60. Chapter Sixty | Savannah
Chapter sixty
I put my SUV in park and barely press the off button before a figure standing next to my window makes me jump. Placing my hand on my chest to catch my breath, I consider opening my door with more force than necessary but injuring my brother so soon after he rescued me doesn’t seem right.
“Hot damn, Liam. You scared the daylights out of me. You couldn’t let me get out of the car?
” I bark at him as I get out and slam my door shut but can’t keep the small smile off my face.
My startle reflexes have been in overdrive after everything that happened, but I appreciate that my brothers still treat me like they always have—the normalcy is appreciated, but so is the distraction of the prank I will now be plotting to pull on Liam.
He opens his arms, and I lean in to give him a big hug.
If I was considered a hugger before all of this—and I have always been a hugger—it’s only amplified because I wasn’t sure I would ever get to hug my people again.
Although that comfort level only exists with my close family and friends right now.
I am not a fan of being around a large group of strangers where I can’t see everyone and the exits; we discovered that the hard way the other day when Vivian and I went to pick up some baby items at the mall in the next town over.
We didn’t know there was a big sale going on, and there were so many people.
It didn’t end well for me, but Vivian got me out of there quickly.
I barely made it to the car before I was having a full-blown panic attack.
We finished her shopping online from my living room couch after that.
It’s been two weeks since Kyle Clark drugged, kidnapped, and attempted to assault me.
There were probably other crimes he committed in the process, but his justice has already been delivered, and I hope the Devil keeps him on hot coals for all of eternity.
I suppose I should maybe feel something about how his life ended, but all I feel is relief.
I don’t know all the details, nor do I really care to know more than I do.
I was there; I lived it, felt it, and breathed it. That’s enough for me.
I do know that Liam made some phone calls and Sophia did some magic—which I decided she is actually part magic herself.
The official cause of the cabin’s explosion was deemed a gas leak and considered intentional by Kyle himself as a distraction from wherever he allegedly really went.
Sophia’s magic led whoever could possibly give two shits about Kyle to believe that the asshole had been embezzling money from clients at the law firm, and he took off to the Maldives, which unfortunately, does not have an extradition agreement with The United States.
No one will care enough to look into it too much, other than maybe his cousin, but from what Liam said, his hacker cousin is in some deep, dark black hole and won’t be coming out anytime soon.
Sophia has checked in with me regularly, and I think we might even be on our way to becoming friends.
She’s feisty and fierce—my kind of gal. She also personally oversaw the complete replacement of my entire home security system, as well the security system at Theo’s house.
I don’t understand all the upgrades and changes, but I know that it helps me sleep a little better at night.
Not much, but a little. I think Ryan is going to have her take a look at his security system too, if only to make me feel more comfortable when I’m over at his house.
The ability to be comfortable is a vague concept overall these days.
It’s going to be some time before I sleep well, but I’m doing the work.
Liam connected me with a trauma-focused therapist that has extensive training and experience in specifically working with victims of kidnapping.
I speak to her two times a week right now, and I know that as I heal, we will space those sessions out.
It’s nice that I can do it all virtually, so even though she is based in Charleston, South Carolina, I can talk to her anywhere in the world.
“So, what’s the verdict? Did y’all decide on a spot?
” Liam asks as we walk from my car to Java Jive.
He puts his lower hand on my back and moves me to the inside of the sidewalk.
I don’t want to isolate myself to the point where I’m afraid to leave my house, but I need someone I trust with me when I go places.
My therapist assures me I will feel differently as my healing progresses, and to be gentle with listening to what my heart and body need as I process everything—and to not get caught up on how I think I should feel or where I should be based on some self-imposed expectation.
Thankfully, between Daddy, Theo, my brothers and brother-in-law, sister, and friends, I always have someone willing to meet or go with me.
I grin as I look up at my older brother.
“We did. The architect Theo’s family likes to use is working with Finn on the floorplan, but the goal is to break ground in the spring.
Our home will be a quarter mile south of Walker and Vivian’s, and we will extend the path between their house and Daddy’s, so it’s just a half mile walk between our house and Daddy’s.
Ryan actually heard us talking about it, and I guess he’s been thinking about it for a while, but is now going to have his own walking path built the mile between his house and Daddy’s, which will ultimately connect to the one that will lead to Vivian’s, and eventually, our house. ”
Liam nods in approval. “That’s great. The kids are going to love it, especially if that means the uncles need to provide their nieces with some toys to make it more like a racetrack.
” I can see his wheels turning and I shake my head, but I’ll let them have their fun, as long as my girls wear helmets in whatever fun their uncles cook up for them.
Plus, I know my brothers. They will use the excuse of buying four-wheelers or motorbikes for our girls, but really, they just want an excuse to play with new toys themselves.
We walk into Java Jive and wait our turn to order.
Stepping up to the large square counter to order, Cami greets us with a big smile, but I notice it falls a smidge when she sees Liam.
“Hey guys, what can I get for you today?” She plasters on the smile, but it doesn’t ring true to me. It feels … anxious? That’s odd.
“Hey, Cami. Can I get an iced vanilla latte and a blueberry scone if y’all have any left?”
She nods and looks to Liam. “And for you, sir?”
“I’ll take a large americano with a splash of cream please.
” Liam’s face is friendly, but I know my brother, and that slight tilt of his head means he’s observing every single detail about this woman, and I suspect she knows it too.
She tells us our total, and Liam taps to pay but doesn’t start moving to find a table right away.
“We haven’t met, my apologies. I’m Liam Callahan.
” He extends his hand and Cami hesitates—for just a moment—before reaching out to shake it.
“Oh, wow, there are a lot of you guys, huh? I’m Cameron Walsh, but everyone calls me Cami.
It’s nice to meet you. I’ll get started on those drinks and bring them out to you in just a moment!
” She all but squeaks at the end before she turns and scurries away to make our drinks—or to run away from Liam.
“So … that was a bit odd, right?” Liam asks as we take a seat in the front near the large windows that overlook Main Street.
But Liam’s attention isn’t focused on Main Street; his eyes are tracking Cami’s movements as she buzzes around making our drinks.
“Has she worked here long? I haven’t been inside Java Jive in ages. ”
“I think she moved to town earlier this year from … where did she say … Colorado, maybe? She was a bit skittish with me when I first met her too. I wonder if she’s just shy?”
He hums before looking back to me. “Is she usually skittish with you now?”
I shake my head. “No, things changed after a little drama with some foolish clucking hens a few months ago.” And they really did.
Ever since Cami apologized when I stormed out after overhearing those trash-talking heifers, she’s been different with me.
She no longer runs away when I walk in the shop, and I don’t have to worry if she likes me or not.
I wouldn’t say we’re friends, but maybe we can make our way to having a full conversation one day.
But watching Cami react to meeting Liam is like a time warp back to how our interactions used to be.
“Hm. Interesting. Did she say what brought her to Forrest Falls?” Liam inquires and I know it’s more than a simple question coming from him.
“You know, I didn’t ask her to state her business in town as this isn’t the Wild West where strangers needed a reason to come to town or risk getting run out of town,” I scold him, but his question makes me wonder—what did bring Cameron Walsh to town?
“I’ll let you know what I find out.” Liam’s simple statement means that he is going to one hundred percent find out why she came to town, along with anything else he can find, and my brother can and does find out everything when he’s curious about someone.
I suspect by the end of the week, or maybe even by the end of the day, he will know where Cameron Walsh grew up, who her third grade teacher was, her mama’s maiden name, and if she’s adequately saving for retirement.
I shake my head and let it go—plus, a small part of me is curious as well.
Okay, a big part of me because I still haven’t figured out why she was so strange with me at first.
Cami delivers our drinks, avoiding eye contact with Liam, but giving me a quick smile before mumbling, “Enjoy your drinks.” She scurries away as Liam watches her with interest before turning back to me.