Under the Stars

She can’t do this alone. Gavin isn’t like the other men she’s faced from her past. He knows we’re coming, and he has no intention of bein

g a victim. He will fight her. He’ll gladly kill her. Even back in those days, she was worthless to him.

Chewing my lip, I open the messenger app and send a quick text to Joshua. It’s possible he’ll help me… I’ll make him help me.

“Are you hungry?” I switch over to the maps program.

I remember the layout from our last visit to the city. Everything is clustered in the same four-block area.

“What?” Mark looks up, but he’s distracted by his search.

“I’m going to get us food. It’s late, and we never had lunch.”

Nodding, he returns to the screen. “Thanks.”

I’m out the door, headed up the sidewalk in the direction of the Brewhouse. Joshua hasn’t texted back, but the last time I was here, he stayed mostly in and around this area. I hope wherever he is, he can meet me for a few minutes.

Clouds are rolling in, and the temperature has dropped since we arrived. A light breeze is blowing, and I wish I’d grabbed a sweater before I left. I’m too far to go back now, so I duck my head and walk quickly up the block.

Inside, the crowd is light. The rich aroma of brewing coffee greets me, and the shop is heated. I go to the counter and order an Americano and two Reuben sandwiches to go.

They hand me my coffee pretty quick, and I carry it across the black tiled floor to a tall wooden table in front of the glass windows lining the front wall. I’ll wait for our food and hopefully Joshua will appear.

My phone is in my hand, and I watch it for any reply as I sip my drink. The warm liquid helps me relax, but it’s not enough to cancel out the tension of this day, of this trip, of my fucking life so far. God, will I ever get a break?

A crisp ring from the bell above the door causes me to look up, and I immediately smile. “Joshua!” Hopping off the stool, I give him a hug.

“You’re here!” He smiles in that friendly way of his and hugs me back. “Sorry about the air mattress—”

His nose wrinkles, but I wave his apology away.

“I’m sorry to invade your privacy. We would’ve stayed at a hotel, but we hope to find what we’re looking for and go home as soon as possible.”

His hair is still silver, short on the sides and long and floppy on top, and he’s dressed in a gray suit with a white shirt underneath. He looks really handsome and professional.

“Were you at work?” I can’t imagine what kind of job he has. I can’t imagine Joshua working. “You’re so formal and businesslike.”

He grins. “Yeah, I’m at the men’s store around the corner. It was time for my break, so I’ve got a few minutes.”

“Are you getting coffee?”

“Sure.” I wait as he goes to the counter and orders the daily brew. They pass him a white cup with a dark brown sleeve, and he joins me at the high table. “So what’s going on?”

“Molly met us at the airport—”

“You mean Maggie Mae?” He gives me a wink.

“I’m sorry about that. We didn’t know who to trust, and we were alone.”

“It’s okay. Molly told me the story.” His eyes blink to the ring on my hand. “I really like her, you know?”

Sitting back, I put my hands in my lap. “I noticed she’s still living with you. Are you two… together?”

“I don’t think Molly does ‘together.’” His gray eyes meet mine, and his smile is less sunny. “But we have moments.”

Something shifts in my chest. “I’m glad. I didn’t know if she would ever be able to do that. If she would ever recover.”

“Whatever happened to her was pretty bad, wasn’t it?”