Chapter 31 Elyse #2
As we approached the parking lot, I let loose an Oscar-worthy yawn. "Actually, would you mind if we just went home? I'm feeling a bit of a crash coming on from all that sugar."
"Okay," Drew said, looking slightly puzzled. "Do you want to grab a cup of coffee on the way?”
“I’d rather head home,” I said quickly. "It’s been a long day and I’d rather be home.” I wasn’t sure how I was going to talk my way out of the house once I was there, but depositing Drew at home was step one.
Drew hesitated, but then nodded. "Alright, let’s go.”
As soon as we walked into the house, inspiration struck. I hadn’t used my phone in the car on the way home, so I could reasonably claim I’d lost it somewhere.
“Perhaps my phone is at the restaurant,” I offered by way of explanation once I’d gathered up my purse and told Drew and Holly I needed to head back out to find it.
I felt awful, but justified it to myself—I'd be quick, get the evidence this woman needed, and be back before Drew and Holly even started the movie they were already playfully debating.
Drew looked up from the remote and I could see the concern in his eyes. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?”
“I’ll run over to the restaurant and if it’s not there I’ll come back so we can look together.”
He nodded silently and turned to focus on the screen full of movie options.
Moments later, I pulled out of the driveway and headed toward the office park, which was less than five minutes away.
The address the woman had sent me was for a small, three-story building that housed several businesses.
Most of the windows were dark at this hour, but there were a few lights on in scattered offices.
I parked across the street and pulled my binoculars out of my trusty orange backpack. According to the information I'd been given, her husband drove a silver Lexus, and sure enough, there was one parked in the lot, right next to a red Mustang convertible.
The office in question was on the second floor, and through my binoculars, I could see two figures moving around inside. I grabbed my camera and zoomed in.
Bingo. The man matched the photo I'd been sent. He was standing very close to a woman with long blonde hair, his hand on her waist. As I watched, he leaned in and kissed her.
I snapped several photos in quick succession, feeling a mix of triumph and sadness. Another marriage on the rocks, another family that would never be the same.
Just as I was about to put my camera away, my phone rang. Drew's face flashed on the screen. My stomach dropped.
"Hello?" I answered, trying to sound normal.
"Elyse, where are you?" Drew's voice was tight with worry. “I remembered we had Find my Phone activated and it’s pinging nowhere near the restaurant. I never in a million years expected to hear your voice on the other end when I called it.”
I closed my eyes, busted. "Drew, I can explain—"
"Are you doing what I think you're doing?" he interrupted.
Before I could answer, I noticed movement in my peripheral vision. The man I'd been photographing was walking toward the parking lot, the blonde woman on his arm.
"I have to go," I whispered into the phone. "I'll see you at home."
"Elyse, don't you dare hang up on—“
I ended the call and sank down in my seat, hoping they wouldn't notice me. The pair walked to the red Mustang, stopping for several more passionate kisses before the woman got in. The man then walked to the Lexus and after looking around, folded himself into the front seat.
I started my car and prepared to follow at a safe distance. Just one more piece of evidence—where they were going—and then I'd be done.
But as I pulled out onto the road, I noticed another car pulling out behind me. A familiar car. Drew's car.
Oh no.
My heart pounded in my chest as I watched Drew's headlights in my rearview mirror. This was not how date night was supposed to go. I pulled into a nearby drugstore parking lot, knowing there was no point in running. Drew followed, parking beside me with surgical precision.
I took a deep breath and got out of the car just as Drew emerged from his. His face was a careful mask of control, but I could see the hurt and anger swimming just beneath the surface.
"Were you following me?" I asked, trying to sound casual, as if I hadn't just been caught red-handed doing exactly what I'd promised to stop.
Drew's eyebrows shot up. "Was I following you? That's really what you're going with right now?"
I crossed my arms over my chest, feeling defensive despite knowing I was completely in the wrong. "I can explain."
"Please do," he said, his voice unnervingly calm.
"Explain to me why you lied about your phone being missing.
Explain why you disappeared from our date night to—what—stalk some stranger?
Take pictures of people for someone you don't even know and who has no bearing on our lives?
" He ran a hand through his hair, a gesture I knew meant he was trying to keep his composure. "I thought we were past this, Elyse."
"It was going to be the last one," I said, my voice small. "I promised myself. One more person to help, and then I'd be done for good."
Drew shook his head, disappointment etched into every line of his face. "Do you hear yourself? That's what addicts say. 'Just one more hit and I'll quit.' That's not how this works."
The comparison stung, especially with everything we'd been dealing with regarding my sister's addiction. "That's not fair," I protested. "I'm not an addict."
"Aren't you? Because from where I'm standing, you're choosing the rush of playing detective over your marriage. Over your safety." He paused, his voice softening slightly. "Over Holly."
That hit me like a physical blow. "That's not true. I love you both more than anything."
"Then why can't you stop this?" Drew asked, genuine confusion in his voice. "What are you getting from this that's worth risking everything we have?"
I didn't have a good answer. Or rather, I did, but saying it out loud would make me sound completely unhinged.
"I just... I need to feel like I'm helping people," I finally said. "Like I'm preventing what happened to me from happening to someone else."
Drew's expression softened slightly. "Elyse, you can't save everyone from pain. It's not your job to be the infidelity police of Clearwater."
"I know," I whispered, tears starting to form. "But when I get those messages, when women reach out desperate for help... I feel like I can't say no."
"But you can. And you need to." Drew took a step closer. "What if something had happened tonight? What if that guy had seen you taking pictures? What would have happened to Holly if you'd gotten hurt? Or worse?"
The thought of Holly waiting for us to come home, only for me to never return because I'd been confronting an angry cheater, made me feel sick.
"I didn't think—"
"That's just it," Drew interrupted. "You're not thinking about the consequences. But I am. I'm thinking about them every single time you do this."
We stood in silence for a moment, the gravity of his words sinking in. A car drove by, its headlights briefly illuminating Drew's face. I could see the exhaustion there, the worry lines that seemed deeper than they had been even a few months ago.
"I'm sorry," I said finally, meaning it. "I really am. I got caught up in wanting to help one more person."
Drew sighed. "I believe you're sorry. But Elyse, this can't happen again. Not just because I asked, but because you need to recognize how dangerous this is. How it's affecting us."
I nodded, tears now flowing freely. "I know. I promise, for real this time, I'm done."
"I've heard that before," Drew said, his voice gentle but firm.
"I mean it this time." I reached for his hand, relieved when he didn't pull away. "We have too much to lose. Holly needs us—both of us. And I need you."
Drew squeezed my hand, though his expression remained serious. "Let's go home and talk this through properly. Holly's waiting for us."
"Okay."
We drove home separately, my mind racing the entire way. The weight of what I'd done—the trust I'd broken—settled heavily on my shoulders. I'd come so close to jeopardizing everything that mattered to me for a stranger's marital problems. What kind of person did that make me?
When we pulled into our driveway, the lights were on in the living room. Through the window, I could see Holly curled up on the couch with Eden, watching TV. The simple domestic scene nearly broke me. This was what I'd been risking—this precious, hard-won family we were building.
Drew and I walked in together, and Holly looked up expectantly.
"Hey, you two," she said, muting the TV. “Did you find the phone?”
Drew and I exchanged a glance. “We did,” Drew said with a slight edge to his voice. "What are you watching?"
"Some competition show about glass blowing," she replied, then looked more closely at my face. "Aunt Elyse, have you been crying?"
I touched my cheek, feeling the residual dampness. "Just a little emotional tonight. Actually, Holly, we wanted to talk to you about something important."
Holly sat up straighter, suddenly looking nervous. "Is this about what I asked at the bookstore? Because if you guys don't want to, I totally understand—"
"No, sweetie," I said quickly, sitting down next to her. "It's nothing like that. In fact, Uncle Drew and I would love nothing more than to make you officially part of our family. If that's still what you want."
Holly's eyes widened. "Really? Like, for real adoption?"
Drew sat on her other side. "For real. We'll need to talk to a lawyer, of course, and there will be some legal hurdles given your mom's situation. But yes, we want to adopt you, Holly. For sure."
Holly's face lit up in a way I hadn't seen since she'd come to stay with us. She threw her arms around Drew, then me. "I've been hoping... I mean, I didn't want to push, but..."
"We've been hoping too," I said softly, stroking her now-purple-and-pink hair. "We love you, kiddo."
"I love you guys too," she said, her voice muffled against my shoulder.
We sat like that for a while, the three of us with Eden curled at our feet, discussing what the adoption process might look like.
Drew explained that we'd need to reach out to my sister eventually, to see if she really wanted to voluntarily terminate her parental rights.
If not, we'd have a legal battle ahead, but he assured Holly we were in it for the long haul.
Later, after Holly had gone to bed, Drew and I sat at the kitchen table, the weight of our earlier confrontation still hanging between us.
"I meant what I said," I told him. "I'm done with the detective work. For real this time." I pulled out my phone and opened Facebook. "Watch."
I navigated to the message thread with the woman who had asked for my help. I typed quickly:
I'm sorry, but I won't be able to help you after all. I can recommend some reputable private investigators in the area who can assist you professionally and safely.
I hit send, then blocked the contact.
I looked up at Drew. "No more. I promise."
He reached across the table and took my hand. "Thank you. I just want you safe, Elyse. You, me, and Holly—we have something really special here. I don't want to see you throw that away."
"I know," I said softly. "And I won't."
Drew stood and pulled me to my feet, wrapping his arms around me. "I love you, you know. Even when you're driving me crazy."
"I love you too," I whispered. "Thank you for not giving up on me."
He kissed my forehead. "Never."
As we headed to bed, I felt lighter than I had in months. The rush of my detective work had been replaced by something much more substantial—the certainty that I was exactly where I was supposed to be, with the people who mattered most.
My sister's addiction had nearly destroyed Holly's chance at a normal life. My ex-husband's betrayal had nearly destroyed my ability to trust. But here we were, building something beautiful from the broken pieces.
Drew was right; I couldn't save everyone from pain. But I could focus on the family right in front of me.
The next few weeks were a blur of lawyer appointments, paperwork, and heart-to-heart conversations with Holly about what she wanted for her future.
Drew took a week off work to help navigate the initial legal process, and I adjusted the bookstore's hours to accommodate our new schedule.
But everything went more smoothly than I could have ever imagined. Almost as if it were meant to be.