Page 93 of One Forbidden Moment

Jillian understood his anguish, the horror of realizing he'd been pulled back.She whispered, "The veil...it brought you back."

Kallie clung to Finn."It grabbed us.It pulled us in."

Jillian's stomach dropped.The truth settled like ice in her veins.

"We tried to leave," she said.

Moe cleared his throat."It rejected us."

The rain dripped down his hair, his jaw set with frustration.Jillian slipped her hand back into his.

Moe said quietly, "We didn't make it through."

"Maybe there's a glitch."Finn looked at Moe, his voice raw."Or it won't let anyone leave anymore."

Turning, she looked up into Moe's eyes."My mom..."

Moe's expression softened.He brushed a raindrop, or maybe it was a tear, from her cheek."We're still together.We'll figure it out."

She leaned into him.Now was not the right time to think about the consequences of staying in Everstill.

Finn and Kallie stood close, shivering, their eyes fixed on the storm that had betrayed them.The weight of their return was the final proof they needed that Everstill wasn't done with any of them.

Moe wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close as the wind died.

When they could no longer sense the veil close by, all four of them turned toward town and found Copper standing on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant.

Surrounded by Moe on her right and Kallie on her left, Jillian was able to breathe again.Everstill was the last place she wanted to be, but she had Moe.Plus, now there was another female in town.It didn't make things better, but it brought her comfort.

They approached Copper and stopped.The older man appeared unruffled by the storm.

"Was that a glitch?"Moe asked.

Copper remained on the sidewalk.He was neither ruffled by the storm nor surprised to see that Moe and Jillian didn't make it, and instead Finn and Kallie showed up.

"You could say that."Copper exhaled slowly."Everstill is no longer what it was meant to be."

Jillian frowned."What does that mean?"

"It's broken," Copper said."There are failures.Glitches.It has changed.Everstill thinks for itself now."

Finn went still.Kallie tightened her grip on his arm.Jillian looked away from them and turned her attention to Moe, who'd gone stiff beside her.

"How do you know?"Moe said.

Copper looked down."Because I'm the only one who survived the last change."

"What change?"Moe held Jillian's hand tighter.

"Everstill was never supposed to wake up."Copper rubbed his chin."They programmed it to be safe.We were all supposed to be safe."

"Were you involved in how we came here?"Moe stepped closer.

Copper hesitated."Yes.I was part of the original team."

Finn stared at him."I'll fucking kill you."

"Get in line," muttered Moe.