Page 21 of Juan

She gave another nod and took the phone with a shaking hand. Juan slid the cool device into her grip, and she stared at the darkened screen, sifting through what she’d say. When she finalized it in her mind, she turned it to Spencer, who typed in his code, then she dialed.

The automated voicemail greeted her and when the line beeped, she spoke.

“This is Amber Murray, formerly Amber Ely. I received your messages and now understand why you’ve been trying to reach me. I don’t know how or why this is happening, but we need to meet. You should know, though, that I have friends who look out for me, protect me, now. I can come to you, but I won’t come alone.” Her voice cracked. Spencer’s hand squeezed her shoulder, a reassuring touch.

She inhaled and continued. “You tried to find me through the network they are a part of, so I know you understand the work they do. Understand what they are committed to and that they have my best interest in mind. Please call me.” She rattled off Spencer’s number, not knowing if it would show up on their caller list. Then she repeated it. “I’ll be waiting to hear from you.” Hesitant to break the connection, several seconds passed before she brought herself to end the call. When the screen went blank, she blew out a breath. “Okay, what now?”

“Now you eat and shower and we wait for them to call back,” Spencer said.

She looked up at him. “I hate that plan.”

“I know you do. We’re not fans of it either.”

Honesty rang true in his voice, and though she didn’t like it, she appreciated it. “Okay, but I’m keeping your phone by my side.”

He nodded.

“I’m going to answer every call, because we don’t know if they’ll be calling from the same number,” she added.

“Fine.”

“A woman might call.”

His eyes narrowed. “You’re itching for a fight, and you won’t get it from me.” She pursed her lips. Judging by the way she instantly regretted saying the words, he was right. “And for the record,” he continued, “there are no other women. There hasn’t been for months.”

She drew back at that, then swung her gaze around the room. Wasn’t that something guys didn’t like admitting in front of other guys? But none of his brothers looked surprised. Or judgy.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m…”

“I appreciate the apology, but you don’t need to worry about hurting my feelings,” he said. “Now what do you want for breakfast? And if you say nothing, I’m going to let Lovell decide.”

Her gaze flickered to the six-foot-four wall of muscle. Not only did Lovell pack it away, he was also one of the healthiest eaters of the group. Macros were important to the man. “A bowl of oatmeal with a side of bacon, please,” she said.

“Coming right up,” Hawkeye responded, exiting the room.

Lovell’s phone dinged with a text. “Tucker and Ethan are on-site. They don’t have eyes on the women yet but are making their way through the woods to get a better vantage,” he said. Both men were operatives at HICC, although she thought Ethan, Kara’s husband, helped more with the administrative side of things than headed into the field. Still, she trusted Leo wouldn’t have let them send him if he wasn’t qualified.

The door swung open, and Kara herself walked in carrying her medical bag. Her gaze swept the room, then settled on Amber. From the look in her eye, Ethan had already told her what was going on. The grapevine in Mystery Lake worked fast and the Warwick one like lightning.

Shooing the men away, Kara pulled a chair up beside her, setting a hand on her wrist. At first, Amber thought she might be checking her pulse, but then she squeezed gently. Supportively. “I can’t even begin to imagine what your mind, your body, and your heart are going through,” Kara said. “I’m not sure you need me now. Not for that,” she added, nodding to her bag. “But I’m here. Do you want me to call anyone else? Daphne? Dottie?”

Her eyes stung as tears filled the corners before overflowing and falling down her cheeks. A tissue appeared in her line of sight and she grasped it, casting a grateful look at Spencer before returning her attention to Kara.

She shook her head, then said, “Both, maybe, I don’t know.” Everything felt so twisted and unhinged inside her. Her friends couldn’t do anything about it, and she didn’t much like the image of herself languishing in the clubhouse, surrounded by awkward silence, as people fretted around her. Maybe she should just crawl into bed until the call came.

“I already called Daphne,” Lovell said, his voice deep and steady. He and Daphne had moved in together only two weeks earlier. The laughter, the lightness, of that day felt like a lifetime ago.

“And Dottie is out on her morning walk. She’ll be back in the next fifteen minutes or so,” Dulcie said.

Amber felt herself nod, an automatic reaction.

Hawkeye returned with her breakfast, setting it in front of her. She stared at the food, knowing she needed to eat.

“Hawkeye, could you bring her some tea as well, with sugar? And why don’t the rest of you gentlemen have a seat,” Kara said, her voice gentle without leaving room for discussion.

Amber’s stomach roiled, but Spencer gave her an encouraging nod, and she picked up the spoon. Taking one bite, she paused, wanting to make sure her body didn’t revolt before taking another. By the time she choked it all down, Dottie had arrived and joined her at the table. With Spencer sitting across from her, Kara on one side, and Dottie on the other, a seedling of strength began taking root inside her.

And when Daphne burst in, carrying four bags filled to bursting, declaring she was going to be auntie twice in one year, Amber even managed a smile.