Defending Everly (Mountain Mercenaries, #5)(57)

“I couldn’t agree more,” Ball said. Then he reached up and pantomimed wiping a bead of sweat off his brow. “You made me sweat there for a bit, woman,” he complained.

Everly giggled. “You were the one who kept going on and on.”

It was true. He had. “You’re the best thing that’s happened to me in a really long time. I’m not going to fuck this up. I know a good thing when I’ve got it.”

“A relationship has two people in it, Ball.”

“Meaning?”

“Just that you aren’t the only one responsible for keeping us going. I know I’m not the easiest person to live with. To be with. And with both of us having jobs that put us in danger, well . . . that can put a lot of stress on a relationship.”

“Point taken.” He paused, then said, “When I get back, you’ll spend the night at my house?

Because so far, we’ve mostly hung out over here. I know this is Elise’s home and all, but even though my house isn’t huge, I do have that extra room we can fix up for your sister.”

“I’d love to,” Everly said shyly.

“Good.” He glanced down at his watch and grimaced. “I have to go.”

“Me too.”

Ball kissed her once more. A long, tender kiss that neither of them let cross the line into passionate. He pulled back reluctantly. “Text me,” he said.

“I will.”

“Elise too.”

“Her too.”

“Be careful,” Ball said, not wanting to go.

“I should be saying that to you,” Everly said.

“I’ll miss you.”

“Ditto. Now go,” she told him, shoving at his chest. “Before we both just stand here and find endless things to say to prolong the moment.”

“I’m going. Ev?”

She huffed out a breath in exaggerated impatience. “Yeah?”

Ball opened his mouth to tell her he loved her, but closed it. Now wasn’t the time to say that, and then leave. When he told her how much she meant to him, he wanted to have the time to show her as well. “Stay safe.”

“I will. Now go and do your thing so you can come home.”

“Home. Yes, ma’am,” he told her. He caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers one more time, then turned and headed for her door.

Four days later, Everly and Elise were hanging out at Allye’s house near Black Forest. It was quite the drive from her apartment, which was south of downtown and closer to the Broadmoor area. But it was a Friday, and both she and Elise were missing Ball way more than either of them had thought they would.

This was supposed to be the night Ball gave Elise and Ruby their first self-defense lessons, so instead of sitting around moping about it, she’d accepted Allye’s invitation to come for a sleepover.

They’d both packed pajamas and a change of clothes, deciding it would be fun to watch movies and hang with the other woman.

Elise was bundled up under a blanket on Allye’s couch in the basement, totally engrossed in a Netflix movie, when Allye asked Everly, “How are you doing?”

“Me?”

“Yeah, you. I’ve talked to Elise about what happened to her, and I think it’s great that you got her into therapy so quickly. Too many people think that not talking about things will somehow make them disappear, but it doesn’t work like that. But you also went through a lot when Elise was missing.

So how are you doing?”

“I’m okay.”

Allye quirked an eyebrow.

“I’m scared to death to let her out of my sight. I hate it when she goes to school, and I want to tell her that she has to come right home the second school lets out and not do anything with anyone.

That won’t help her heal, but it’s how I feel.”

“Have you told her?”

Everly looked over at her sister and sighed. She looked completely at ease. Her eyes were glued to the television, reading the subtitles as they came across the screen. “No. The last thing I want is for her to think I’m not strong, or give her something else to worry about.”

“Everly, I know you’re a cop, and you’re more than capable of handling a whole lot of things, but struggling to deal with the aftereffects of her kidnapping doesn’t make you weak. And I think she probably should know. One, it’ll show her exactly how much you love her, and two, if you’re feeling that way, don’t you think she is too?”

Everly thought about that. She absolutely didn’t want to freak her sister out. But . . . hadn’t she thought just the other day that Elise seemed a bit jumpy? Maybe if they talked about their fears, it would help them both.

“I had a long talk with Gray after I was taken. Yes, I was scared to death when that psycho had me, but Gray was dealing with his own hell. At first I didn’t understand. I mean, he wasn’t the one who was taken. But then I tried to put myself in his shoes, and I realized the terror he was feeling, while different, was just as valid as what I was going through. I think if you talk to Elise and explain how you felt when she disappeared, it’ll help you both.”

Everly nodded. She felt as if her fright and worry was somehow nothing compared to what Elise had gone through. It seemed silly to even bring it up, because what could be worse than what happened to Elise? But hearing that Gray had gone through similar feelings made her feel better.