Page 56 of Mending Hearts
“That’s me.”
“And Mr. Marshall.”
Ollie straightens beside me. “Yes.”
They explain the process—statements, identification, timeline. Routine words for a not-routine moment. They separate us to opposite sides of the room. I hate that.
I answer questions with clipped precision, irritation simmering under my skin. Where was I standing? Did I know the woman? Had I interacted with her before? Did I recognize her from prior events?
“No. No. No.”
I keep my answers tight because if I loosen my grip even a little, the image of that blade flashing toward Ollie’s chest is going to take me out at the knees. Across the small room, Ican see Ollie answering his own questions. He looks composed, calm. Almost eerily so.
Anyone else would think he’s fine.
I know better.
His hands are trembling. Barely, but I catch it when he reaches for a bottle of water and steadies it with both palms. I catch the way he takes a slow breath between answers like he’s counting them.
He’s holding himself together because that’s what he’s always done.
The officer asks if I want to press charges.
“Yes,” I say without hesitation.
Ollie’s head snaps up.
“Rafe—”
“No,” I cut in, voice sharp. “Absolutely yes.”
The officer nods, jotting something down.
Ollie doesn’t argue, but his jaw tenses. I can feel the tension radiating off him even from across the room.
Good. Let him be annoyed. I don’t care.
My sister chooses that moment to barrel into the room, Luis right behind her. Her eyes are wide, face pale. Marco is a step behind him.
“Rafe,” she says, crossing to me and wrapping me in a hug so tight it almost knocks the air out of my lungs. “What the fuck?”
I hold her back just as fiercely. My hands are shaking now that I’m not pretending they aren’t.
She pulls back, grips my shoulders, eyes scanning my face. “You with me?”
“Yeah. I’m fine,” I say. “We’re fine.”
Her gaze flicks past me. Then she freezes. Her mouth opens slightly before she leans in close, voice barely above a whisper. “Were you just kissing Ollie Marshall?”
I clamp my mouth shut. Every instinct screamsdeny.Deflect. Lie.Instead, I take a breath and say the only thing I can manage. “Later.”
Her eyebrows shoot up. “Later?”
“Later,” I repeat. Because my husband kissed me, and he did it in front of everyone. Because I kissed him back, and my entire internal framework is currently on fire.
Rosa stares at me for a long beat, then exhales slowly. “Okay,” she says. “Later.” She squeezes my arm once and turns toward Ollie.
Marco is already there, pulling Ollie into a hug that’s all solidity and care. Lindy joins a second later, arms wrapping around Ollie’s shoulders, murmuring something I can’t hear but can guess at.
