“More corn, Egan?” Hannah held up a platter full of fresh ears of corn.
“Sure.” He grabbed the corn and placed it on his plate.
“Still have a healthy appetite I see,” Hannah said with a wagging of her brows. She passed the platter to Pao. “You men and your endless stomachs.”
“We’re still growing at almost forty,” Egan said, biting into the tender corn.
Hannah placed her hand on his shoulder and he didn’t think a darn thing about it until he caught Novah’s gaze. Now she had him feeling awkward although there wasn’t a damned thing between him and Pao’s sister. Sure, they’d had a quick dance with a relationship, but things fizzled just as fast. They’d decided they were better as friends. Maybe he should have told both Novah and Hannah the truth. Novah didn’t know he’d slept with Hannah a long time ago, after the divorce when he was reeling, and she had no idea that Novah was his ex. He hadn’t seen the importance and he’d been a bit preoccupied. The way Novah held him in her cool gaze, he guessed she’d find it important.
Dropping the cob, he wiped his mouth on a napkin and took a long guzzle of his beer. Thankfully, Novah was no longer staring at him like she wanted to cut him to shreds.
“Pao, do you remember when you used to go out into the corn field, pull an ear off the stock and eat it right there?” Hannah laughed. “We used to make fun of you.”
“What’s wrong with that? No different than people going out into the garden, taking a saltshaker to eat a tomato right off the vine. Ma used to do that.” Pao buttered his corn liberally. He pointed at Egan. “I bet you did some crazy stuff in your lifetime, buddy.”
“I was crazy all the way up until I had Finley,” he admitted.
“So what was Egan like before he had a kid?” Pao asked Novah.
“Don’t let him fool you. Having a kid didn’t change him. He’s still an adrenaline seeker.” Novah and Egan held each other’s gaze for what seemed like a good decade.
Hannah paused her fork mid-air. “So you two knew each other before Finley was born?”
“Damn, where have you been, sis?” Pao joked.
Egan saw something change in Novah’s expression. “Novah’s my wife,” he said easily.
Hannah dropped her fork and shifted. “Wow. I thought your last name was Coffman,” she said to Novah.
“Correction. Ex-wife. I took my name back after we divorced.” Novah pushed her chicken around the plate with her fork.
Egan wanted to change the subject and fast. “Lindsay?”
She sat at the end of the table, poking her food, seemingly disconnected from the easy chatter that flowed around the table. He didn’t know a lot about nothing, but he did know a little when it came to trauma. He’d dealt with it enough with his buddies who came back from across the pond who were different. Egan felt for her and her predicament.
Dark circles lined her worried eyes. “Yes, Egan?”
“Pao said he spoke to you a little about what we think you should do.”
She lowered her fork to her unfinished plate and placed her hands in her lap. “Yes, he did but he said you would explain more.”
“We want what’s best for you and the baby.”
She glanced at Pao. “That’s what you said but I have to make the final decision.”
Egan had never been good about sensing things, but he did notice that Lindsay seemed to trust Pao. “Wyoming isn’t a safe place for you now.”
Egan eased back into the chair, hearing it creak under his weight. “I think it’s best you leave the area too.”
“It’s not that easy.” Her skin paled.
“It’s the best option.”
Her hesitation shown in her pained expression. “B-but—”
“Lindsay, this is a chance to start over. For your sake and the baby’s,” Pao said matter-of-factly.
“What’s the difference if I’m here or anywhere. He can still find me if he wants.”
“We can help. We can place you somewhere, even change your identity if necessary.” Egan said.
“Do you, any of you,” she scanned her gaze around the table. “Understand how hard I’ve worked in medical school? I can’t walk away. I’ll be leaving soon anyway for residency.”
“Lindsay, we’re only trying to help,” Novah said.
She stayed quiet for several beats, then stood. Tears welled in her big blue eyes. “I-I need to think about this. It’s a lot to process. Would it be possible for me to speak to my family?”
“Yes. We can make that possible,” Pao said.
Egan didn’t need to ask to know why she hesitated. She was scared, and her career was on the line. And maybe she did still love Langley. Turning the heart off for someone you once cared about never came easy. He’d gotten under her skin and no matter how badly he’d treated her, or lied to her, she still cared. Egan’s chest filled with the heaviness of what he was seeing—knew the addiction to a person all too well. He darted a glance Novah’s direction. She’d needled her way under his skin like a branding and forever he’d have her embedded in his heart and soul.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’m no longer hungry.” She dropped her napkin onto her plate and stormed through the screen door. Novah’s gaze searched Egan. “There must be something we can do. She can’t stay here. If she does, she’ll be at risk, the baby will be too.”
“Novah, we can’t force her to do anything. She has to want this, otherwise it’ll be a waste of
