Zach shrugged. “No problem. Thanks for lending me your car.”
“You don’t have to drive back right now, you know,” Ethan said. “You look exhausted.”
Zach’s expression grew even more severe, deep furrows settling between his eyes. “I have to speak to David. He needs to know what happened. It’ll be best if I do it in person and let him hear about James face-to-face.... It's not the kind of thing we should be putting into writing anyway.”
Ethan grunted. Everything Zach said made sense, but he looked so bereft. He was still wearing the same rumpled suit, his hair was spiked up where he’d run his hand through it, and dark rings looked like bruises under his eyes. Hell. James hadn’t only betrayed Kay, he’d deeply hurt Zach too.
“I’ve done this drive lots of times,” Zach said, reading his mind. “I’ll talk to David and then I’ll come back to check on Kay and bring you some of your things. We’ll decide what to do about James when I get back.”
Ethan narrowed his eyes, ready to argue, but Zach continued, “I’m fine. Really.”
Zach wasn’t fine, but until he was ready to talk about it, there was very little Ethan could do. He dipped his chin. “If you’re sure.”
“Just….” Zach gestured to the tiny, isolated farmhouse. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay at Elizabeth’s?”
Ethan shoved his hands in his pockets, trying not to hunch his shoulders. “Kay asked me to go, so I’m giving her some space.”
“You think that’ll help?”
Ethan had no idea what would help. All he knew was that he was not giving up. If she needed something—even if it was time alone—he would give it to her.
One day she might forgive him, and maybe even give him another chance. In the meantime, he would love her enough for both of them, and stay close enough that he could reach her if she called.
“Hey, Zach,” Ethan said seriously, focusing his thoughts on the man in front of him. “Thank you. For everything you did.”
Zach grimaced. “Sure. Next time one of my closest friends goes psycho and attacks a bunch of people, I’ll be only too happy to step up.”
They both chuckled ruefully as Ethan gave a last thump on the roof of the car and stepped back.
Zach drove away, leaving Ethan on the long dirt driveway in the middle of the Brecon Beacons. Leaving him alone except for the hunting birds circling high above him, their Shadows sharp and primal.
He pulled his attention away from the birds and took out his phone. James had destroyed Kay’s, so any contact would come from Elizabeth’s number, but there were no messages. No missed calls. Nothing.
The need to hear Kay’s voice was so potent that he almost tried calling, but he didn’t know if she would want that. Maybe he could e-mail? There was an old laptop in her room. She might check it.
In the end, his need to reach out to her won. He stood alone, typing words and then deleting them. Trying something different and deleting that. Finally, accepting that he’d never get it perfect, he pressed send.
Kay,
I’m here in Wales. Did Elizabeth tell you? I’m only half an hour away from you, but it feels like the other side of the world.
I miss you.
There’s an old climber joke… what do you call a climber without a girlfriend?
Homeless.
It would be funny, except that it's true, Kay. You’re my home.
I love you,
Ethan
He stood, head bowed, watching the screen while the breeze blew cold through his jacket. Waiting… for what? He didn’t even know if she would see it.
He shoved his phone into his pocket and walked up to knock on the faded blue door. Bryn opened it almost immediately. He had changed into fresh clothes, dark green corduroys with a well-worn red tartan shirt that combined with his wiry gray beard to make him look like a scruffy Santa. If Santa had been tall and lean with tattoos up his arms.
“I was starting to wonder if you were coming in,” Bryn said as he led Ethan into a small front room with whitewashed walls and dark beams crossing the ceiling. A row of narrow windows let in shafts of sunlight, illuminating the huge bookcases covering two walls. A crackling fire danced in the hearth, warming the room.
