A relieved smile graced her features, lightening the grooves of worry on her forehead. “Okay.”
I gave her hand a squeeze, then let go asIheard the girls andDrewgrowing near. “Letme know if you find any more letters.”
She let out a soft laugh. “IdoubtIwill.”
“No going on adventures or wild-goose chases without me.”
“Promise,” she said, looping her pinky around mine and giving it a squeeze. “Truce?”
“Truce.”Therewas a levity to her that hadn’t been there a few minutes ago.Aweight had disappeared.
I turned to head back inside to meetDrew, butAurorastopped me with a hand on my arm.Iturned and was sucker-punched by the tenderness in her eyes.
“Stay safe.Alright?”
I cracked a smile. “Promise.”
14
AURORA
PETRICHOR
The deep bass of my pump-up music pulsed through my headphones asIheaved a section of the old kitchen cabinets off the balcony, sending them plummeting into the dumpster below with a satisfying crunch.
Fucking particle board . . .Thehumidity had been too much for it to handle, and it had to go.
The house was strange.Insome ways, it was beautifully crafted.Iwas doing my best to salvage the hardwood floors, fireplace façade, an obnoxious clawfoot tub, and the crown molding.Inother ways, it had been finished in the most ephemeral way.
Huh.Ephemeral.Thatwas a good word.Ephemeral.
I danced my way back inside, shaking my ass to the beat of the music.Thenext section of smashed cabinetry was a hell of a lot heavier than the first.Ilet out a feral grunt asIhoisted it over the balcony banister.Thelanding in the dumpster was even more satisfying than the first.Iwiped my hands on my tank top and let out a sharp breath.
My victory dance was legendary.Ididn’t even care thatIlooked like a complete dork with my kicks and fist pumps.Iturned to twerk my way back inside whenIran smack dab into a wall.
And the wall laughed.
Jack’s mouth moved, butIdidn’t hear a word he said.Justhis smile.
“What?”Ishouted over the music in my ears.
He just shook his head and hitched his thumb over his shoulder as he said something.
“Louder,”Iyelled. “Ican’t hear you.”
The music faded into a tinny hiss asJackpulled my earbud out and cupped it in his palm. “You’regoing to hurt your ears,Roar.”
I blinked as the calm ocean waves took over for the trap beat. “Ididn’t even see you drive by,”Isaid asIpeered over the hedge and saw his truck parked in the driveway. “Whendid you get in?”
Jack glanced at the old-school watch on his wrist. “Justafter seven.Shiftchange went over easy.”
“You look well rested.”Ipeeled the hem of my shirt off my stomach to wipe the sweat off my face.Ididn’t glow.Iprobably looked and smelled like a drowned sewer rat. “Slownight?”
“Wasn’t too bad.Twocar wrecks before midnight, andIgot five hours of sleep before going out to check on a potential house fire.”
“Potentialhouse fire?Ifeel like it’s either on fire or it's not.”
He chuckled. “Thehomeowner plugged in a slow cooker and said she smelled burning plastic around the outlet.Wetook the outlet apart.Someonehad done a bad patch job with the wiring and wrapped it in duct tape.Itwas burning inside the wall.Probablya good thing she didn’t dismiss it.Shewas on her way to work and it could have been a lot worse.Butwe did a thorough check.Icalled an electrician buddy of mine and he was out there helping her get it fixed before we left the scene.”
