Page 62 of Running to You

Her question hung in the air between them. He knew the answer. She’d leave again. Assuming they both survived this…quest, for lack of a better word, she’d thank him profusely and then go back to wherever—and whoever—she’d run to before.

Eliza wasn’t a go-it-alone kind of person. Unlike Sam, who managed his own life with very little input from others, Eliza had always needed people around her, counselors and friends. So there’d been someone, maybe a whole community of someones. She’d return to them and never look back.

Which was why he needed to keep his feelings to himself. This was going to hurt badly enough when it was over.

And then he’d return to his former life. Working sixty hours a week just to fill the time, attending business events and every fancy party in Portland with a beautiful woman on his arm, a woman he’d kiss on the cheek before leaving her on her doorstep.

He’d liked that life, hadn’t he?

Yup. And if he needed love, he’d get a dog.

When his phone rang, he was glad for the distraction.

Eliza looked up from her soup.

“It’s Grant.” He answered with, “Hey, bro.”

“Eliza’s back? You guys were attacked, and you didn’t tell me?” Grant’s words were low and angry.

“So much for Jon’s confidentiality agreement.”

“Jon? My friend, Jon? What does he have to do with this?”

“Uh…” Sam had obviously jumped to the wrong conclusion. “I hired him.”

“You hired Jon!”

Sam held the phone away from his ear at Grant’s raised voice.

“Geez, man," Grant said. "I’m your brother. I heard about this from Dad, but you asked my best friend for help? And not me?”

“Why would I have called you?”

“Gee, I don’t know. Because I was a Green Beret. A bodyguard. Now I’m a cop.”

“With a job. A full-time job. You’re not a detective.”

“As a matter of fact, I am a detective.”

Oh. Sam probably should have known that.

“And Summer was a bodyguard too. She could’ve—”

“Yeah, I’m really gonna hire my sister-in-law to protect me.”

“Not you, idiot. Your girlfriend. Summer can keep her safe.”

Sam met Eliza’s eyes, wondering how much she could hear. Maybe he should hire bodyguards. Maybe that was the smart play.

“We’re safe for now.”

“Thank God for that.” Grant’s anger seemed to have drained. “Where are you?”

Sam hadn’t told Daniel or his father where they were going. Not that he didn’t trust them, but…well, it seemed wiser to keep their whereabouts secret.

He didn’t want to think about his reasoning. If the people after Eliza attacked Sam’s family, he didn’t want them to be able to tell where they were.

Keep them safe, God.