tina says, her tone shifting to something lighter. "I know it’s hard, but you've gotta snap out of it. You can't spend your days locked in your head. That's not how you're gonna find Izzy."
I shift uncomfortably, my mind still stuck on the same thing. It’s been too long, and I’ve been too passive.
“I know you’re right,” I say, my voice a little thicker than usual. "But I'm getting out of it. I just… I need to take action. I'll start making some calls to hire a private investigator. They’ll find her, Tina. They’ll find my sister.”
She looks at me, her expression determined. "I'm with you. Just tell me what you need."
I nod, the weight in my chest lifting slightly, but my plan solidifying. “You know, I’ve been stuck on how to do this for so long. I’ve been holding back, afraid of what I might find. I can’t keep waiting. I need to know what happened."
The light knock on the front door serves to snap me out of that brown study Tina described.
"Are you expecting anyone?" Tina asks, glancing at me with a raised eyebrow.
"I only know one person in town," I remind her, my voice almost distracted.
"Cal," we both say in unison.
She walks to the door and swings it open. It's him. Tall, broad-shouldered, with a relaxed confidence in his stance that makes my heart do a little flip. He's wearing jeans, a crisp white T-shirt and work boots. He's holding a small bouquet of wildflowers in one hand, his other hand casually resting on the doorframe as he smiles at Tina.
"Hey," he says, his voice low and warm, his eyes flicking over to me, lingering a moment longer than necessary.
"Hi," I say, almost a little breathlessly. I didn’t expect him to show up like this. I didn't expect him to look this good.
Tina raises an eyebrow and glances between us. "Well, well," she murmurs under her breath, but I can tell she's intrigued more than anything.
“I thought I’d stop by,” Cal says with that trademark half-smile. “I didn’t get your number the last time I saw you, and you haven’t been on the trail this week.” He holds up the flowers—a simple, thoughtful gesture. “Figured I’d bring these by... and while I’m here, maybe ask for your number.”
I stare at the bouquet, my mind racing as I try to make sense of the fact that Cal is standing here. I didn’t expect him to take such a personal interest.
“That’s... really sweet of you,” I say, taking the flowers from him. “Thank you.”
Tina watches us with an amused look. “So, how have you been, Mr. Good Neighbor?” she teases, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed.
Cal chuckles, clearly unfazed by her playful tone. “I’m better now,” he says, his gaze settling on me again. “Much better.”
“I can see that,” Tina replies, clearly picking up on the current passing between us.
