Page 30 of Never Alone
She made a sound that was almost a laugh and was mostly not. Then threw up again.
After a minute, the worst of it passed. She straightened up, slowly, one hand braced on the edge of the planter. Her face was wet. Her eyes were red.
I let go of her hair, pulled the handkerchief out of my back pocket, and put it in her hand.
"Stay here. I'll be right back."
I went back through the bay door, into the kitchen, past Martinez, Davis, and Hutch—who all opened their mouths and shut them again when they saw my face—to the sink. Filled a glass with cold water. Walked it back out.
She was sitting on the curb when I came around the corner. My handkerchief was in her lap. She had her elbows on her knees.
I crouched in front of her and held out the glass.
"Drink. Slowly."
She took it. Sipped. Closed her eyes for a second. Sipped again.
I waited until she'd had enough.
"Tessa." I kept my voice low. "I hear you. I know how hard that was for you to come here and ask. I'm not saying no. But I can't say yes right now either. I need to think about it. When I have an answer, I'll come find you. Okay?"
She looked up. Surprised. Like she had not let herself believe I might say yes.
"Thank you." Her voice was small. "For listening. And for—" She glanced at the planter. Almost smiled. "Holding my hair."
"It's not the worst thing I've seen."
Her shoulders shook once—a real laugh this time, surprised out of her. It only lasted a second. But it was there.
"You're welcome to come inside," I said. "Sit down for a while. Before you drive."
"I'm okay. Really. I feel better already."
I looked at her. She was steady enough. Pale, but the color was coming back. I looked back at the kitchen where the crew was still watching. I'd thought about offering to drive her, but I didn't want to give them more to talk about than they already had.
"Let me walk you to your car. Just to make sure you don't faint on the way."
She huffed a small breath. "Alright."
I stood. Held out a hand. She took it and let me help her up. Her hand was cold. She let go as soon as she had her feet.
We walked across the lot. I stayed a half step behind her on her right side, watching the way she was carrying herself. Steady enough. She got to her car and stopped with her hand on the door.
"Cole."
"Yeah."
"Thank you. Really."
"Drive safe."
She got in and started the car. I watched her pull out of the lot, turn onto the street, and disappear around the corner.
A-shift was supposed to be on its way out. B-shift had clocked in fifteen minutes ago. Neither shift had moved. The kitchen was full when I came through—my four standing where I'd left them, the B-shift guys a step behind them, all of them with the look of men who had been pretending to do something else when they heard my boots coming.
Martinez was the first one to break.
"Lieutenant."
