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“So,” Orly said. “Tell me. What happened that day? Was it me? Did I scare you away?”
“No,” Hallie said immediately. “Never. Nothing like that. You… you amazed me. I couldn’t believe someone could have such control and power over their gift. It was incredible. Mind-blowing even.”
Orly stared at her, not saying anything for a long moment. “Sit with me,” she finally said, pulling up an old step stool Hallie used to get to the top shelves in her office. Hallie sat in her chair while Orly sat on the stool. “Tell me,” Orly said.
Hallie wasn’t sure what else she wanted to know. “What?”
Orly gave her a tender smile. “You called it a gift. Most people don’t know what to call it and are afraid or confused by it. You’re not. So, tell me, what’s yours?”
Hallie sighed. “It’s nothing. Stupid really.”
Orly took Hallie’s hand and held it firmly. “I don’t think so. Please? You know you can trust me. I take it you haven’t told Caden yet, right?”
Hallie shook her head.
“Have you told anyone?” Orly asked.
Hallie shook her head again.
“It gets easier the more people you tell, but I have to warn you, once the guys find out, you’ll never have to tell anyone again, unless you want to. You should see how they are with me. It’s a lot sometimes, but after what I went through, I’m grateful for it.”
Hallie found herself wanting to know more about Orly’s life and whatever it was that she had gone through. “Please,” Orly said. “Tell me what it is. I promise, your secret will be safe with me. And like I said, it’ll get easier, once you tell me and you see that I don’t freak out. It’ll encourage you to tell Caden.”
“I can’t tell him,” Hallie said. “He wouldn’t understand.”
Orly smiled gently. “Do you think I will?”
Hallie shrugged. “Maybe.”
Just then, Caden stuck his head in. “What’s going on here?”
“Nothing,” Orly said, shooing him away. “Just girl talk. Tell the guys the food will be ready to be served in a few minutes.”
Caden smiled and left them alone. The small office was quiet again and Orly looked at Hallie expectantly. Hallie had no reason to keep her secret from Orly. The woman had one of the most powerful gifts she’d ever seen and there was no reason not to trust her. “I see things that will happen in the future,” Hallie finally said. “But only glimpses of them.”
Orly gasped, then covered her mouth with her hand. “Sorry. That’s just so amazing. What kinds of things do you see?”
“It’s anything but amazing. It’s scary and terrifying. I saw...this. A few weeks ago, I started seeing glass shattering, only I had no idea where or how or when. It’s been tormenting me, keeping me awake. Now that it’s happened, maybe I’ll finally get some sleep.”
Orly bit her lip, tears glistening in her eyes. “You need to tell Caden.”
“No,” Hallie insisted. “I can’t.”
Orly reached out and took Hallie’s hand in hers. “You were there at my party. You saw him come running clear across the yard when I needed help. He stayed with me, held my hand, talked to me, and made sure someone called a fire department in another state to ensure the old man I’d connected with would be taken care of. Do you honestly think a guy like that wouldn’t do everything he could to make it easier for you? To protect you from anyone who’d want to take advantage of you because of your gift? And yes, it’s a gift, Hallie. An incredible gift that might get stronger with time, or maybe it won’t. But either way, having Caden in your life will only make you feel safer and better when you do have those glimpses that terrify you or keep you awake at night.”
There was so much more Hallie wasn’t telling her, like how she knew about Blake. Caden might be understanding of her gift, but would he be open to her having known about Blake, and how she’d waited almost a week to send in her tip because she was afraid the FBI would trace it back to her, just as they had? Would he turn her in to his boss?
“Promise me you’ll tell him,” Orly said. She had this sweet tone to her voice that made Hallie feel like everything she said was pure and innocent. “Unless you really don’t want him in your life. Then don’t drag this out and just tell him it’s over so you can both move on.”
Hallie was a little surprised by Orly’s last words, but she shouldn’t have been, given how protective the guys were of her. It only made sense that she’d be just as protective of them. “I’ll give it some serious thought, which is saying a lot, because I wasn’t planning on telling him.” Even her mom had warned her against telling Caden about her issue. Everything and everyone in Hallie’s life had conditioned her to be ashamed of her ability. But here sat this beautiful woman with a gift far beyond Hallie’s scope of understanding, so sure that telling Caden was the right thing to do.
Orly squeezed Hallie’s hand. “I totally get it. I never wanted to tell anyone about what I could do either. Most of the time, I don’t get a choice in whether I tell someone or not. One minute I’m minding my own business and the next, they’re in my head and I have to make a split-second decision on how best to help them.” Orly sighed then, as if carefully weighing her next words. “I like you Hallie, and I think you would be amazing for Caden. But he’s Luke’s best friend, and I won’t stand by and let you drag this out, hurting him in the process. So, think hard and fast, and make your choice. Either you want Caden in your life or you don’t. I’ll still be here for you no matter what you decide, just don’t keep hurting him and yourself with this limbo you two have been in.”
Hallie threw her arms around Orly in a tight hug. She had no idea if she was going to tell Caden the truth, but Orly was the only person in her life so far who hadn’t judged her or tried to fix her, and that meant everything to Hallie. “Thank you,” Hallie whispered.
“I’m just a call away,” Orly assured. “Anytime you want to talk or need a friend. Day or night. Just say the word and I’ll be here.”
They hugged for a long moment before pulling back. Hallie was about to suggest bringing the guys in so they could get some food, but Orly’s attention was locked on the pile of old mail Hallie had tossed into a basket near her desk. Orly’s eyes grew wider as she reached for the folded newspaper.
