Page 136 of Shadowing You

He left the bags and then walked down the hall and across a catwalk that led to the opposite side of the house. He chose the room at the far end. A queen bed, a cushy chair, and a long stretch of carpet between his room and hers.

It wasn’t an apartment building, but he’d make it work.

Water poured into the washing machine down the hall, and the smell of detergent drifted into the kitchen. Ethan had thrown in everything they’d worn since he’d found Mei Lin in Changsha.

Flurries drifted past the window. It was cold enough for the snow to stick, adding to the accumulation already there.

After starting a fire in the fireplace with wood he found stacked in the garage, Ethan perused the food options.

Gavin had stocked the place with enough to feed them for weeks. There were two boxes of pancake mix and three flavors of cereal. The fridge held two dozen eggs, a package of bacon, a pound of butter, and a quart of cream. And that was just the breakfast food.

He pulled out the eggs and butter and was reading the back of the pancake mix when his cell rang. He was happy to have his own phone back…mostly. He half wished he could keep avoiding all the people he’d neglected to talk to for days.

He looked at the screen, then closed his eyes.

Might as well get it over with.

He swiped to connect the call. “Hey.”

“Thank God you’re all right.” Holly sounded breathless with relief. “When I saw your text this morning… I can’t tell you how worried I was.”

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t have my phone, and…” He needed to stop making excuses.

His whole life, he’d blamed people for betraying him. Somehow, he’d become the betrayer.

He should’ve told Holly the truth from the very beginning. His reason—that he hadn’t been sure the woman on the phone really was Mei Lin—didn’t hold water. He still could’ve told her. He hadn’t because he hadn’t wanted to deal with her emotions—just like Gavin had guessed.

Holly was kind and smart and generous, and maybe, with a little more time, he could have learned to love her back. He probably would have.

Now, he had to break her heart. “I need to tell you something.”

“I’m sure. Whatever you’ve been doing has kept you…distracted.”

He closed his eyes. “Mei Lin’s alive.”

Holly’s only response was a quick intake of breath.

“She called, and I wasn’t convinced it was her.” He gave Holly the short version of the events of the previous week. “We’re safe now. Hopefully, I’ll be back to work soon.”

There was a very long pause on the other end of the line.

He didn’t fill it, just let her process.

After a minute, she said, “Your wife is alive.”

“I didn’t know. If I’d had any inkling⁠—”

“No, I…I get it. I’m just… Wow. She’s okay?”

“She’s…” Holly didn’t need the details. “She will be, yes.”

“Okay.” Holly sighed. “I’m happy for you.”

“I’m so sorry. I should’ve told you sooner. I was just…” No excuses.

“It’s not exactly an easy conversation.”

She was too generous. This would be easier if she weren’t so kind.