They climbed from the SUV, and she followed Robert, dreading facing his family.
Jessie shot a glance toward the front porch swing where she and Robert had spent many an evening talking and planning their lives together. He often played his guitar for her. Did he still play?
The front door opened as soon as they stepped up onto the wooden porch. Jake, a younger, stockier version of Robert and equally as handsome, stood there. He ushered them into the house, his eyes grazing over Jessie before they returned to his brother.
He pointed to the side of Robert’s face. “What happened?”
Robert turned his cheek away from Jake, which gave Jessie a better view of his face. A purplish bruise had formed high on his cheek and temple.
“Pendleton clipped me with the backside of an ax.”
An ax?
Jessie hated to think how much worse things could have turned out if Patrick had done more than clip Robert. What if the ax had been facing the other way? That queasy feeling took over her stomach again.
“Jessie,” Jake’s voice pulled her gaze away from Robert’s face. “Welcome home.”
She shook his outstretched hand. Did he mean welcome back in general? As in welcome back to Providence? Or welcome back to the Double Diamond?
Though brown like Robert’s, Jake didn’t have his brother’s long, thick lashes. But warmth filled his eyes. Jake had always been compassionate and caring, and that hadn’t changed.
Jessie didn’t see any of the anger or accusation in Jake’s eyes that she’d expected. She thought for sure Jake would hate her for the way she’d hurt Robert.
A slender auburn-haired beauty stepped up beside Jake and extended her hand. “Hi, I’m Emily.” Twin dimples creased her cheeks.
Right, the psychologist.
Emily seemed nice enough, but that didn’t mean Jessie was interested in spilling her guts to the woman. She wondered how Jake met Emily, though. She couldn’t see Jake seeking professional help for the mild anxiety he’d always suffered with.
Emily pulled Jessie to the sofa and sat beside her while Robert and Jake carried in Jessie’s bags. “Jake tells me you were like one of the family and practically lived here.”
Jessie nodded and tried to smile, but she couldn’t help feeling a twinge of sadness at Emily’s use of the past tense.
Chapter 15
Jessie lengthened her stride to keep up with Emily’s shorter-legged, but faster pace, wishing her stomach didn’t still feel so upset.
“So how did you and Jake meet?” she asked breathlessly.
When Emily told her last night that she always took a quick walk before breakfast and invited her along, Jessie assumed she meant a short walk.
They’d walked at least a mile already, and Emily didn’t look like she planned on turning around soon.
Emily flashed Jessie a smile. “Jake was my knight in shining armor last year, after I got abducted and injured in a car accident.” Jessie’s footsteps faltered at Emily’s matter-of-fact admission.
Abducted?
Jessie hurried to catch up to Emily, who’d kept a steady stream of conversation since they began their walk. “Someone kidnapped you?” she asked.
“Yes, after I witnessed a murder.”
Jessie stumbled. How could Jake’s pretty wife talk about something so traumatic with such ease?
Robert’s words filled her head.Emily’s a psychologist. She can help you work through things, if you’ll let her.
Jessie had no desire to talk to anyone about what she’d been through. She didn’t want to relive the mental, emotional, and physical abuse she’d suffered.
Would talking to Emily help her put it all behind her?
