Page 66 of Searching for Bristol
“Yeah?”
“I’m glad you called. I was lying here worrying, but talking to you made me realize that I reallydobelieve they’ll be fine. Simon’s not going to put them in danger, and they definitely know what they’re doing. They were the best of the best in their fields in the military. So no cowardly child molester is going to get the best ofthem.”
Her reassurance made Bristol feel a lot better. “You’re right.”
“I know.”
Both women chuckled.
“I’ll see you in the morning. Is nine o’clock too early?”
“No, it’s perfect.”
“Right, then I’ll see you then.”
“Bye.”
“Bye.”
Bristol clicked off the phone and put it back on the table next to her. She lay back then turned on her side, burying her nose into the pillow under her. Rocky’s scent filled her senses. She loved being in his huge bed. She felt dwarfed, lying in a ball in the middle of the king-size mattress, but she knew Rocky was large enough to need the space.
She imagined him scooting up behind her, putting his heavy arm around her waist and pulling her against him. He’d completely surround her, as usual, and that thought alone made her sigh. She’d always been a little resentful of her small stature, but imagining being in Rocky’s embrace made her love herself exactly as she was. She fit against him perfectly.
Inhaling once more, she closed her eyes. Even without him here, she still felt surrounded by him. It was comforting. The hum of desire still swam in her veins, but it was muted now, ready to be stoked to life by his hands and lips when she was with him again.
Life had its twists and turns for sure. The lows sucked. Thinking back to when she was alone in the woods, scared to death that she was going to die out there without anyone finding her body for months, years, Bristol shivered. But somehow, one of the lowest times in her life had turned on a dime, and now here she was. Happy and excited about what the future might hold.
The longer she stayed in Fallport, the more shewantedto stay. It had taken her thirty-seven years to find the small town, and Rocky, but now that she had, she never wanted to leave.
Her experience was a reminder that when life sucked the most, that was when you had to hold on the hardest. Time would keep spinning and eventually the bad would turn back to good. She was living proof of that.
She fell asleep with a smile on her face, Rocky’s scent in her nose and seeping into her skin, and more content than she’d been in a long time. Even lost in the creation of her art, she’d never been this fulfilled.
CHAPTERTWELVE
The next morning, Bristol awoke disappointed that Rocky hadn’t returned, even though after her talk with Lilly, she hadn’t really expected him to. But she was looking forward to breakfast with her new friend.
It was weird to be in the apartment without him. She didn’t need him to get around anymore, but she missed the way he always came to her after she’d showered and wandered into the living area. He’d put his hand on her arm, or around her waist, making sure she was steady as he led her to the table or couch and handed her a coffee to start her day.
It was too quiet now. Too empty in the apartment without him. It was crazy how quickly she’d gotten used to being around someone, to the point she now craved it. Especially when she’d been perfectly happy alone in her house in Kingsport.
She’d just finished a second cup of coffee when her phone vibrated with a text. Looking down, Bristol saw it was Lilly, saying she was downstairs. She asked if she needed assistance getting down the steps, and Bristol reassured her that she didn’t. She was going to use her crutches today, instead of the knee walker, and while it might take her longer to get down the stairs, and they were kind of awkward, she was determined to get back on both legs sooner than later.
She headed out of the apartment, her purse slung over her torso, thumping against her with each step she took. She had almost reached the stairs when the apartment door just to the left of the stairwell opened. It was the same apartment Ethan had lived in, where he’d generously let Elsie and her son stay after he’d moved. They, of course, hadn’t stayed there long, as she’d married Zeke and moved in with him.
Obviously the apartment had been rented again, and this was the first time Bristol had met the tenant. To her surprise, it was Lance. The nice man who’d prevented her from falling in the middle of the street during the festival the week before.
“Good morning,” he said in a friendly tone.
“Morning,” she told him as she attempted to hold onto the railing and her crutches at the same time.
“Let me help you,” he said quickly, coming to her side.
He hovered next to her for a moment, as if not sure how exactly he could help and not wanting to touch her without permission. Something Bristol appreciated. “If you can hold this crutch, I can use the other one to brace myself, along with the railing, as I go down.”
“Of course,” Lance said.
Bristol gratefully handed the single crutch over and found it much easier than she thought to hop her way down the stairs.
