Across the Vanishing Sky (Starlight Grove, #1)(109)

Brae swallowed hard as we reached the porch steps. “Can I leave these on the porch, or will something explode in my face?”

“As long as you avoid the third stair, you’re good.”

“This place is a lawsuit waiting to happen,” she muttered as she deposited the tin on the top step.

Just as she did, the front door swung open and a hulking figure filled the space. Orion glowered at both of us, but Brae wasn’t deterred. She beamed up at him. “I made you thank-you cookies. You’re a little hard to bake for, but I did my best.”

Orion stayed silent but eyed the cookies, and I swore there was the slightest twitch to his lips.

“Thank you for sending me Maren. She’s amazing. She’s already filing paperwork or motions or whatever the legal jargon is. Thank you.”

The scowl was back on Orion’s face. He turned to me, signing. “I’m working on Nova’s map.”

“How’s it going?” I asked, then turned to Brae. “He’s working on the case map for Nova.”

Orion’s hands began to move again, and I spoke his signs aloud so Brae could understand. “I’ve mapped out as many possible routes as I can think of. Does Brae remember hearing anything? A vehicle, a horse?”

Brae worried the corner of her lip as she clasped her hands in front of her, shaking her head. “I don’t think so. But that day…it’s fuzzy now. Like I’ve thought about it so much, I’ve worn out the memory.”

Orion frowned, his gaze dropping to the floorboards in front of him. I could almost see his thoughts whirling as if running through endless possibilities in his mind. He looked up again, his hands moving.

“What about vehicles in the parking lot when you arrived?” I translated.

“There were three. A beige SUV with Nevada plates. A green Subaru. And a silver pickup. I don’t remember plates on the other two, so they were probably California, but I can’t be sure. I’ve played those moments over and over in my head, but that’s all I can remember.” Frustration laced Brae’s tone as if she were kicking herself for what she couldn’t see.

Orion’s hands moved again, and I gave voice to his words. “Anything out of place on the trail? Anything at all?”

Brae bit her lip harder and shook her head. “It’s fuzzy. I don’t—I can’t see it all.”

I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her to my side. “Hey, it’s not your fault. It’s trauma. More may come with time.” My lips brushed over her temple.

Orion tracked my movements with his gaze, locking on the signs of affection, and I swore there was a hint of longing in his eyes. But whatever the flicker of emotion was, he covered it quickly. “She should talk to Aster.”

“Not a bad idea,” I said.

“What?” Brae asked, looking up at me.

“Aster. She might have an idea for how to recover more accurate memories.”

Brae straightened against me. “Anything. I’ll do anything.”

And that scared me most of all. Because if Brae got reckless, whoever this monster was could take advantage. And they could do anything.





45





BRAEDYN





The buzz of conversation filled the cavernous bar space. The Boot didn’t open for another two hours, but there were almost a dozen people gathered around tables Aidan had pulled together. All here for me.

Holly sat chatting with Fiona, a stack of papers in front of her, along with a notepad. Aidan flirted mercilessly with Aster, whose head tipped back in a laugh as Roger chuckled. Wylder and Kol moved around the tables, refilling coffees. Travis said something to Cora that made her blush and giggle. The only people we were still waiting on were Maverick and Waylon.

Dex leaned into my side. “You okay?”

I nodded, swallowing down the emotions that left a heaviness in my throat. “It’s just. A lot. Everyone showing up like this. Taking time off work and rearranging schedules.”

“Hellion. You’ve got people who care.”

A burn lit along my sternum, spreading up and out. “I’m starting to see that.”

“Scares the hell out of you, doesn’t it?”

My gaze flicked up to his dark-hazel eyes. So much swirled there. “When you don’t have anyone, there’s less to lose.”

Dex wrapped his arms around me, and I pressed my face to his chest, burrowing in. His lips ghosted over my hair. “You’re just going to have to get used to us sticking around.”

A war of feeling erupted, battling it out over my mind and body. Hope and fear. Love and loss. I didn’t know what to grab ahold of.

Breathing deeply, I tried to rest in the knowledge that all of these people were here because they wanted to help. I released Dex and pulled myself from his hold to face the chattering group. My gaze hitched on Roger’s, and I didn’t miss the flicker of hurt, but he covered it quickly with a grin.

Guilt swirled low in my belly. He’d asked me out no less than half a dozen times, and I’d always said no. Said I wasn’t ready. And it hadn’t been a lie. Apparently, it only took the right person to change that.

“I come bearing breakfast,” Maverick boomed, carrying in a massive box of food as Waylon lumbered in behind him with another, then Blaze with yet another.