Page 60 of Forever Dark
Her eyes stayed on the front doors.
A different morning rose up in her head without warning.
Beach.Heat.Salt in the air.
They had been on their honeymoon, a gift from her family and friends, sitting at a little bar built almost on the sand, both of them sunburned despite the sunscreen Connor swore he had applied properly.He’d ordered a ridiculous tropical drink because the woman behind the bar said it was the house special and he had never liked backing down from a dare.
When it arrived, Selena had laughed so hard she nearly spilled her own.
The glass had a flower the size of her hand stuck into it, bright orange and pink, with three separate straws jutting out at different angles.Connor had stared at it like it was an engineering problem.
“What is this?”he’d said.
“Luxury,” Selena had told him.
He’d tried one straw, then another, getting almost nothing, his expression turning more irritated with every failed sip until he finally pulled all three straws and the flower out in one annoyed yank.
“There,” he’d muttered.“Now it’s a drink.”
Selena had laughed again, really laughed, head back, shoulders shaking, while he took a proper sip and then tried not to smile at her over the rim of the glass.
Back then, she had looked at him and seen hope.
Selena watched as the sun in front of her caught the emergency lights on the top of Connor’s SUV.For a second, the ray of sunshine turned blood red.Just as quickly, another image cut across her mind.The memory she feared the most.
Flashing hazard lights.
Twisted metal.
A sleepy street at night and the awful slowing of a car before impact came fully into view as it smashed into a woman on the road.
Her stomach lurched so sharply she had to grip the steering wheel.
Selena blinked.The sheriff’s office returned around her.Sunlight.A pickup rumbling by on the road.She drew in one slow breath and let it out through her nose.Deep down she knew she would have to confront that memory with Connor one day.But not yet.
Not now.
Laptop tucked under one arm, she got out and headed inside.
The front desk area smelled faintly of coffee and a cheap air freshener.Cheryl looked up from behind the reception with that same composed face Selena remembered from her first day back in town.Blond curls pinned neatly back.Makeup precise.A woman who liked to meet the world dressed for it.
“Good morning,” Cheryl said.
The smile arrived on schedule.Selena had the distinct sense it did not travel any deeper than the lipstick.
“Morning,” Selena said.“Where’s the briefing room, Cheryl?”
Cheryl pointed down the corridor.“Fifth door on your right.”
Selena shifted the laptop slightly under her arm.“Thanks.”
“How’re you settling back in?”
The tone was light enough to pass for casual.Selena doubted it was casual.
“It’s fine,” she said.“Like an old glove.”
Cheryl’s mouth lifted a fraction.“You must be desperate to get all this done and get back to Washington.”
