Page 79 of Johnathan
Marco was there.
His knife cut through her throat.
“Okay. It’s okay. You’re safe. You’re safe, baby.”
“John.” His name came out as a sob, her arms tightening around his chest.
“I’ve got you, baby. You’re safe. You fell asleep on the couch. I was just about to carry you to bed.”
“He was here. In the water.”
“I’m so sorry, Abby.”
Abby’s head rested on his chest, until her breathing calmed and her tears dried.
“I need to get up.”
“To run? It’s really late, but I’ll go with you if you need to.”
“No.” She could tell he was surprised when she lifted her head off of him and smiled softly. “To pee. All that water I gulped down is just sitting in my bladder.”
He squeezed his arms around her tighter, a protective growl rumbling from his chest.
“We’ll look back on this and laugh, John. I promise. Just another time you had to jump in and save me. I’m really racking up a big debt here.”
“There’s no tally. I’m not keeping score.”
“Well, maybe one day I can return the favor. Are you afraid of dogs, by chance? Because I could definitely save you from a puppy.”
He laughed. “Let’s just focus on neither one of us needing to be saved, okay?”
“I don’t know. It seems to be woven in my DNA.”
Twenty-Three
“You have to tell us all about your weekend away!” Emma giggled as she passed out the first round of shots. The week had dragged, but the bright spot in being back in Bell Ridge was finally catching up with Daisy, Grace, and Emma.
“What exactly are these?” Abby looked suspiciously at the pink-colored liquid in front of her.
“Sugar cookies. Hold on to your boobs, Abby. These shots aren’t for the weak!” Grace laughed, pushing her shot back to Emma.
“Wait. Why are you giving this back to me?” Emma’s face lit up.
Daisy turned to her cousin. “Oh, my god. Are you?”
Grace shook her head. “We’re in the two week wait. I don’t want to chance it. So I’m the sober friend for the night!”
“Well, good. Now we’ve got two things to toast to.” Emma cleared her throat. “To Abby and John, who had such a fabulous time at his cabin this weekend that she’s going to tell us every dirty detail about it, and to Grace, who at this very moment could be knocked up with baby number two.”
“Cheers!” Abby, Emma, and Daisy clinked their shot glasses together before slamming down the neon liquid.
“Holy hell!” Abby sputtered as the drink seared her throat. “Those are toxic.”
“Nah, babes. They’re just designed to get the party started! Let me know when you feel it kick in. I’ll make sure the bar is cleared off in case you want to dance on top of it in Grace’s place.”
Grace rolled her eyes and snorted into her water.
“I did it ONE time, Emma. Are you never going to let me hear the end of it?”