Thankfully, recalling numbers wasn’t a problem. After opening her door, I entered Vee’s security code.
With two minutes to spare, I made my way back to Ethan. Together, we took the back stairs to the garage.
My breath caught as Vee’s white Mercedes-Benz pulled into the garage and into her assigned parking space. I didn’t wait for her to get out. Instead, I hurried to the driver’s door. Vee’s swollen, tear-filled eyes looked up through the window, causing my chest to ache. As soon as she opened the door, I offered her my hand.
Hers trembled as it landed in my grasp.
“Let’s get you upstairs.”
Vee nodded, reached for her leather bag, stood, and leaned against my chest. As she buried her face against my shirt, I led her toward the elevator.
“Wait there,” Ethan said. “I want to make sure there’s no one getting off.”
The doors opened to an empty compartment.
“We’re good to go,” he said, holding the doors. “I’m so sorry for your loss, Ms. Hubbard.”
“Thank you for helping me.” Despite her exhausted appearance, her words sounded strong.
We remained quiet as the doors closed and Ethan used his magic card. The elevator bypassed other floors, going straight up to the seventh floor. The doors opened with a ding.
“If you want a similar ride in the morning, please give us a call. I don’t get on duty until noon, but Jacob can help you earlier.”
“Thank you, Ethan,” I said.
He held the doors open as Vee and I exited. The seventh-floor hallway was clear of people as we made our way to her door. The new keycard I’d been given worked for the second time. Once again, I disarmed the security and locked the door behind us.
“Thank you,” Vee said, wrapping her arms around my midsection. Her words were muffled by her face pressed against my chest.
For a moment, I simply stroked her hair and gently caressed a circle on her back. In my arms, Vee’s body trembled. Sobs that I wanted to take away bubbled from her throat and tears dampened my shirt.
“Tell me what to do,” I pleaded, wanting nothing more than to make her world right.
“You’re doing it.” She looked up, meeting my gaze. “All day, I didn’t cry. I mean, I did, but I couldn’t let go. I had to stay strong.”
My lips kissed the top of her head. “You don’t have to be strong with me.” I led her through the condo to the sofa and pulled her down to my lap. The ache in my heart and the need to comfort Vee had been building throughout the day. Now that she was here in my arms, I longed to make the world right if only for a few minutes.
“One of the reasons I fell in love with you all those years ago,” I said, “was because I didn’t have to pretend when I was with you.” I stroked her cheek. “You don’t have to pretend, Vee. I know you’re strong. I can’t imagine what you’ve been through today or what the future holds. I just know that I love you for showing me the Maeve Hubbard the rest of the world doesn’t get to see.”
She scoffed, wiping her eye and smearing her mascara. “Not exactly a pretty picture.”
I palmed her cheeks. “You’re real and real is the most beautiful picture.”
Vee laid her cheek against my shoulder.
“I’ll stand to your side and admire you, lie with you and make love to you, hold your hand to let you know you’re not alone, or carry you when you’re not ready to walk. Whatever you need.”
Her body convulsed with hiccups as she looked up and forced a smile. “I’m thankful you’re here.”
“I’m sorry this happened.”
She nodded. “It was an accident. A stupid accident. From what we were told, a semi-truck changed lanes too fast, didn’t see Dad’s car…” She returned her forehead to my shoulder. “I saw him—Dad.”
I splayed my fingers over the warm skin of her lower back. “I would have gone with you.”
She shook her head. “I needed to do it. Uncle Darin was there.” Vee looked back up, meeting my gaze. “If you’d been there, I wouldn’t have stayed strong. Reid Hubbard didn’t raise me to fall apart.”
“I would assume he raised you to be true to your feelings. You can do both.”
