Page 188 of Running to You

Gil and Elliot had followed her from the airport, though she hadn’t known it at the time. They’d caught up with her on a narrow highway that led to Shadow Cove, mostly deserted at that time of night. Gil had run her rented sedan off the road.

She’d crashed and bolted from the car, running toward a light that turned out to be a campfire.

A lot of campfires, actually, surrounded by teenagers and deep in the woods.

Gil got ahold of Eliza before she reached them and tackled her. Knocked her down. She remembered a sharp pain to the back of her head.

And screaming.

The teenagers heard and came to her aid. Thanks to some quick thinking—and a couple of rifles—they ran Gil and Elliot off. When she couldn’t remember anything, not even her name, one of them had offered to drive her to the address on the business card clutched in her hand. Adults would’ve taken Eliza straight to the hospital, but the kids were nervous about getting caught camping on private property, or so Sam assumed when he found Eliza’s rental car. Her suitcase and purse were missing, of course, probably taken by Gil and Elliot that night. They’d been tasked not only with finding her but with finding out where she’d been and where she was going.

“Something wrong, son?” Dad looked up at Sam from the sofa, concern in his warm brown eyes.

Sam forced himself to sit, to be calm. He settled on an armchair beside his mother. “I have a surprise for you.”

“Shouldn’t we wait to open presents when everyone is here?”

“They’ll understand,” Sam said. “You remember Eliza?”

“Daniel told us she’d returned and was in a bit of trouble. We always liked her.”

“Me, too,” Sam said. “But I messed it up. Well, we both made mistakes, some pretty big ones. And…it’s a long story. I promise to tell you everything, but right now…”

His parents both looked expectant. Hopeful.

“We’re back together.”

“Oh, good.” Mom’s smile was so natural as she glanced at Dad. “I’m so glad. We always thought you and Eliza made a good match.”

“There’s more, though.” The words he’d rehearsed flew from his brain. He had no idea how to do this.

Suddenly, he understood why it’d taken Eliza so long to tell him the truth. How did you spring this news on someone?

He pushed to his feet and walked to the stairs, prepared to call her down.

But she was standing near the bottom, Levi’s hands in hers. He looked as nervous as his mom.

Sam held out his arms, and Levi jumped into them. With his son propped on his hip, he took Eliza’s hand, then kissed her on the head. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “I promise.”

Together, they walked around the corner.

Mom gasped, a hand covering her mouth.

Dad stood, pulling her up beside him. They both stared.

And, if he wasn’t mistaken, those were tears in Mom’s eyes.

“Mom, Dad. You remember Eliza?”

They nodded, but they barely flicked their gazes to her. They couldn’t seem to force their eyes away from Levi.

Clearly, they saw what Sam had missed the first time he’d looked at his son’s picture. The resemblance was so obvious now.

Meaning they already knew. It made it easier for Sam to go on.

“This is Levi. Our son.”

Sam had assumed Dad would be the first to react, but Mom skirted the coffee table and approached. She smiled at the little boy. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Levi. I’m…” She blinked tears back and swallowed. “I’m your Nana.”