The Long Way Home_Harper Sloan by Harper Sloan

Author:Harper Sloan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harper Sloan
Published: 2023-03-02T00:00:00+00:00

“Shallow” by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga

What a day.

I lean over the counter and place the last folded shirt of Riley’s on the kitchen island and think about how the morning had gone.

It was shocking, first thing this morning when Riley and I were headed out, not seeing the man who had been a daily constant for our walks. I had been so used to that routine we were creating, never once having him miss a day, that I hadn’t been able to shake the concern that hit me like a battering ram. It felt wrong seeing Evan standing there where Drew should have been.

Evan hadn’t given me anything, but he knew I was shocked when I saw him standing outside of my gate today and not Drew. I don’t like the feeling that I had when I looked out there and didn’t see our guy leaning against his normal perch in the alcove to the gated entryway. It felt wrong. Like I was missing something vital.

I asked, but he brushed my question off to focus on Riley instead. If she noticed anything was awry, she did a great job of hiding it.

He was polite, but what I saw working behind his eyes told me that I was right to worry.

Ever since that night I stood with Drew and he opened up some, we have been getting closer and closer. He hasn’t talked more about the family he lost. He started letting his guard down more and more, letting me see glimpses of him carefree.

What he hasn’t done, however, is missed a single day. He’s never ignored a text. He’s never not taken my call. His silence, while it’s something he gives everyone else, hasn’t been given back to me since he and I started growing closer. Since we became us.

Luckily, today was so busy I didn’t have a single moment to let my thoughts run away with me. I had been spending less time at Olde Mug than I normally would, and more time with Drew, so a busy day wasn’t surprising. It was welcome to keep my thoughts from overrunning me with fret and worry.

Once I got done with payroll, it seemed like I was putting out a million different fires all day. Great for not thinking about the man who’s stealing all your thoughts, but not so great when you know something is wrong with said man and you’re powerless to help.

“I don’t like this,” I whisper to the empty room.

I drop the last item I had folded into the basket full of her laundry and move over to where I left my bag earlier. I knew there wouldn’t be anything from him, but not seeing the screen light up without any calls or texts from him amped up my concern to a whole new level. I had tried, of course, to reach him. Before today, he didn’t ever ignore my calls. Another thing that makes me know something is wrong. My thumbs make quick work, and despite the hour, Ella’s response comes right away.

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