Page 126 of The Clover Chapel (Jamison Valley 2)
“I’ve got time. How about you fill me in while Emmeline eats her lunch?” Jess asked.
Jess had brought Nick and me food from the deli downtown. The restaurant owners had packed up a huge meal. Nick had a large sub sandwich and I’d gotten homemade chicken noodle soup.
Nick started explaining and didn’t hold back any details from Jess. He told him about his childhood in Draven’s motorcycle club, his mother’s murder and how he’d once committed felony arson. I think it helped him process it all by talking it out with a friend. Nick had been carrying these heavy burdens alone for a long time.
When he recounted how he had spent the last week, I was overjoyed when he said that he hadn’t helped the club like Draven and Dash had wanted. Instead, he’d just gone to Stone’s funeral and hung around the Clifton Forge garage.
“At least now we know who was breaking into your house,” Nick said when he finished his story. “Just wish I would have thought about the Warriors as a threat before it escalated so far.”
“It’s not your fault,” I said, reaching out a hand toward him.
He took it and kissed my palm.
Nick was blaming himself for my kidnapping. It had been because of his family’s affiliations but it wasn’t Nick’s fault. And I certainly didn’t hold him responsible.
I wished that he hadn’t left during our argument. That the Warriors hadn’t found me alone. But if they had been breaking into my home for months, it had just been a matter of time. Nick couldn’t be with me every second, and since the Warriors had clearly been determined to get me, eventually they would have. It was just too bad that it had happened after our fight.
“All right. I’m gonna take off,” Jess said. “Emmeline, let me know if you think of anything else.”
Both men stood, but instead of shaking hands, Nick pulled the sheriff in for a brief hug. Jess clapped him on the back and then came to my side. He bent low and gave me a gentle kiss on the forehead. “Get well, Emmeline.”
I fought back tears. Jess had saved me from an unthinkable ordeal. Who knew what the Arrowhead Warriors would have done had they made it out of my driveway? I would forever be indebted to Jess for coming to my rescue. “Thank you. For everything,” I said.
He nodded and ducked out of the room.
“Thank you too,” I told Nick. “For coming back.”
“Don’t thank me, Emmy.” Pain and guilt were etched on his handsome face.
“It’s not your fault,” I whispered.
“It is.”
“It’s not. Please don’t torture yourself for this. I am fine. I will be fine. And I won’t be able to get past this if you blame yourself.”
Nick’s head dropped to the edge of my bed and his shoulders started to shake. My strong, brave and honest man was breaking down.
“I almost lost you,” he whispered. When he looked up, his eyes were wet. “I can’t live in a world without you.”
Tears dripped down my cheeks too. “You don’t have to.” I reached out my hand and placed it on Nick’s cheek, my thumb gently stroking his soft beard.
“Knock, Knock!”
Our visitor had bad timing. Swiping the tears off my face, I pulled in a few calming breaths. Nick did the same.
“Hi, Silas,” I said as he walked into the room.
“Is this a bad time?”
I shook my head while Nick stood to shake his hand. “No. Come on in.”
“Brought you both some stuff to wear home tomorrow,” Silas said, swinging a large duffel bag from his shoulder.
“Thanks,” Nick said, rifling around in the bag. The first thing he pulled out was one of his flannel shirts. “Can you lean forward?” Nick asked me.
I nodded and crunched forward as best I could with the tight wrap around my cracked ribs. Nick eased the shirt over my shoulders and onto each arm. Then he tucked the back behind me and helped me snap up the front.
When I pulled in a deep breath, I smelled Nick and instantly felt better. The pain in my side eased and the aches in my muscles lessened.
