“She doesn’t love me, Arne,” he tried denying.

Arne sighed, and his voice became less confrontational. “If you could see just a glimpse of the way she cared for you this morning, Henry, you wouldn’t have been able to let her walk out that door.” Henry looked up. “It was one thing in the middle of the night—mending your wounds and cleaning you up when she was a mess herself, reassuring you she would never leave and that you would be all right; pulling a blanket over you and lying by your side. All in your beast form, mind you. But it was something quite different in the morning light. She doesn’t know I saw, Henry, but I’ve never seen anything so moving. I’ve never seen anyone care for another soul the way she cared for you, or as much love in someone’s eyes. She pled for you to return to her. You don’t remember, but she gave you everything last night.”

Henry’s heart was so heavy it stole his breath. It hurt so badly all he wanted to do was give into it, to the way he loved her and the way he wanted to protect her from all things. But he would always hate himself no matter how much she loved him, because he didn’t deserve her. If she needed protecting from anyone, it was him. “I made her leave because it’s what’s best for her. She…doesn’t know what she sees,” he finished, less convincingly.

“She knows exactly what she sees. Henry…” Arne clenched his teeth. “You’re making the biggest mistake of your life. I know this is impossible for you to believe, but she saw something in you worth loving—something you haven’t allowed anyone to see in years. And here you are, walking away from it. No, shoving it away. She loves you. Hell, she would risk her life for you. And you know what?”

Cautiously, Henry lifted his eyes.

“You’re right about one thing: you don’t deserve her, not like this. But the real you—the one who can give up the charade and accept the gift you’ve been given—he does. That Henry needs to chase her down. Soon too, because you may have just lost her forever, like you think you want.”

Henry lacked the motivation to argue, every ounce of his fight depleted.

“I know you ache for her, Henry. I know you need her, far more than she needs you.”

Lying on the couch, the wooziness made the chandelier spin above. Arne patted him on the leg. “It’s time to pull the stick out of your ass now. You’re just going to have to accept that it’s more than me who cares about you.”

Chapter 24

Elizabeth meandered up Clayton Road, nearing Henry Street. She didn’t know why she bothered. Not only was the day halfway through, but it had only been yesterday she’d lost every customer. But Jean’s was all she had now, and she would run it until she couldn’t anymore. Besides, baking and coffee-making was something to keep her mind from Henry, from the way he’d banished her from his house—and from him—only an hour before.

Her steps came to a halt when she spotted Regina, walking her way. Elizabeth picked up her pac and took a deep breath, meeting her at Jean’s door. And before Elizabeth could think appropriate words, Regina’s arms were around her, squeezing so tightly Elizabeth wondered if she was trying to be hostile.

“Oh, honey,” she exhaled. “You scared me half to death.”

“Scared you?”

“You’re safe,” she said, almost to herself. Her molasses-colored forehead shimmered. “You are safe, aren’t you? You’re all right?”

“Of course I’m all right. Why on earth wouldn’t I be?”

“We heard those awful noises last night and when you weren’t here this morning, my mind went crazy.”

“You…came this morning?”

Regina’s eyes were sheepish, glazed in apologies. “I had to make sure you were okay. I’m sorry, Beth. I feel awful about walking out the other day. I didn’t mean it that way. I don’t think anyone did.”

A brow lifted of its own free will. “How did everyone mean it?”

“We’re all worried about you. Speaking for myself—and I ain’t gonna lie—it’s hard for me to accept the way you…defend it.” She sighed. “But I got to. Because I ain’t gonna lose you over a silly difference of opinion. So…” Her eyes took on a puppy-dog appearance. “You’ll forgive me?”

“Of course,” Elizabeth said. Regina hugged her again, her groan the very definition of relief. When she pulled away, Elizabeth asked, “Now, can I make you coffee already? You may be my only customer from here on out.”

“They’ll come around. In fact, Eustace was looking for you earlier—this morning, when everyone was being accounted for. Where were you? You had us real worried, especially Sheriff Taggart.”

“I was…” Elizabeth started, nonchalantly making sure her long shirt sleeve covered her arm. “In bed. I must have missed your call. Plus, after having no customers yesterday, I didn’t think I needed to rush in.”

“You didn’t hear the noises?”

“What noises did you hear exactly?”

“Oh, terrible ones. There was the usual growling, but…it was louder, a lot more vicious. And that screaming…Sheriff Taggart’s been roaming the forest all morning, making sure there weren’t any deaths. It was awful, gave us the chills up our spines.”

Elizabeth inserted the key in the lock and pulled back as she turned; even that reminded her of Henry. Regina followed her inside, and before she could put her apron on, Eustace slammed through the door.

“Dagnabbit, Beth!” With breaths labored and chew in his mouth, he lifted his hands. “You had us all worried sick!”

“I’m…sorry, Eustace, I was just sleeping in this morning. Didn’t see a need to come in early like usual.”

With a hand on his hip, he narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “Sure, sure.”

“Look, Eustace.” She tied her apron behind her back then freed her hair from beneath the strap. “I’m desperate for customers, and so far all I have is Regina. Will you make number two? I’ll even give it on the house this time if it means you’ll start coming back.” After starting the grinder, she entered the kitchen, preheated the oven, and pulled a pan of uncooked apple turnovers and Danishes from the refrigerator.

When she returned to Eustace and Regina, he sighed, lowering himself to a chair. He spit into the Dixie cup he held. “You know I’ll keep coming here. I just…” He looked to Regina only briefly, who sat next to him. Then cautiously, he ventured, “I have to know.”

Elizabeth swallowed hard, her eyes warning.

“Were you…out there last night? When all that was going on? ’Cause if he hurt you…”

“He didn’t hurt me,” she blurted, subconsciously pulling her sleeve low.

Regina’s eyes shot to hers. “You were out there?”

She scrunched hers. “No. I mean…”

“You were, weren’t you?” Regina rose.

“I didn’t mean to be. It was…an accident. It wasn’t what you think. And I’m all right.”

Regina’s eyes travelled slowly up and down her, taking her in. “Why?”

“Regina, look me in the eyes.” She did. “I need you to trust me. And I need you to leave it at that. Can you do that? Can you keep this between us?”

Regina looked back at Eustace and he shrugged. “I already knew,” he said.

After looking back to Elizabeth, she swallowed and nodded. “All…all right, then.”

Elizabeth’s eyes flitted back and forth between them, attempting to penetrate. “I also need you to believe me when I say something awful has been out there. The beast isn’t who we need to worry about. That other noise you heard, she’s the real threat. I…don’t think she’ll be coming back anymore, but I need you to know. I need you to know it’s not him.”

“If you’re right,” Eustace said, and she knew he believed her, “why don’t you think it’s coming back?”

“Because…I won’t be out there anymore.”

“You seem sad about that,” Regina guessed, her usually round eyes slim.

With a blink, Elizabeth looked to her work. “I can’t say more. I’m sorry.”