Tyler Anne Snell - Credible Alibi

Then again, she’d been the one who said leaving was okay.

So what that Julian hadn’t reached out? He hadn’t picked up a phone, hadn’t sent an email, and the mailbox had remained free of any letter bearing his name.

That was what she had said she wanted, right?

Never to see him again?

Yet here he was.

It, along with everything else, filled Madi’s head like rising water. There wasn’t time to sort out what didn’t make sense. All she could hope to do was survive it. To keep swimming. To escape the flood.

So she held her tongue back from asking why Julian had gone silent and why he was back. Instead, she tried to answer him like she would a guest. Forced jubilance and pride. Polite but not overly expressive. A good middle ground.

“Yes, this is it. The Nash Family Ranch. Home to several generations of Nashes throughout the many years it’s been here.” She motioned to a road that forked off the straightaway. “That leads to the Wild Iris Retreat, the stables, several trails and Caleb and Nina’s new house.” She hesitated before detailing the rest of the ranch’s geography. The customer service lilt to her speech drained away. She couldn’t hide the weight of what had happened pressing her next words down. “You know, I don’t know if Mom has anyone staying at the retreat right now. If so, this could really hurt business. Maybe I shouldn’t be here.”

Julian shook his head. For a moment she thought he was going to reach out to her, but he kept his hands firmly on the steering wheel.

“I don’t know your family but I have a feeling, just by what I’ve seen in the last few hours, that there’s nowhere else they’d rather you be.” This time his gaze swept over to her.

And then down to her stomach.

Madi ran her hand over it, as if she could shield herself from his questions. For months she had tried to tell him the very same thing she was trying not to bring up right now.

What if he reacted poorly? What if he decided to recant his statement? Madi now knew how bad things had looked for her with Loraine’s murder. What if she was actually convicted?

She’d lose her daughter.

From there Madi’s thoughts of the future spiraled. Fear and uncertainty pricked at her eyes, blurring her vision. She didn’t realize they were at the main house until Julian cut the engine.

“Madi.” His voice had gone low, a sound that normally put the fire of longing beneath her skin. This time, however, it wasn’t the sound of lust she heard. It was severity. Like a moth to a flame, she met his stare. She was unable to look away as he continued. “There is nothing you can tell me that would make me take back the alibi. Okay?”

Madi shouldn’t have been surprised that once again, Julian Mercer had read her like a book. He had a knack for that sort of thing. She nodded. He kept on.

“There’s no ring on your finger. You’re not married or engaged,” he continued. “Are you seeing someone?”

“No.”

Julian nodded, more to himself than the conversation.

Caleb’s truck door slammed shut near them. The porch light flipped on, bathing the SUV’s cab in an eerie glow. Julian wasn’t done yet, but Madi wanted to finish what she’d been trying to do for months.

Because as ridiculous as it was, Madi realized she trusted that Julian would keep his word. That even if he didn’t like the news, he wouldn’t betray her.

At least, she really hoped he wouldn’t.

“Julian,” she said, cutting him off just before he could say anything more, “she’s yours.”

Madi might have trusted the man, but in that moment, it was startlingly clear to her that she didn’t have his gift of observation. She couldn’t read his book. Not a single word.

Julian was a mystery to her.

And Madi was afraid he always would be.

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