Bailee’s eyes started to drift close, but she squeezed his hand to encourage him to continue.
“Then one day, I came home from school and found the eviction notice on our apartment door. My dad had disappeared, so I had no choice but to go to a foster home. After that, I figured I was the only person I could count on. Then I met Gish. He had Jackson and Luke then. Ben came to us later. Gish gave me a job and a place to live on the condition that I would stop running. I promised I wouldn’t, but I never intended to stay. I kept to myself, certain that eventually they’d kick me out or leave me on my own. I couldn’t stop comparing Gish to my dad, and the differences between them made me realize Gish meant it when he said I’d always have a home with him and the others. That’s what I mean. I used my experience to figure out that Gish,Jackson, and Luke didn’t intend to leave me, not like everyone else in my life.”
A lazy smile curved her lips, crinkling her closed eyes at the corners. “So I don’t stand a chance of making the list.”
“What—?”
She forced her eyes open and pierced him with an intense stare. “You only trust those who don’t leave. Eventually, I’ll go back to my life in Louisville.”
He reached to push her hair back from her forehead. “I don’t know about that. You do have a reason to come back as long as Darby Anne stays in Fire Creek. And I don’t plan on going anywhere.”
Her eyes started to droop again, and she struggled to keep them open.
“Okay. You told me all I had to do was ask, and you would have my six. Well, I’m asking. I don’t know what’s going on, but I can’t be taken off guard again. Too much is at stake.”
His finger trailed down her cheek before he placed his palm over her eyes. “You got it, sweetheart. Sleep now. No one’s going to get to you or Darby Anne. I promise.”
Bailee drifted off to sleep with Easton’s promise resonating in her mind.
Chapter Thirteen
Bailee shifted her position on the chaise until she was more comfortable and then closed her eyes as she waited for the dizziness to pass. She had been relieved to wake that morning feeling better, her symptoms more tolerable.
The back of her head was sore where the man struck her, and she still battled fatigue and bouts of nausea from the concussion. Otherwise, she felt none the worse for wear. The doctor agreed with her assessment because he’d discharged her with strict instructions on monitoring her condition and contacting him if her symptoms worsened.
Darby Anne had been at the hospital when Bailee woke. She had arranged for English and Becky to take them home. While she appreciated their help, she wondered where Easton was.
She mentally chastised herself for expecting him to be at the hospital when she was released. He’d helped her, but that didn’t mean he was required to stay by her side. The disappointment she felt pissed her off. The one thing she didn’t want to happen had happened. Easton Hargrove had gotten under her skin, and dammit if she didn’t miss him.
Bailee closed her eyes as a breeze passed through the trees and caressed her skin. Her arm dropped to the side, her fingers tangling in Roxy’s thick fur.
She wondered if the dog sensed she wasn’t at her best because Roxy’s usually excited behavior was more reserved. The pet stayed by Bailee’s side, which wasn’t unusual, but she didn’t attempt to sit in Bailee’s lap or encourage her owner to play fetch. The dog merely kept a vigil close to Bailee. She felt comforted by her pet’s presence.
A faint creak caused her eyes to pop open. She tilted her head to the side and found herself smiling at Easton as he stepped out of his house. He returned her smile as he crossed the yard to stand beside her, his broad shoulders blocking out the sun and casting her in shadows.
“Hey,” she said, hating herself for being so thrilled to see him.
He was dressed in his usual jeans, T-shirt, and boots, and his dark hair was styled in the same disheveled look she was used to. Yet, he was a sight for her tired eyes. He didn’t look any different, but her reaction to him was. Her body warmed as she remembered how soft his hands had been touching her face and her hand. The concern in his eyes had made her feel cared for, and now the way he watched her made her feel special.
“Hey,” he returned. “Mind if I sit?”
She motioned to the outdoor chair next to the chaise. He rounded the front of the lounger, avoiding Roxy’s outstretched paws, and relaxed on the cushioned chair.
“I’m surprised to see you sitting out here alone.”
“I was feeling a little…smothered inside the house. Since today didn’t seem as humid, I convinced Gran to let me enjoybeing outside for a while. But I’m not alone. Roxy has been attached to my side like Velcro, and Gran is certainly watching us from the window.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t at the hospital when you were discharged. I wanted to be, and I wanted to be there when you gave your statement to Tater.”
The police chief had waited until she was settled at home before coming by to question her about the attack. He’d been thorough but respectful with his questioning.
“You didn’t have to be there. You were right about the Chief. He seems like a solid officer. He promised to keep me in the loop on any intel he finds.”
“He will. How are you doing?”
“Better. Not great, but better. It’s not the first concussion I’ve ever gotten and won’t be the last. I just wish I knew why I have one. I called my contact with the ATF once I got home and filled her in. She’s checking into any connection with my attack and the case, but she wasn’t optimistic. The guy’s picture never registered on facial rec, so we don’t have any leads on him. Yet.”
“Does the name Clive Melvin ring a bell?”
