Page 193 of Josephine and Clay

Tessa.

I answer immediately. “Did you reach him?”

“No.” Wind rushes loudly through the speaker. “Boone’s getting dressed right now.”

Something in her voice makes my stomach drop. Movement. Urgency. “What’s happening?”

“We think we know which motel he’s staying at outside Twin Falls.” Her voice stays calm, but barely. “Boone was already worried about him before this voicemail.”

I close my eyes.

Of course he was.

“He sounded awful,” I whisper.

“I know.”

In the background, I hear Boone’s voice low and serious. A truck door slamming.

Penny straightens across the room.

“Tessa,” I say carefully, “what are you doing?”

A pause.

“Boone’s driving out there.”

My heart kicks hard against my ribs. “That’s eight hours away.”

“Yes. He’ll probably drive faster than is technically legal.”

That sounds exactly right.

I press my free hand against my forehead.

Relief flickers briefly because Boone is going to him. Boone will check on him and make sure he's breathing, conscious, and not alone in that motel room with whiskey, painkillers, and whatever terrible thoughts have been chewing through him for weeks.

Then another feeling rises underneath it.

Certainty hits so hard it leaves no room for argument.

I need to go too.

The realization arrives fully formed. My brain doesn’t launch into its usual cycle of overanalyzing or start building a spreadsheet of practical reasons why this is a terrible idea.

I just know.

“Tessa,” I say slowly, “can I go too?”

Silence.

Penny’s head snaps toward me. “Josie.”

“I know,” I tell both of them at once.

Tessa exhales softly into the phone. “Are you sure?”

My hand settles over my stomach as Penny and Tessa wait for an answer.