“It’s nothing too bad yet, I hope. Landon DeVor disappeared this afternoon, and we haven’t been able to find him yet.”
“Wait, there’s another kid missing?” Everything else disappeared and it was all I could do not to stumble back as memories crashed over me. The police vans outside Nina Martingale’s house. The stories on the news about the search efforts and how quickly they turned into somber reports of her death. Finding her on the path, her tiny body tossed in the dirt and covered with leaves, like she was less than nothing.
“Alex. Alex, it’s okay.”
Warm hands cupped my face and I blinked through the memories to see Donovan still in front of me, watching me with concern.
“Sorry,” I breathed, and I hated how ragged it came out.
“You don’t have anything to apologize for. I should have realized how triggering that could be for you. I’m sorry.”
I shook my head, careful not to dislodge his hands. His touch grounded me, giving me something to focus on besides those old memories. “I’m fine. Come on, let’s get you settled.” I took a second to kick off my sweats, then tugged him into bed, pulling the comforter up around us.
“I shouldn’t have brought it up,” he apologized again, and I shook my head.
“I promise I’m fine. It just shook me up for a second. I’m more worried about you right now.”
Donovan slid closer, wrapping his arms around me. “I’ll be okay. I still think we’ll find him.”
I caught a very slight hesitation in his voice, so tiny I wouldn’t have noticed if I didn’t know him as well as I did. It didn’t take a genius to put the pieces together.
“He hasn’t come to me, so there’s a good chance he’s still alive,” I murmured and the way the tension eased from his shoulders told me I’d guessed right.
“I think the DeVor family might be part of that community Ori was talking about,” he murmured. “Jean really didn’t like that Will and I were there.”
“I can call Ori and find out,” I offered.
“I’d appreciate that, actually. Will and I are going to organize a search party early tomorrow morning and try to locate him. If Ori has any friends that would be willing to help, that could be really useful.”
From the bed, I could just make out the alarm clock on my dresser. It was already well after midnight and I had no idea what kind of hours Ori kept.
“I’ll call them first thing in the morning.”
“Thank you,” Donovan said, lifting his head from the pillow just enough to kiss me. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting up.”
“You’re worth losing a little sleep,” I teased, and it got the little smile I’d been hoping for. “After the day you’ve had, the last thing you need is to sleep alone in an empty house.”
“I do like when I wake up and you’re the first thing I see.” He smiled, so soft and warm and genuine that it stole my breath.
“You know…” I hesitated for a moment, but this was something that had been simmering in the back of my mind for awhile now and for the first time, the moment actually felt right. “If that’s the case, I’ve been thinking that maybe, and you don’t have to, no pressure or anything, but I was thinking that it’d be a good idea and you could save some money and it’d be a lot easier and—”
Warm lips cut me off, Donovan’s kiss stealing the rambling words away and calming the cycle of anxiety before it could well and truly kick in.
“Do you want to move in?” I breathed out, breaking away just enough to speak while I still had the nerve.
“Yes.” Donovan didn’t hesitate, didn’t ask me if I was sure, which would just set off my anxiety all over again and make me second-guess myself. No, Donovan Parker knew me and knew I needed that certainty. I’d thought I couldn’t possibly love him more than I already did and in that moment, he proved me wrong.
“Great,” I said, then winced. That didn’t exactly sound enthusiastic. “You don’t feel like I’m pressuring you or anything?”
“Alex,” he murmured. He kissed me again, then another time, lingering a little longer and when he spoke again, his lips barely left mine. “I meant what I said. I love waking up to you every morning. I love falling asleep with you in my arms, even though you turn into an octopus in your sleep. Our nights here, just the two of us, are my favorite part of my day. There’s nothing I want more than to share a life with you here in this house.”
“I’ll learn to cook, so we can have dinner together more,” I blurted out. Groaning, I ducked my head, burying my face against his chest. “You gave this beautiful little speech that almost made me cry and I come back with ‘I’ll try to cook better’.”
Donovan’s chest stuttered beneath my cheek as he laughed and his warm arms wrapped around me. “I know what you meant. We’ll figure it out together. We probably shouldn’t be eating out as much as we do, anyway,” he teased.
“My uncle was a really great cook. He left his old recipe book here for me and I’ve never used it. Maybe we could try some together?” I wasn’t as close to Uncle David as I’d been to Aunt Lizzie, but he was a good man and he’d been there for me when I desperately needed someone to give a shit.
Donovan kissed me one more time, warm and sweet. “I’d like that a lot.” His lips brushed across my cheek, down my jaw, and to my throat. “I love you, Alex.” He whispered the words into my skin and stole my breath away, my chest tight with the force of my love for this man.
