Chapter 33 Hallie
HALLIE
“Thanks again for helping me,” I told Holt.
He smiled as he hefted random sports gear into the bed of a trailer to haul out of the barn. “Not a problem.”
“He’s better with a project,” Wren said from her spot on an old truck bench seat where her dog, Shadow, was protectively curled into her side. “And I’m better when that project’s not me.”
Holt pinned her with a stare. “You are going to pop any day. I’m allowed to be a little protective.”
Wren just rolled her eyes. “A little protective means trailing me everywhere I go? Yesterday, he tried to follow me into the bathroom. A girl needs to pee in peace.”
He let out a huff. “You looked like you were in pain.”
“I am. All the time. Because this little bundle of joy is doing a tap dance on my bladder twenty-four-seven.”
I couldn’t help it, I laughed. “You guys are cute.”
“Trust me, Hallie. It gets old by day two,” Wren mumbled.
Holt stalked across the barn toward his fiancée. He bent and took her mouth in a scorching kiss. “Old, huh?”
Her cheeks flushed. “You do have some perks.”
I turned away, feeling like a voyeur. But it was more. It wasn’t jealousy exactly. More like want. Desire to build a family with someone and create what I’d never had growing up.
A little flicker of guilt flared to life as I thought of my mother’s unanswered texts and calls. I’d sent an email telling her I’d landed a job out west. She hadn’t been pleased. But for once, I was simply silencing that noise.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out.
Emerson
Please think about coming home.
I’d finally bitten the bullet this morning and told my brother what was going on here. He’d hit the roof, insisting I get on the next plane to Chicago. I’d calmly told him that I wasn’t going anywhere, and he hadn’t been pleased.
I started to type out a response when another text came in.
Luke
Can you come to the school? I need you.
My stomach plummeted, and I whirled to face Holt and Wren. “I’m so sorry. I have to go.”
Holt was instantly on alert. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure. Luke just said he needs help at school.” I was already grabbing for the keys I’d left on the bench.
“We’ll follow you down. I don’t think you should be going anywhere alone right now,” Holt said.
I stilled. “Lawson asked you to check up on me.”
Wren let out a snort as she pushed to her feet, Shadow following her. “Of course, he did. Told you. Protective. And it gets annoying. Most of the time, it’s better to just go with it.”
I muttered something under my breath but started jogging toward the SUV. I beeped the locks and hopped behind the wheel. If Holt wanted to follow me, fine. But I wasn’t waiting around.
My heart hammered as I made the mountain turns toward town. I did the drive in half the time I normally did, screeching to a halt right next to a familiar police SUV.
Lawson frowned at me as I got out of my vehicle.
“Did Luke text you?” I asked, rounding to him.
That frown turned into a scowl. “No. The school called to tell me he got into a fight with some other boys.”
My mouth fell open. “A fight?”
Lawson nodded, his jaw tightening. “A fight. Not his first scuffle, but if the principal’s calling me in, this one’s worse.”
Panic flashed through me. “Is he okay? Hurt?”
“The secretary didn’t say he was injured in any way.”
The air left my lungs in a whoosh. Thank God for that.
Lawson’s jaw worked back and forth. “Luke texted you?”
“He said he needed me.”
Lawson muttered a curse. “Playing you. Trying to play me.”
It was my turn to frown. “Playing us?”
He braced his hands on the back of his head and squeezed. “Luke knows I won’t be as hard on him if you’re here. Or he hopes, anyway.”
“Lawson…”
“I know you two have a bond, but he’s pulled more shit this year than I know what to do with. This has to have real consequences.”
Anger bubbled from somewhere deep. “You haven’t even talked to him yet.”
Lawson stilled. “I talked to the secretary, and she filled me in.”
“And you have a right to be upset, but you also need to take a breath and get Luke’s side of the story.”
“He’s been lying and giving half-truths all year!”
“Stop it!” I yelled. “He’s hurting. I don’t know exactly why, but I know there’s pain in him. I know what that looks like. I also know that your beautiful, amazing, kind, and protective boy is all of those things because it’s who you raised him to be.”
Lawson went stock-still. His blue eyes blazed.
Oh, hell. I’d done it now.
“You yelled at me.”
I bit the corner of my lip. “I did.”
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d done that.
Lawson moved into my space, pulling me into his arms. “Love that you feel safe enough to yell at me.”
Something shifted in me at that. Because he was right. Lawson made me feel so comfortable, I knew I could express anything to him. Except the one thing I needed to tell him most of all.
That I’d fallen in love with him.