Page 15 of Ember
“What makes you so sure of that?”
“Because in a situation like that, he had the power to choose which path he wanted to go regarding his future, and in a life or death situation, there’s no swaying that. He did what he felt like he had to do to try and save himself, and as terrible as the situation is, you can’t put the blame for it on your shoulders.”
“Amad made a decision, and now it’s time for you to make yours. Remembering him and honoring who he was in your life doesn’t coincide with you ensuring that you’re miserable, Danica. And that’s exactly what you’re doing. You think that if you’re not miserable, then you’re somehow betraying him.”
“And what makes you the expert on grief?” She snapped unintentionally, feeling horrible no sooner than the words left her mouth.
“I’m not an expert, but I’ve been a first responder for ten years now. You can’t even imagine some of the things that I’ve seen, or any of the conversations I’ve had with survivors who felt guilty that their friends died in a situation where they lived. Bad things happen, but your life doesn’t have to stop because of it.”
“Now you sound like my brother,” Danica laughed good-naturedly, wiping her face clear of any lingering tears.
“He must be a smart man.”
Their eyes connected, and Danica accepted all of the comfort his presence offered her. She couldn’t remember the last time that she’d felt so content, and free of the anxiety her never ending thoughts caused her.
“He ain’t all that,” she waved a hand, pulling her eyes away from his. Glancing down, she hit the home button on her phone, nearly gawking while reading the time. “Holy shit, I didn’t know it was so late. I didn’t mean to keep you here that long, please tell your girlfriend or whomever that…”
“You ain’t gotta worry about that,” Tucker gently squeezed the back of her neck again to calm her before she went into a frenzy. “I’m not attached to anybody in that way.”
“You sure?” Danica raised a suggestive eyebrow. “Because homegirl at the cookout was grilling me like she wanted to kill me.”
Tucker’s deep laugh filled the room as he shook his head. “Cece is tenacious, I will admit. But I’m not into her like that. Even if I was, I wouldn’t cross that line, because we work together. Situations like that never end well.”
“Well, even if you aren’t connected to her, I find it hard to believe that some woman out here hasn’t snatched you up yet.”
Draining the last of his third beer, his broad shoulder rose and fell quickly. “I used to have a fiancée. Shit, seems like it was forever ago, but at one point, I thought I could have it all. The career and family at home was what I thought was it for me. I wanted a wife, kids, dog, all that.”
“So what happened?” Danica’s voice dropped to a whisper as she studied his face carefully. Gone was the playful, easy going man that had walked through her door, and in his place was a cold, indifferent being that gave her chills.
“I changed.” He answered shortly, shaking his head. “And like you said, it’s getting late, so I should go.”
“Tucker,” Danica nearly flew from the couch to follow him. He’d moved so quickly that his shoes were already on by the time she made it to the foyer.
“Lock this door, Dani,” He commanded without so much of a glance backward. “I’ll see you later.”
“Tucker,” she called again, baffled by whatever it was that had just happened. As if he didn’t hear her, he stormed out of the door, closing it behind him.
Placing a hand up against it, Danica let out a sigh before locking it. With Tucker gone, that cold, familiar feeling in the pit of her stomach returned. Moving through the house, she turned off all the lights and slipped into the bed, wondering what happened to him that was so terrible, it virtually changed his personality.
It was obvious to her that Tucker was drowning, and before she closed her eyes for the night she promised that she wouldn’t give up on finding out why. She didn’t have plans to rest until she saved him, the same way he’d saved her.
