“Please be careful. Maybe wait until the morning when people are around or I can have one of the employees go with you.”
“No way could I sleep with all this in my mind. I’m going to read the articles then I’m going to talk to him. He won’t hurt me.” No matter the questions running through her mind right now she could never believe that Abe who had so tenderly touched her scars and kissed her like she was his perfect match would hurt her. He hadn’t tricked her into thinking he cared for her, right? Some people were exceptional actors. His sister was an actress.No!she screamed in her mind.
Luke blew out a breath. “Please be careful, Rach. I can’t stand the thought of something happening to you.”
He didn’t say it but she knew he meant, something more. The bombing and recovery had been awful. At the moment, all that torture seemed to pale in comparison to Abe not being who she’d thought he was.
“Will you at least take your phone with you? Call Mar as you knock on his door and she and I will listen in. If we hear anything out of line I’ll have some of the employees get there quick.”
Rachel thought he was being silly, and she didn’t really want anyone, even Mar and Luke, listening in to her conversation with Abe. It also felt like a violation of Abe’s trust to have her brother listening in, ready to call someone if Abe hurt her. Was there a possibility Abe wasn’t who he said he was at all and could actually physically harm her? No. No matter how confused and upset she was she truly couldn’t believe that of him.
“I’ll think about it. I trust him, Luke.” Did she? Why was she itching to read every article about him and this Angel chick? Why didn’t she just go to him now and let him tell her the story?
“Please be smart, Rach. Abe may have been planted on the island because you’re there this week. Preston knew you were coming after all.”
Rachel hated that as much as anything he’d said. Abe didn’t really care for her? Had been part of Preston’s plan all along? Her heart screamed no but her head argued that there was a grain of sense in Luke’s reasoning.
“Mar and I will be praying for you” Luke continued, “And I’d really feel more comfortable if you’d call us before you go.”
“Thanks, Luke. I’ll be smart. Love you.”
He heaved out a sigh, obviously realizing she would do what she was going to do. “Love you. Please at least keep your phone on you, even if you don’t call us initially.”
“Okay,” she agreed. She hung up and paced for a few seconds. Should she go straight to Abe? Should she read everything and then confront him? Her stomach gnawed with worry and the sickening realization that Abe wasn’t perfect. She knew no one was perfect and knew eventually she’d find out that he picked his teeth with his straw or didn’t wipe down the sink after he shaved or something, but not something like this.
She let out a gargled scream and hurried into her bedroom. Changing into a comfortable short-sleeved floral romper that cinched at the waist, she dropped her phone into her pocket, downed a flavored water to help her dry throat, and pulled out her computer. Maybe it was wrong to not go directly to Abe, but she had to know what she was dealing with. He’d Googled her before they met and knew all about her accident. It wasn’t really wrong to Google him and find out about his past. Or was it?