54. Lincoln
54
LINCOLN
“I just got your message. I’m so sorry. My phone was on silent. I should’ve checked it sooner. Are you okay? Is Arden okay?”
“El Bell, breathe,” I said, stepping out into the night and gesturing for Brutus to head past the landscaping to do whatever he needed.
“You said some woman attacked you and Arden! Breathing is secondary at the moment.”
I couldn’t help it; a small chuckle slipped free, and, God, I needed that.
“This isn’t something to be laughing about, Lincoln.”
Shit. I knew Ellie was seriously pissed if she was calling me Lincoln. “I’m okay. Arden’s okay. She’s got a cut on her palm, but that’s it. She disarmed the assailant, and the woman’s in jail now.”
An audible exhale came across the line. “Good. That’s good. Can you guys stop with all the life-in-danger stuff? It’s getting a little old.”
I laughed full-out this time. “Noted. I’ll try to keep things nice and boring.”
“Thank you. ”
“How are you doing?” I asked, watching as Brutus caught the scent of something, chasing it into the underbrush.
“You and the love of your life nearly get knifed, and you’re asking me how I’m doing?” she asked incredulously.
“Just because I have a lot going on doesn’t mean you don’t. I can hold both.”
“You were always so good at that.” Ellie’s voice went tight as if she were trying to keep a sob from erupting.
“Hey, what’s going on?”
“It’s nothing. It’s just…long few days. Talked to Dad.”
I couldn’t help the curse that slipped free.
“That about sums it up,” Ellie muttered. Then she went quiet for a long moment. “You were right. I knew he wasn’t the best dad, but I don’t even think he looks at us as children. It’s like we’re possessions.”
“I didn’t want you to have to know that the way I do,” I said softly.
“I was so blind to it,” she whispered. “So blind to it that I ended up engaged to someone who sees me the same way.”
“Ellie—”
“It’s true. And what’s worse is that I don’t like the person who did that. Who let herself just go along with being treated like nothing more than an accessory.”
My gut hollowed out. “You’re so much more than that.”
“I don’t know if I am. But I’m going to change that. I told Bradley I couldn’t marry him tonight.”
“Seriously?” As much as I’d hoped my sister would break free, I knew that blowing up a years-long relationship wasn’t exactly easy.
“Yep.” I heard a refrigerator opening—or maybe a freezer—then ice clinking into a glass.
“How’d he take it?”
“About how you’d expect a spoiled, overgrown toddler to take anything he doesn’t like.”
“Ellie—”
“It’s fine. But I think I should probably put some distance between us for a while.”
“Come here,” I said instantly .
“ConCon. You’re in the honeymoon phase. You’ve had a lot of drama. You don’t need your little sister on your doorstep.”
“You’re exactly who I need. It’d do me some good to have you around. Who knows, maybe you’ll like it here.”
Ellie was quiet for a moment. “Arden did say I could be a cowgirl if I wanted to be.”
A laugh bubbled out of me. “Are you having some sort of quarter-life crisis?”
“Probably. Gonna get a cowboy hat to prove it.”
“You come to Sparrow Falls? I’ll get one for you.”
“Gonna hold you to that. Just like I’m going to make Arden give me some riding lessons.”
God, I loved the sound of that. My sister, my girl, the warm embrace I knew the Colsons would give Ellie. We needed it. All of it. And maybe that’s what Sparrow Falls would give us both. A chance to start over. To build the family we always should’ve had. The one our mom had never been able to give us the way she wanted to.
“I can’t wait,” I said softly, turning toward the house. But as I did, I froze. It took me a second to realize what was off about the image that looked back at me. The lights. Or the absence of them.
My head jerked in the direction of Arden’s place. Two windows still glowed down there. It was just Cope’s place that was submerged in darkness.
Panic grabbed hold, but I was already running, calling across the line. “Call the sheriff’s department. Tell them something’s wrong. The power’s out. It’s wrong. Everything’s wrong.”
I just didn’t know how right I was.