Page 30 of Derecho

“She got here in the middle of the fucking storm! Was soaked through, crying, she didn’t even have shoes on.”

You promised!! Please don’t say anything else…

“What?” Birdie gasped. “Why didn’t she come up to our place? She could have come to me. Or called me once she was here? I would have come to get her.”

“I would have come to pick her up, Chickadee.” God, Beau really was protective of my sister. After everything they went through a few months ago, it made sense. We almost lost her. Shit. I should have let her know I was okay…

“It doesn’t matter who would go. She could have called me!”

No. No, I couldn’t. Because my sister was the person Greg knew I’d run to. Birdie was always solving my problems.

“I think she would have, except she knew he’d go right to you. Looking for her.”

“But why did she come here?” Beau asked, Juniper screeching over his question. “To you?”

Lachlan didn’t answer, at least not in a way I could hear. Shoving off the wall, I tiptoed into his room until I made it to his closet. I needed to cover my arms. My eyes bounced all over the closet, landing on the cowboy hat he had tucked up on the top shelf for a minute before continuing on. He had a few sweatshirts, but honestly, I was already feeling too hot. I’d definitely throw up if I put one of those on. A couple items over, my eyes landed on his collection of flannels. They would still be warm, but I could leave the collar and a few buttons undone. That would be better than a sweatshirt.

Exhaustion washed over me as I finally made my way downstairs.

“Oh my God! Are you okay?” Birdie was next to me the instant I stepped off the stairs, wrapping me in a big hug. “Greg called, and all I could think was that you were in a ditch somewhere!”

I hugged her back for a second, sinking into the bond that was always my safety net. I’d been so horrible to her for so long, trying my hardest to push her away so she wouldn’t see what a mess my life was.

“Please don’t pick up the phone if he calls again. We’re over, and I'll never go back to him again.”

Her hold on me loosened and she stepped back, her eyes going wide before her finger came up to my face and pushed away my hair. She brushed against the bruise that had gotten darker overnight.

“Oh, God. Lainey. What happened? What did he do to you?”

I couldn’t get words past the lump in my throat. So I just stood there and shook my head. My eyes met Lachlan’s, and I felt the sting of oncoming tears hit.

“That asshole hurt her.”

And there it was. The truth I’d been so ashamed of, laid out right in front of my family, and Lach’s, too. Because as soon as Beau heard, he got the same look in his eyes as Lach did last night. It was only a matter of time before every Ford was talking about the pathetic mistake I’d made.

“Lain. I thought things were better between you two. That he was so excited for the wedding, and the baby. I’m sorry I didn’t push more. I didn’t protect you.”

“You did nothing wrong.”

Lachlan cleared his throat. “Why don’t you both go into the kitchen?” His eyes moved to mine. “I made breakfast about an hour ago, and put a plate in the fridge for when you were feeling up to eating.”

“Thank you.”

“No thanks necessary.”

Birdie slipped her arm through mine, but Beau stopped us before we walked away.

“Are all of your things still at his place?” he asked.

I nodded. “I left everything behind.”

“Okay. Hayes and I will handle it.”

“I should go with you, too,” Birdie said. “To make sure the nursery things are packed up⁠—”

“There really isn’t anything for a nursery,” I admitted. “I have a few pajama sets I hid away in my shirt drawer, but Greg didn’t want me buying anything before…”

My sister’s grip on my waist tightened, pouring comfort into me. “It’s okay. We’ve got time to get whatever you might need.”