“How’s she doing?” I’m dying to know but don’t want to sound overly anxious.
He lets out a long sigh before actually speaking. “She’s actually doing really, really well. She looks fantastic. She’s put on weight and is ready to move forward. She’s got doctors and therapists lined up here until she figures out where she’s going.”
“She’s going to leave again?” My heart skips a beat and my stomach drops.
“I don’t know. She’s taking the next couple of months off to just kind of figure out her life. She said she wants to move out and have a plan by the time we get back from the honeymoon.”
“Well, where else would she go? Back to Phoenix?”
“Nah, Phoenix is a done deal. She really hasn’t said. I think she’s leaving her options open.” I swallow hard against my dry throat. I don’t know why this upsets me—the possibility of her leaving again. “I’m just glad she’s getting better,” he admits quietly.
“Me too.”
The rest of the ride to my house is quiet. I’m lost in my thoughts of Lindsay, and I am exhausted from the trip. Landon pulls into my driveway just as Melissa pulls up in front of my house. “Looks like someone is excited to see you.” He waves to her as she gets out of her car. I lay my head back against the seat rest, inhaling a deep breath.
“It’s not what it looks like.”
“I vaguely remember that used to be my line.” This makes me laugh and I open my car door and walk around the back of the SUV. Pulling my luggage down from the car, I give a short wave to Landon as he wags his eyebrows and offers me a smirk. I flip him the middle finger and I can see him laughing as he backs out of my driveway. Melissa meets me and waits on the front step with a smile on her face.
“Hey, stranger,” she drawls.
“Hey, Melissa.”
“I was just coming over to water your plant and tidy everything up before you got home. Wasn’t sure what time you’d be here.” She inserts my house key into the door, disables the alarm, and holds the door open for me, like this is where she belongs. I toss my suitcase and backpack into the corner and kick off my tennis shoes.
“I’ve got it,” I politely tell her. “I really appreciate you taking care of the place and getting my mail. I’m completely exhausted right now, but maybe we can catch up sometime this week?” I hope I don’t sound like a complete ass, but I really just want a shower and a long nap.
“Yeah, sure, of course.” She shakes her head a little, visibly upset. I hate nothing more than hurting people and I instantly feel guilty for putting her off.
“Maybe we can hike on Sunday and grab breakfast afterwards,” I offer quickly in an attempt to ward off any hurt feelings. A small smile tugs at her lips.
“That sounds nice.”
“I’ll text you. Thanks again. I really appreciate it.” She quietly leaves and I breathe a sigh of relief.
I immediately jump back into work upon my return from Europe. Staying busy helps keep my mind from wandering into dangerous places; however, it still wanders every night before I go to sleep. I wonder if I’ll ever not wonder where Lindsay is, who she’s with, who’s holding her, or if I’ll ever hear her laugh again? I still see her smile when I close my eyes, and feel her arm lying across my chest in the middle of the night. Every morning, when I sit and have coffee, I swear I hear her in my bedroom, getting ready for the day. I promised myself in Europe I’d let Lindsay’s ghost go, but maybe I’m just not ready yet.
My phone rings loudly from the table in the living room and I jog over to get it, Melissa’s name flashes across the screen. I hit ignore and set the phone back down, turning on the TV to ESPN. I sip coffee and catch up on the sports highlights before checking my voice messages. I turn the speakerphone on and listen to the message while I gather my belongings for work.
“Matt, I have to cancel our hike for this weekend. I have to watch my nephew for my sister. Was thinking maybe we could grab a movie on Friday night instead? They’re playing the original Star Wars at that old theater downtown that they recently refurbished. I thought it might be fun to go. Let me know if you’re interested.”
The phone disconnects itself at the end of the message. I pick it up and shove it into my pocket as I head out the door for work. Thirty minutes later, I’m dressed and headed into our pre-shift meeting. Our sergeant provides us with updates and our detectives alert us to which people they’re looking for, or what information they’d like us to listen out for.#p#分页标题#e#