Brody

“I can’t believe how you lucked out.”

I was sorting through the food Gayle brought for me before she headed to the hotel for the night. Really, it was nothing more than a stall tactic. Even after she and Shanna had gone through the cabin, top to bottom, she was still worried. I wasn’t hiding anything.

I wasn’t an alcoholic, but I got it. I did. I hadn’t been acting like a normal person with normal problems for the last eight months.

I patted her arm. “I will be fine. I promise.” I saw her disbelief. Her lips pressed together. “This was a wake-up call.” As much as I hated to admit it, it was. “It’s time to work through some of my grief about Kyle.”

Her eyes clouded over. “You never talk about him, you know?”

“I know.”

When I did, I wanted to hurt something. I wanted to punch holes in walls, demolish hotel rooms, shatter glasses. Anything to take it from the inside and put it on the outside.

“I didn’t know Kyle, but maybe you should reach out to his wife? See your nieces?”

The man-eating, metal-chewing manager was gone. The mother she must’ve been for her kids was talking.

I was softening, but I didn’t want that. That brought feelings.

Morgan.

I’d focus on her.

I saw her horse beyond the fencing. If that horse was there, so was Morgan.

“I’ll be fine, Gayle. I mean it.”

She quieted, but I still felt her concern.

“I’ll give them a call tonight.”

“Good.” She perked up. “Good. That’s so good.” She grasped my arm with both her hands and squeezed. “I’m happy to hear that.” She was almost shaking me.

“And I’ll be fine. I’m going to go on a run, wear myself out, and then sleep. That’s it.”

“No visitors.”

Technically, I was going to Morgan, or hoping to.

“No visitors here tonight.” I nodded firmly.

“I mean it, Brody. I know you said you weren’t sleeping with Kellerman, but that would be very, very bad if you got mixed up with her. Her brother’s protective.”

Didn’t I know it? I saw the look Matthew Kellerman gave me during the crew dinner the first night. If he could’ve speared me with a pitchfork, he would’ve.

“Okay.”

Her phone started buzzing, and she looked to read the text. “That’s Shanna. They’re waiting for me in a car.”

“I’ll be fine. I promise.”

She nodded, going to the door before looking back.

I held my hands in the air. “I’m making you a promise. Once I do that, I always follow through. I will be fine tonight.”

Her lips twisted into a half-grimace. “I’m aware you aren’t promising other than tonight.”

I went to the door and held it for her. She paused there, raking her gaze over me again. Head to toe. She said curtly, “You still look damn good.”

I barked out a laugh. “Shanna said if the bruises don’t heal by the time I start shooting, they’ll work it into a scene.”

She grunted. “I’m sure. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s in your bed the minute the last scene is wrapped.”

That’d be interesting. She’d have a rude awakening.

Her phone buzzed again.

I said lightly, “Go, Gayle. I’m just going for a run tonight, and I’ll call my nieces later.”

Her shoulders relaxed. Finally.

She began moving down the stairs, waving once over her shoulder once she got to the ground.

Shanna was driving and rolled her window down. She pointed at me, her eyebrows fixed fiercely together. “Rest and healing. Got it?”

I saluted her.

She laughed and then flicked me off as she drove away.

Once the last of the crew left, I knew I was alone for real. The Kellermans had gone into the city for dinner. Abby had texted me to say they’d be back late and would be returning to the main lodge. Shanna said they weren’t moving the crew again. Since the EMTs took me to the house, the whole radon lie was done, but she didn’t know that. She just said she wasn’t flipping the bill to move everyone back. There was enough moving as it was.

Things were becoming a new normal, and it was starting with my changing clothes.

Sneakers.

Running shorts.

A shirt that’d keep me warm.

And headphones plugged into my phone.

I hadn’t been lying when I said I was going for a run.

I really did intend to start fixing myself, and that meant getting back to my normal training routine. I needed five miles today, but I started out slowly, turning onto the walking path I’d explored before.

Morgan was out there. Somewhere.