A little over a week later—on a Wednesday once again—I came home to the news Phoebe was out in the shed. I jogged across the lawn to the shed to find her elbow deep in the engine bay.
“How’s it going?” I asked.
Phoebe leaped and screamed, but visibly calmed when she realised it was me. “Okay. There’s a lot to do.”
“What do you need me to do?” I asked, holding out my hand for a tool. It might not have been much, but if I could get her to trust me with this, I might be able to slowly draw her out of herself.
She handed me a wrench and gave an order.
For the next hour, we worked together to strip down the engine. It was clear the little beast hadn’t been taken care of—everything was coated in thick black grease and the oil was the same colour as pitch.
I’d just received my next order when my phone rang.
“Excuse me a second,” I said to Phoebe, holding up one finger.
Wiping my hands clean, I fished my phone out of my pocket. At first, I was worried it might have been Veronica trying once more to contact me despite the fact that I’d told her I wasn’t interested in anything she had to say. Relief and confusion struck me when Beau’s name flashed across my screen. Leaving Phoebe elbow deep in the engine, I walked out of the shed to answer it.
“How can I help?” I answered so that Phoebe wouldn’t suspect who I might be talking to if she overheard before I was out of earshot. She’d been adamant that she wasn’t going to talk to him again, and as much as I wanted to push her back toward her friends, I had to respect her wishes. That way she’d heal in her own time.
“Sir, I need to talk to ya ’bout Phoebe.”
The way his voice broke when he said her name made my heart ache for him. What would I have done if it was Alyssa pushing me away like Phoebe had shoved him aside? It wasn’t something I could even consider without growing breathless and aching to my very soul. Still, as much as I wanted to help him out—as much as I understood his plight—I had to watch out for my daughter first and foremost. The walls around her heart were likely to be impenetrable.
“What about her?” I asked.
“I wanna see her.”
“She’s made herself pretty clear where she stands on that.”
“I know, sir, and I’m tryin’ ta respect her wishes, but I can’t forget her.” His country drawl seemed more pronounced than ever, and I wondered if he’d been drinking.
“It’s what she wants.”
“I know. I jus’ . . . I ain’t ready to give up yet, and I got nothin’ to keep me here no more.” His voice broke again, but then he restrained himself. “My place is in good hands with Mitch and Joe, and I ain’t got no team to race for. I-I wanna come over there.”
Before I could say anything, he continued.
“No, that ain’t right. I need to come over. If she changes her mind, I don’t want distance to be an issue, sir. I need to be there for her if she needs me. I can’t sit ’round here and drive myself crazy thinkin’ ’bout thangs. I’ll drink myself into an early grave if I try.”
“What exactly do you want from me? Permission? A written invitation? I’m not going—”
“I ain’t askin’ permission. I ain’t askin’ for anythin’. I’m tellin’ ya I’m comin’ to Australia. I’ve got my tickets booked and my visa in hand. I’ll be there in two weeks.”
“What about what Phoebe wants?”
“I ain’t gonna do nothin’ she don’t agree to. I don’t wanna hurt her, sir, you’ve gotta believe that, but I gotta be near her. Just in case. At least . . . for as long as I can.”
“Do you know her at all? She’s stubborn.”
“And I can be a mule. ’Specially when it comes to things I want, and I wanna be back in her life. In whatever way I can.”
“It’s clear you’re not going to back down, and I can’t tell you what to do, you’re a big boy after all, but if you fucking go anywhere near her and set her back—”
“I know, sir.”
“And stop fucking calling me sir.”
“Yes, sir.”
I chuckled as we said our goodbyes. Moving back to the garage, I leaned against the doorframe while I watched Phoebe working on the motor. Her focus was absolute, and her expression serene.
Moving to help her again, my foot hit the concrete floor and the sole of my shoe squeaked. Phoebe collapsed inward at the sound—all serenity wiped away. A new hatred burned in me for the fucking arseholes who’d taken her.
Who knew, maybe Beau’s arrival wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen.
Maybe he’d even be able to help despite the walls she’d built around her heart.
Only time would tell.
TO BE CONTINUED . . .
STAY TUNED FOR MORE OF PHOEBE REEDE: THE UNTOLD STORY
PHYSIS
PHOEBE REEDE: THE UNTOLD STORY #4
COMING SOON
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ALSO BY MICHELLE IRWIN
Paranormal
Through the Fire (Daughter of Fire Book #1).
Rise from Ash (Daughter of Fire Book #2)
Into the Rain (Daughter of Fire Book #3)
Igniting the Spark (Daughter of Fire Book #4)
Besieged by Rain (Son of Rain Book #1)
Among the Debris (Son of Rain Book #2)
Court the Fire (Son of Rain Book #3)
Living with Embers (Son of Rain #4)
Happily Evan After (Fall for You #1)
All Amity Allows (Fall for You #2)
Contemporary
Decide (Declan Reede: The Untold Story #0.5)
Decline (Declan Reede: The Untold Story #1)
Deceive (Declan Reede: The Untold Story #2)
Decipher (Declan Reede: The Untold Story #3)
Declare (Declan Reede: The Untold Story#4)
Phase (Phoebe Reede: The Untold Story #1)
Phobic (Phoebe Reede: The Untold Story #2)
Beastly (Phoebe Reede: The Untold Story #3)
FIND OUT MORE: WWW.MICHELLE-IRWIN.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michelle Irwin has been many things in her life: a hobbit taking a precious item to a fiery mountain; a young child stepping through the back of a wardrobe into another land; the last human stranded not-quite-alone in space three million years in the future; a young girl willing to fight for the love of a vampire; and a time-travelling madman in a box. She achieved all of these feats and many more through her voracious reading habit. Eventually, so much reading had to have an effect and the cast of characters inside her mind took over and spilled out onto the page.
Michelle lives in sunny Queensland in the land down under with her surprisingly patient husband and ever-intriguing daughter, carving out precious moments of writing and reading time around her accounts-based day job. A lover of love and overcoming the odds, she primarily writes paranormal and fantasy romance.
Comments, questions, and suggestions for improvements are always welcome. You can reach me at [email protected] or through my website www.michelle-irwin.com. Thanks in advance for your correspondence.
You can also connect with me online via
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Decay (Phoebe Reede: The Untold #3.2 Declan Reede: The Untold Story #6) Page 17