Page 41 of Soft Flannel Hank

Hank declined the call but opened his messages.

Are you alone?

Nat replied almost instantly.

Where the hell are you, Hank?

Answer the question.

Hank could imagine Nat’s frustrated growl.

No. They’re searching her cabin right now.

Tell them she fled on foot.

Did she flee on foot? I thought you had her.

Tell them she fled on foot.

They can search the woods around the cabin for her.

Meet me at my house.

“Fuck,” Hank hissed, closing his eyes and leaning his head back into the headrest.

“Who was that?” Esther asked in a watery voice.

“A friend of mine.”

“A human friend of yours?” He heard the trepidation in her voice.

“No.”

“Is he a—”

Hank grunted.

She choked on a sob and in the dim light from the dash, Hank saw her cover her face with both hands. Without a single conscious thought, Hank reached out and took one of her hands in his, pulling it gently away from her face and squeezing it in his big fist.

As he held her hand in his, her fingers cold, he realized it wasn’t enough. He wanted to unbuckle her seatbelt and pull her across the console until she was straddling his lap and wrap his arms around her. He imagined her burying her face in that corner where his neck met his shoulder. She would lay her head down, and he would hold her until she stopped crying. He wouldn’t kiss her. Not until her crying had stopped, when he would lift her head and would use his thumbs to brush the tears from her cheeks.

But then he remembered his rough thumbs. His rough hands. Rough everything, really. Remembered Marnie saying how much his callouses irritated her. Esther probably didn’t want to feel that roughness either. He was about to let go of her hand.

But then she squeezed it. She squeezed his fingers in hers, and he felt flushed from his chest to his ears. He squeezed back, gripping her fingers tightly.

“Do you trust me, Esther?”

She sniffed back tears. “Why should I trust you?”

Because I would throw myself in front of a runaway bus for you.Nope. Couldn’t say that.

But what could he say to a woman he’d only just met but who made him feel like he couldstopthat runaway bus? He was out of his depth. So far out of his depth that he’d probably drown in his feelings before he could reach the shallows again.

And so he said what felt true. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

He released her hand to put the truck in reverse.

“Where are we going?” she nearly shrieked, her voice filled with panic.