Page 3 of Keeping Caroline
I paused, feeling the weight of the outside world pressing against the walls of my apartment. Ethan didn’t ask for favors often. The man was a fortress himself, all hard edges, inked skin, and haunted eyes that had seen too much. Yet there was honor in him, and a protectiveness that extended beyond his immediate circle, but getting too close to him could put me in the line of fire, and I knew that. Still, after everything we’d uncovered together, I couldn’t find it in myself to turn him down.
“Sure,” I typed back, my fingers pausing before pressing send. “When?”
Three pulsing dots. Tapping my finger on my mouse, I took a sip of my soda, knowing I should probably switch to water if I wanted to sleep at some point before daylight. “Tomorrow good?”
“See you then.” My response was automatic, but as I leaned back in my chair, staring into the light of my computer screens, responsibility and a warning warred inside my chest. Ethan and Scarlett’s world was one of dark pasts and tangled futures. Although this time it was pulling me to rural Alabama, to where they’d recently moved and opened a bookstore, it was so much more than their attempt to start over with used novels and dog-eared paperbacks. They may have moved there to leave their past behind, but I wasn’t so sure if the past was through with them yet. The question was, if their past wasn’t finished with them, did I want to risk it catching up with my present?
Sleek black fur blending in with the shadows, Houdini jumped onto the desk, his bright emerald eyes reflecting the screens’ lights like beacons. As he nuzzled my hand, forcing me to give him attention, it was a not-so-subtle reminder that even in the depths of my isolation, connections were inevitable, maybe even necessary.
Sliding behind the wheel of my vintage, black, 1969 Mustang, the engine rumbled to life with a roar that echoed off the walls of the parking garage below my apartment complex. As I pulled out onto the freeway, I watched the city fade into the rearview mirror, a tangle of glass and steel vanishing into the horizon behind me.
Breathing in deeply, my lungs filled with the scent of the fresh air blowing in through the open windows, it was a stark contrast to the car exhaust I was used to. Urban chaos slowly bled into pastoral calm as I drove. Skyscrapers gave way to sprawling fields and the constant hum of traffic softened to the occasional murmur of passing cars. The golden rays of the sun glinted off the hood as I steered the car along the highway, cutting through rural Georgia. Rolling hills stretched as far as the eye could see, dotted with grazing horses and weathered barns.
But even with the serene landscape outside my windows, however, with every mile, the anticipation within me swelled, a silent storm that thrummed against my ribcage. I wasn’t naive. I knew the risk I could be taking by meeting Ethan and Scarlett face to face—how their enemies, the remaining members of Victor Delacroix’s gang that were undoubtedly still out there, could finally realize I was the man behind the screens and seek vengeance against me for the part I’d played in their leader’s death—the part I was still playing. I may not have been the one who’d pulled the trigger when Ethan stormed into one of their locations to save Scarlett and killed several people in the process, including their leader, but I’d helped him find them, and I’d helped to create the diversions that had gotten him inside, and them both back out. But after everything we’d gone through together, I considered them my friends, so I swallowed my hesitation down like the jagged pill it was, and pressed my foot harder against the pedal, loving the way my baby purred beneath me. Damn, I loved my car.
Living in Atlanta, I didn’t make my way to this part of Alabama often. My job required me to remain in locations with high-speed internet at least, and by the lack of infrastructure as I approached the eastern border of Alabama, I realized I may be out of luck. The Appalachian Mountains stood sentinel in the distance, the sun illuminating their peaks like golden crowns. It was breathtaking—a contrast to the constant flashing of police lights and the sterile chill of skyscrapers.
It was still early in the morning by the time I exited off the freeway toward the town where Ethan and Scarlett lived, venturing deeper into the mountains. Wanting to avoid rush hour traffic, I’d left way too early, so I was relieved when the illuminated sign for my hotel popped up around the bend. Ethan wasn’t expecting me until later in the day, and I needed a nap. After his message, I’d stayed awake for far too long packing, and dwelling on if I was making the right decision. No matter what argument I made with myself, however, I’d still decided to take the risk. I hoped I didn’t come to regret it.
The small town where Ethan and Scarlett opened their new bookstore in was quaint, a place you would see in a romance holiday movie, a town where everyone in town came out just to watch the Christmas tree being lit on Main Street. There was a charm to this town that I would never be able to find in the place I called home, and I could certainly see the appeal.
Pulling my backpack on, I left the hotel and stepped out into the early spring afternoon, heading down the street toward Tangled in the Pages Two, which was only two blocks away.
The scent of pine filled the air as I pulled in a deep breath and scanned the quiet street. It was not quite time for schools to let out, but I imagined the roads and sidewalks became busier once they did.
My steps became less sure as the bookstore came into view, but I forged forward, stepping through the door just as another man walked out, allowing me to walk in unnoticed.
For a moment, I lingered near the stack of bestsellers at the entrance, taking everything in. Although I’d never seen pictures of Ethan, I’d seen many of Scarlett, so I recognized her immediately. Petite, with long black hair and deep brown eyes, Scarlett was a stunning woman, and the way her eyes lit up as she smiled at her husband, her hand reaching down to rub the small swell of her pregnant stomach, even my icy heart warmed for her. Out of everyone in the world, she deserved so much happiness. And Ethan, at least in person, at least in such a benign setting, had far fewer shadows than I ever expected him to have. They seemed almost…ordinary.
A smile stretching across my lips, I stepped away from the place where I’d been lingering, moving closer to the counter. “Hey, Boss. I heard this was the place to get a good cup of coffee in town.”
Both Ethan and Scarlett spun toward me, Ethan’s eyes widening, amusement playing across his features although he was the one who’d invited me. “Phantom?”
“Nice to finally meet you,” I said, extending a hand toward Ethan before turning my smile toward Scarlett, who’d moved to stand by his side. “And this must be Scarlett.”
A bright smile spread across her lips, and before I knew what was happening, she took a step forward and pulled me into a hug. “Hello. It’s amazing to finally meet you!”
Although it was awkward, and she’d nearly knocked my glasses off my face, I hugged her back. “It’s nice to meet you too.”
As she pulled away, I noticed the stunning woman and little girl standing near the cafe counter—a woman who looked remarkably like Ethan, so I assumed she was his sister. Seeming to sense my eyes on her, she turned up to look at me, the side of her lips lifting in a smile. Before I could lift my hand in a wave, she turned and chased after her little girl who’d taken off in the other direction, running toward the back of the store.
It was impossible not to chuckle, but I redirected my attention back to Scarlett and Ethan. “I heard the two of you may be in need of a new security system, and I definitely wanted to come check out the new store. By the way, my real name is Tristan.”
I’d debated the entire way to the store whether I wanted to share my real name with them, but since I knew their names, I figured it was only fair they knew mine. The three of us had moved past simple acquaintances. If Ethan trusted me with his family’s safety, then I needed to trust him with mine.
Ethan smiled, reaching forward to grip my forearm. “Appreciate you making the trip, Tristan.”
Nodding, I flicked my eyes over his shoulder to where the other woman had reappeared from around the stacks, her bright blue eyes meeting mine before turning away.
“Tristan, that over there is my sister, Caroline,” Ethan said, letting go of my arm to lift the little girl who’d wrapped her arms around his leg and was hanging off him like a monkey. “And this little firecracker is Evie.”
Caroline smiled at me, her beauty nearly sending me to my knees, but it was her little girl that tugged at my heart. Although I didn’t know much about Ethan’s family, it was clear by the child’s appearance that she was a cancer patient, which was heartbreaking for someone so young, but when she looked up at me, it was also clear she was bursting with life.
“Hi, Tristan!” Her voice was bright as a string of lights, her eyes wide and curious. “Are you a superhero? You look like someone who knows about secret missions!”
A chuckle escaped me, despite the somberness that often lay beneath my smiles. “Not exactly a superhero, Evie. But I do know a thing or two about secret missions.” I winked, watching as her grin widened, revealing a gap where a tooth had vacated its post.
The way Ethan held Evie in his arms, it was easy to forget how much blood he’d spilled. “Tristan’s going to help us with top secret computer stuff,” he said, his tone making me sound so much cooler than I really was. Giving her a kiss on the cheek, he placed her back on the ground.