Chapter 24
Addie jogged from her car to the door of The Tea House. It was raining and cold, and she needed a hot chocolate in her belly as fast as humanly possible. It wasn’t even a want anymore. It was an if-she-didn’t-get-it-she’d-die kind of need.
Okay, maybe not die, but life would be tough.
A sigh slipped from her lips when she stepped inside the café. It was warm. Warm and dry. Two things that felt pretty dang good.
She’d run out of chocolate powder at home. Who knew how that had happened—she usually had a backup for her backup container, but she’d been distracted at the grocery store last week.
Mrs. Gerald smiled at her from behind the counter. “Addie, good timing. I just received an order of salted caramel hot chocolate.”
“Oh my God, Mrs. Gerald, I could kiss your feet.”
The café owner chuckled. “No kisses needed. A large?”
“The biggest to-go cup you have. And a cappuccino, please.”
“Won’t be long.”
The cappuccino was for Ellis. She glanced over to see him standing outside the café, under the small shade.
They’d gotten into a good routine this last week.
He tailed her. She bought him coffee, sometimes pie, and all was right in the world.
He’d even given her some true crime podcast recommendations.
Not that she’d be listening to them anytime soon—it wasn’t really her thing.
Not only had she felt safer with Ellis this last week, but she and Noah were also making progress. He was calling more. Texting every day. She hadn’t seen him, but it was progress.
When the drinks were done, she paid and turned, only to almost stumble straight into a woman.
“Cass. Hey.” Since Rhett’s death, she’d texted Cass a couple of times and even tried to call her once, but she hadn’t received a response. “How have you been?”
Cass’s brows lifted. “How have I been? We found Rhett’s dead body at the park. Then I got a warning from the sheriff’s department for not disclosing all of the information from the day of the climb.”
Addie glanced around, noticing people at the nearby tables staring at them. Not a surprise, considering the volume and harshness of Cass’s voice. “I’m sorry. But why didn’t you just tell them what you knew?”
“Because then they’d think it was Rhett, but he had nothing to do with what happened on the wall.”
Addie felt like telling her that his prints were found on the container of battery acid. She just stopped herself. And in any case, it didn’t excuse lying to the authorities.
“It doesn’t matter anymore though, does it?” Cass continued. “Because he’s dead.”
Addie swallowed hard. “It was also hard for me and Jules—”
“Oh, was it? Were you both in a relationship with him too?”
She frowned. “So you were actually dating?”
“Yes. Why is that so hard to believe?”
Maybe because originally, she’d called him a man-child, then they were sleeping together, but now they’d been dating? “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you two were so close.”
“Are you sorry because I lost him or sorry because you’re responsible for his death?”
She flinched but didn’t have time to respond before Cass bumped her shoulder hard and stepped to the counter.
Addie turned, wanting to say more. Wanting to defend herself. But what was the point? Cass obviously believed what she wanted to believe.
With a sigh, she walked around her. That’s when she realized Ellis had stepped inside and was only a foot away.
“Everything okay?” Ellis asked when she reached him.
“Not really. But she’s just angry.” She handed him a coffee. “Here you go.”
“Ah, the best part of my day. Thank you.”
“How else am I supposed to thank you for babysitting me?”
He chuckled as they stepped outside. “No thank you needed. I told you, it’s easy.”
Easy or boring? Because it looked boring. But she was glad he didn’t hate it.
She climbed into her car, and on the drive home, her thoughts went back to Cass. Had Cass spoken to Noah or Colt about how she felt? And did she really blame Addie, or was she just upset right now?
When Addie pulled onto her street, she saw the car outside her house. Jules.
She pulled into her driveway and turned off the car, and yep, Jules stood by the front door under the porch, dish in hand.
Oh no. Addie had successfully avoided Jules for the last week, always coming up with excuses as to why they couldn’t catch up—some believable, some not so much. It had been hard.
Holding her hot chocolate, she climbed out and headed toward the front door.
Jules straightened. “Hi, Addie. I hope it’s all right that I dropped by.”
“Is everything okay?”
“I was worried about you. I haven’t seen you in a week.”
Addie held back a frown. “You don’t need to worry about me. I’ve just been taking a few days to myself. So much has happened with Rhett and Noah that I thought it was needed.”
“I understand that.” Jules’s gaze shifted to the door, then back to her. “Can I come in? We can have a chat.”
Crap. She didn’t want to be rude, but she’d made a promise to Noah.
But then…what exactly made Jules a suspect? She glanced at the woman’s hair before moving back to her eyes. A wig? There could be plenty of reasons for it. Still…
“I’m actually expecting someone. Maybe next week?”
Jules’s frown deepened. “It’s my wig, isn’t it?”
Addie’s eyes widened. How did she know? “Um—”
“I know Noah saw it the other week. And when I saw you at the grocery store, you glanced at it a few times, and again just now.”
Dammit, she was too obvious. “Jules…I’m sorry. I don’t know what to think. I’m just trying to stay safe.”
Jules bit her bottom lip before resignation washed over her face. “I have brain cancer.”
Addie’s stomach dropped like she’d been punched. “What?”
“I have terminal brain cancer.” Jules swallowed. “I wear the wig because my hair fell out, and now it’s short and patchy, and I don’t look like the person I used to. I wear the wig to feel just a little bit more like my old self.”
Tears welled in Addie’s eyes. “Oh, Jules, I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you. It’s been hard. Really hard. But this friendship between us has helped me.”
Addie didn’t know what to say. She wanted to cry for Jules. “I’ve really enjoyed our friendship too.”
Jules nodded. “Good. I won’t force myself on you. I know you’re doing what’s best for you, which is exactly what you need to be doing, so I’ll go. Hopefully when this is all over, we can resume our friendship.” Jules handed her the dish before walking back to her car.
Addie opened her mouth to call her back but stopped. She believed Jules, but at the same time, she didn’t have any proof…and Jules was right. She had to protect herself.
God, she hated this. All of it. Not taking Jules into her home and wrapping her in her arms felt wrong.
As Jules drove away, the same words repeated over in her head—terminal cancer. It made Addie want to cry, and she hadn’t even known her for that long.
She just had to pray that they found the person doing all this. It wouldn’t be Jules. Then she could be the friend Jules needed her to be.
Noah pulled into his driveway. It was midafternoon, and the drive from Bozeman had taken longer than usual with construction slowing him down.
He didn’t care. The session had been another good one.
Hell, he’d only had four sessions with the new doctor and already he felt different.
Lighter. The nightmares had still come, but not every night…
and the biggest difference was, he didn’t wake up in a cold sweat.
His heart didn’t race. He was able to open his eyes and breathe.
Was it possible there was another side to this PTSD? A side where he could function again? Sleep and have a healthy relationship? A few weeks ago, he wouldn’t have believed it. Now? Now there was this light at the end of the tunnel, and every therapy session brought him closer.
He was about to climb out of his truck when his phone lit up with a call from Toby.
Shit. He hadn’t called the other therapist since canceling his last appointment. Did he owe Toby more than that? Probably a conversation. But not right now, while he was feeling good. He’d do it later.
He climbed out and walked to the front door.
Jesse had run another background check on Jules, but again, nothing had shown up. She’d lived her entire life in Missoula before moving here to work at the park. She’d worked in a café for the previous five years. She was also divorced.
Inside, he turned to his alarm, only to stop.
It was off.
The fuck? He never left home without turning it on.
Quietly, he slipped into his bedroom and took the Glock out of the bottom drawer beside the bed. Then, slowly, he crept back into the hall. He kept his back close to the wall and the Glock to his chest.
Someone had accessed his home. Who? Were they still here? And how the fuck had they turned off his alarm?
He stepped into the kitchen, only to stop at the crackle of plastic from his walk-in pantry.
What the hell were they doing?
With silent steps, he inched closer. When he reached the pantry, he spun, Glock raised and aimed.
The second he saw her, he lowered his weapon. “Indie?”
She didn’t turn. It was like she didn’t hear him.
Was she…organizing his pantry?
He tapped her on the shoulder, and she screeched, a packet of noodles flying into the air as she spun around.
She pressed one hand on her pregnant belly and the other to her chest. “Noah! I think you almost sent me into labor.” She yanked out an earbud and glared at him like he’d done something wrong.
“Do you know how dangerous it is to sneak up on a pregnant woman? Do you want to deliver a baby right now?”
“Indie…you broke into my house.”
“I did not. You gave me a key and the code for the alarm. I didn’t break anything.”
He scrubbed a hand over his face. Jesus Christ. “Next time…text.”
“I was going to, but then I got hungry. I came in looking for a snack, but your pantry looked like a war zone, so I got distracted.”
She’d broken into his house in an attempt to get a snack, only to reorganize his pantry? “Is this a pregnancy thing?”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s a my-brother’s-a-slob thing.” She lifted a bag of candy and stepped into his kitchen. “I found these. Since when do you eat candy?”
“I don’t. Addie bought them. She’s more of a chocolate person, but she switches to candy every so often.”
Indie glanced at the candy, then back at him. “Does that mean I can’t have any?”
He chuckled. “Open them. I’ll replace them.”
“Thank God. Last time I was denied candy, I cried. Apparently, pregnancy makes you irrationally emotional.” She ripped the bag open and popped a Swedish Fish into her mouth.
“Indie…what are you doing here?”
“I’m here to see you.” She dropped onto a stool and patted the one beside her.
He put the Glock on the counter before sitting. “I didn’t see your car.”
“Colt dropped me off.”
“So he witnessed you breaking in?”
“Again, there was no breaking involved. But yes, he came in with me before I told him he could go while I reorganized the pantry.” She lifted another candy but didn’t put this one in her mouth. “How are you doing?”
Noah ran a hand through his hair. “Better.”
“I’ve been wanting to talk to you for a while.” She paused, her expression softening. “Something happened on your last mission, didn’t it?”
He should have told her. He knew he should have told her.
She was his sister. His closest family member.
And she’d shared so much about her fertility struggles, he should have let her into his darkness too.
“There was an ambush. My teammate and I were captured. They killed him in front of me in an attempt to get information out of me.”
Tears immediately filled Indie’s eyes.
Shit. “See, this is why I didn’t tell you.”
She scrubbed her eyes. “No. They’re just pregnancy hormones. I told you, I’ve been emotional.” She reached over and squeezed his leg. “I’m so sorry you went through that, Noah.”
“I’m working through it. I’ve found a great therapist and I’m making progress.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You’ve had your own stuff going on.” Not just the infertility she’d grappled with for years. She’d also been separated from Colt. She’d had issues with his mother. Not to mention her struggles with her mental health.
Indie tilted her head. “You need to tell me these things. I know you’re good at taking care of everyone else. But we want to take care of you too. I love you, Noah. I need you to be okay.”
His heart gave one of those big fucking thuds. “I love you too, Indie. And I should have told you.”
“What can I do to help?”
“You’re already doing it by being here. And growing my niece or nephew in your belly.”
One side of her mouth lifted but then lowered again. “What’s going on with Addie?”
“I fucked up. I’ve been fucking up.”
“Tell me about it.”
“I was having flashbacks. Sometimes while I was awake, sometimes asleep. I didn’t like her being around me when I had them. They were unpredictable…so I decided she just shouldn’t be around me at all right now.”
She seemed to take a second to process that. “I’m going to tell you what I think.”
“Of course you are.”
“You love her. I can see it. And I’m certain she loves you too, because who wouldn’t? And if what you say is true, then she’s already seen the worst parts of you. She’s seen your demons, and she hasn’t run from them.”
“But what if I hurt her?”
“Do you think you’re capable of that?”
“A year ago, I would have said no.”
“Ask me.”
He frowned. “What?”
“Ask me if you’re capable of hurting her.”
“Indie—”
“The answer is no. I know you. I’ve known you my entire life.
There is not a bone in your body capable of hurting a woman.
Especially her. Maybe sometimes you feel like you lose control, but you’ll always come back to the light before it’s too late.
I don’t need to be a licensed therapist to know that. ”
He swallowed hard. Even if she was right, he was still scared, which was a new emotion for him, because not much scared him. At least, not much used to scare him.
Indie leaned closer. “She makes you happy and she wants to support you…so let her.”
It was exactly what Dr. Burton had said. And hell, it was exactly what every part of him had been screaming to do.
So what the hell was he doing here?