Page 126 of Shadowing You

“You need some ibuprofen?”

She took the bottle, shook out two tablets, and swallowed without meeting his eyes.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.” She handed the bottle back to him.

“Are you sure? You seem a little⁠—”

“How’s Holly?”

It took him a beat to register the question, and another to understand it. The plane bumped through a pocket of air, or something inside his chest did.

“I’m sorry?”

“Your girlfriend.” Her voice stayed quiet, almost conversational. “She’s sent you several messages since we boarded. She misses your morning coffee.”

He flipped through a number of responses but could only manage to force one out. “You read my texts.”

“I didn’t realize you were keeping secrets.”

“I wasn’t…” Heat climbed his neck, and on its heels came a thought that didn’t belong—I should have changed the code. He hadn’t because he didn’t want to be the kind of husband who kept things from his wife. He didn’t want to be like his father.

He wasn’t like his father.

He leaned close to her. “Mei Lin, if I’d had any idea you were still alive⁠—”

“When did you plan to tell me?”

“Soon. I was going to tell you that morning in the cabin, but then we heard the moped coming.”

“We’ve been together for a week, Ethan. There were plenty of opportunities.”

“Not really. At first you were so sick and weak, and⁠—”

“You thought I couldn’t handle it?”

“You could hardly stand up.”

“I could have heard the news lying down.”

He took a breath, telling himself to calm down. “You needed to heal, and I didn’t think telling you about Holly would help.”

“This is better? Am I well enough now, Dr. Wright, to handle the truth?”

“It’s not… It wasn’t important.”

She glared at him. “I’m sure Holly would disagree.”

“I realize… I know I’m going to hurt her, but I’ve been trying to deal with you.”

“Deal with me? What does that mean? Am I a task to cross off your list?”

“You’re twisting my words.” His blood pressure spiked. “Try to hear what I’m saying.”

“Oh, please, explain it slowly so my feeble mind can follow your superior logic.”

“Be angry with me if it makes you feel better.” He spoke the words slowly and calmly despite the fury pounding in his chest.