When we get home, we do our wind-down routine, and I finish reading the next book we’re on.
“Dad?”
“Yeah, princess?”
“Will she ever come back?” Naomi asks. My heart shatters, and I rub the ache as the pieces sink to the bottom of my stomach.
“I don’t know. But I know I’m never leaving you. Okay?” I grind over the stones in my throat.
“Promise?” she asks.
“Promise.”
After I tuck her in and head to my room, a mixture of anger, sadness, and total helplessness rages in my body. I can’t do much about Rebekah. I don’t even know if she’s in town anymore. She won’t answer my calls.
I wish I could fix the damage done to Naomi, but that’s going to take time. This isn’t something I can grab hold of and fix for her, and I hate that.
Chapter 30
Mae
Myphonerings,breakingmy focus on a spreadsheet due tomorrow. Grumbling, I reach for it, expecting my aunt or mother.
“Hello?” I grunt.
“Hey stubborn, is it a bad time?”
“No, not at all,” I answer quickly, leaning back in my chair.
“You sure? Because that hello didn’t sound friendly,” he says. I can hear the smile in his voice.
“Just working,” I sigh.
“That bad?” he asks.
“I’m tired of looking at numbers.”
“Answer your phone,” he says.
I frown and pull it away from my face, realizing he wants to video chat. “One second,” I squeak, quickly fixing my hair and readjusting my shirt.
Holding my phone at an angle so he won’t see my stained t-shirt, I answer the call.
“Damn, you’re pretty, stained t-shirt and all,” he says.
I sigh and roll my eyes.
“So, what’s up?” he asks.
“I should be asking you the same question.”
His gaze drops from mine, and his jaw ticks. His five o’clock shadow looks more like a beard now, and I spot the bags under his eyes.
“You look like you need a hug,” I tell him.
The corner of his mouth tips up, and he finally looks me in the eye and says, “I can think of a list of other things that are significantly better than a hug.”
“I don’t know, a good hug when you’re down is a pretty good thing.”
