your real parents’ life like you’re a child who just went away to college. This is why we’re here.” She stretches her arms out, the countryside behind her. “Everything that happens here is up to you. At your own pace.”
“Thank you.”
We walk in silence toward the brick house. The warm air is humid without the hint of salt. Not like home. I clench my eyes shut, squeezing the bridge of my nose. Not my home anymore.
“Agent Hughes, do they know?” I whisper the one question that gnaws away any positive thoughts I’m having. She glances over with a confused expression. “That I’m alive?”
“First thing, please call me Halli. Second, they’re being briefed tomorrow.” She stops walking and rotates her body to face me. Her expression turns more serious. “Aspen, this situation is unprecedented. But like I said, I’ll be honest with you. You need to ready yourself for a shitstorm. You are about to change history books. Not only did your parents mourn you, but so did the country.”
That explains Amy’s reaction. The panic buzzing morphs to solid stone, weighing on my chest, suffocating me. “Whoa, breathe Aspen,” she blurts, wrapping her arms around my waist. I pull in quick shallow breaths, fighting to not fall into the tunnel of blackness as my vision hazes. I hold myself up with my hands on my knees. “That’s it. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so honest.”
I puff out a laugh and stand when the lightheadedness eases. “No, I need honest. My entire life has been one colossal lie.”
“You have life experiences that are yours. Tell me about Aspen. What do you like to do? What was it like growing up on a beautiful island? What are your dreams?”
She’s right. Nobody can take away my memories. Those things are mine. We both lean against columns, facing each other, and I tell her a few stories about growing up and my life.
“You owned a business?”
Owned is the keyword. My smile drops thinking about how I’m disappointing all the hotels. They depend on me to provide them cookies.
“I did. Not anymore.”
“No one can stop you from going back if that’s what you wish.”
I let out a humorless laugh and direct my gaze to the horses in the distance. For years I planned to leave the island that imprisoned me, and now that I’m not going back, I’m having regrets. I’m scared of the unknown. And there are so, so many. It’s ironic that my prison feels safe to me now.
“I don’t know what I want. It’s just all I know.”
Taking the three steps up to the porch, a swing sits off to the right. I sit in it, letting the warmth of the sun saturate my skin for a while longer and swipe my foot to sway me back and forth.
Memories of Ryker keep popping up in my thoughts. Through the midst of the unknowns, his chiseled face is clear as day. Telling myself that he won’t want to deal with all this hasn’t helped diffuse the feelings I have for him. The second I stepped out of Max’s house, he probably washed his hands of me. I’m not good for his image.
“After we get settled, there is a Target up the road a few miles. We’ll go pick up any essentials you need. Aiden Roberts had your bags sent from Max Shaw’s house, so you do have those waiting for you inside.”
“Target?”
She gasps in surprise. “You’ve never been to Target?”
I shake my head, and she puffs out an exaggerated sigh. “You were raised with animals,” she jokes and then laughs at herself. She’s a bit odd. “Oh! We can pick up some groceries and you can bake some of your famous cookies.”
“They’re not famous,” I chuckle at her attempt to make me feel better.
“Yet.”
“You haven’t even had one.”
Her eyes gleam. I like her better when she loosens up. “Let’s fix that. I have a major sweet tooth.”
I sigh. So does Ryker.
“Holy cow!” Halli beams. I tilt my head, confused by her choice of words.
“Does it taste like meat?” Picking up a warm sugar cookie off the cooling rack, I take a quick bite, afraid the extract turned bad. Relief that it tastes normal and not like bovine settles my panic. That would be embarrassing.
She stuffs the whole cookie in her mouth, licking away the crumbs left on her lips. “Nooo. Have you never heard that phrase? It’s delicious,” she mutters with a full mouth. “This is the best cookie I’ve ever had. What’s in