Page 159 of Secrets Hidden In The Glass

She nodded again, perilously close to tears. “A little.”

“How would you feel about staying at the mansion until this blows over—or at least until Liam gets home in a couple of days? I don’t want Gwen alone at night.”

She absorbed another wave of guilt. So many bad things were happening because of her case. Nate had downplayed the situation after he’d made the arrest, but she’d heard the anger in his voice and talked to Gwen herself. His sister had been shaken up. “Sure. Whatever we can do to help.”

He sent her a small smile as he stroked his fingers along her jaw. “It’ll be good for you to have some company.”

She smiled back, pressing his palm to her cheek. “I’d like that.”

He clenched his jaw as he shook his head. “Christ, I hate this for you. If I could change it—do anything to make this better—I would.”

And she had no idea how to ever truly thank him for it. “I’m okay. I have this handsome guy in my corner who’s helping me through the worst of it. He likes to hide out in Town Hall bathrooms, which is a little strange…”

He grinned. “We’ll have Shawn and Mac get you home. Maybe you could pack us up some stuff and I’ll come get you after work.”

She nodded. “All right.” She kissed him. “Thank you for going outside with me.”

“I wanted to be with you—fighting through this with you. That’s how this works.”

She was still getting used to that. So many times over the last few days, she’d tried to distance herself, forever waiting for the twelve-hour shifts or calls that interrupted him at home every twenty minutes to be their endgame, but he’d stood by her side, reminding her time and again through his actions and words that not everyone left. Some people stayed if you gave them the chance. She kissed him again. “I’ll see you in a little while.”

“It’s kinda crazy that we’re going to be shacking up in my childhood bed. My twelve-year-old self would never believe that I actually snagged a total babe like you.”

She grinned and opened the door, spotting Mac and Shawn waiting down the hall.

“Let’s get you in the car and out of this madhouse for now.”

She walked with Nate out the back door, refusing to be discouraged when the press rushed them as they moved toward the cruiser.