“She told me she’s trying to convince him to join her ballet class.”
Lawson chuckled. “If anyone could, it would be her. He’s a goner for her. I’m just not sure he realizes it.”
A pang lanced through me. “That’s pretty cute.”
Lawson nodded, glancing down the hallway. “We had a word with Adam this morning.”
My stomach cramped as I tried to remember the timestamp on the text I’d received. It was sometime after eleven. Likely after their visit. Even though I had a brand-new number.
I grabbed my phone off the coffee table and handed it to Lawson. “I saw this when I got home.”
A muscle fluttered under Lawson’s eye. “I was worried he wouldn’t get the message. Is it okay if we access your cloud account again so we can log the text into evidence?”
“Sure. I’m so sorry, Law. I know this brings all sorts of issues you don’t need—”
“Don’t you dare apologize for that asshat.”
The corner of my mouth kicked up. “Asshat, huh?”
“You got a better word for him?”
“I’m kind of partial to douche canoe.”
“It certainly has a ring to it.” The amusement faded from Lawson’s expression. “You need to be careful. For right now, I don’t want you alone.”
“I am being careful. And I have a feeling you’re helping out with that. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many cops popping by The Brew for theirbreak.”
Lawson’s cheeks heated. “It’s just people who care about you wanting to help out.”
My first instinct was to feel embarrassed and ashamed that everyone knew what had happened. But I took a moment and reined in those instincts. The officers at the CRPD were doing this because theycared. I had people in my corner, and it was time I remembered that. “Thanks, Law.”
“You know I’ll do anything I can to help.”
“I do. And it means more than I can say.”
Lawson glanced down the hall again, where sounds of the shower drifted. He swallowed, his throat working. “Nash blames himself. I didn’t realize it until today. Didn’t know how much it weighed on him.”
I sat up straighter. “What are you talking about?”
Lawson looked back at me. “He blames himself for not seeing what your father was doing. For not seeing this thing with Adam. For not protecting you.”
My hand fisted around the Coke, the aluminum crackling under my grip. “What?”
Lawson nodded. “I knew he took what happened all those years ago hard. Knew he was protective of you. But I didn’t know he carried this much guilt. He’d kill me for saying anything, but I know only one person can help him beat back that guilt.”
Me.
Pain shredded my insides as if a rabid animal had been let loose in my chest. “I didn’t know.” I’d known he was upset when I was in the hospital. Hell, he’d barely left my side for the year after. But blaming himself?
Lawson squeezed my knee. “None of us knew. He’s good at hiding things and playing the life of the party.”
“But he’s so much more than that.”
“You’ve always seen that—who he truly is.”
I’d thought I knew Nash better than anyone. “I should’ve seenthis.”
Lawson’s expression gentled. “He didn’t want you to.” Something passed across Lawson’s eyes. “I think you two hide what’s most important from each other. Maybe all it’ll take to break through is one of you being brave enough to state the simple truth.”
