Betrayal And Redemption (Wolves of Hollow Ridge Book 1)

Chapter 38. The End has Just Begun!

One month later

Sophie sat at her computer trying unsuccessfully to concentrate enough to finish a very boring article on "The Genetics Characteristics of Sea Cucumbers."  The writer of the piece, which was to be published in a prominent marine biology magazine, was the worst speller she had ever worked for. Every second word had to be check and corrected.

But her work had been a life saver this last few weeks. She had taken on much more work than she usually would have and used it to fill the long hours of the days and nights.  Sleep had been hard to come by since she had returned home to her small cabin. She knew she had lost more weight since leaving Zack and the sleepless nights showed in her pale face and the dark circles under her eyes.

A few days after getting back she had received a letter from Zack's lawyer and inside were the deeds to the cabin. She now owned her home, and much as she was grateful, her heart had broke a little more. The last link between them was gone.

She had done a lot of thinking in the last month. Asked herself so many what if questions. But there were no answers. She knew she had made the only decision she could. So she just got on with her quiet and now lonely life as best as she could.

After another hour of deciphering words of eight syllables, she was finished. Sophie saved her work and emailed it to the magazine editor and shut down her laptop. That was enough for today her brain was fried. She went into the kitchen and poured herself yet another cup of coffee. Caffeine was about the only thing keeping her awake and as it was only mid afternoon, it was too early to think about bed.

She sat at the small table, her hands wrapped around the mug, the heat seeping into her palms as her mind drifted. She didn't know how long she had been sitting there when the sound of a car approaching brought her back to the present with a start. She stood and looked out of the window, and saw a familiar truck pull up in front of the house. Her breath caught in her throat in shock. Zack! What was he doing here?

She watched him open the door and step out, he looked around himself and almost as if he could feel her eyes on him, their eyes met. Sophie's heart pounded in her chest. Oh my Goddess, she had no idea just how much she had missed him till she saw him standing there.

Not without difficulty, she pulled her eyes from his and made her way to the front door and opened it. Zack had already climbed the few steps and stood before her on the small porch.

The silence seemed to last forever. She barely took a breath, scared to break the moment.

"Hello Sophie." Zack said finally, shattering the silence.

"Zack!" Sophie breathed.

He smiled. "How are you?" He asked softly.

Sophie shook her head. She couldn't believe he was here. Why was he here? "What are you doing here Zack?"

His smile fell. "I just wanted to see you Sophie." He said. "I had to see you were ok before I left."

"I'm fine Zack, tha.......wait left? What do you mean left? Where are you going?"

When Zack sighed, Sophie looked at him closely. Beneath his bronzed skin he looked gaunt and tired. His eyes had the same black circles as hers, and the sparkle that used to be in his eyes was dull.

He looked worn out!

"Ummm I'm leaving for a while Sophie. I don't know when I will be back but I couldn't leave without seeing you one last time. Just to make sure you are ok. I won't keep you for long but I had to come. I had to tell you one last time how sorry I am for everything my parents and I did to you. I know you told me before you left you forgave me but I had to see you to tell you....to say.....". He sucked in a sharp shuddering breath. "I'm sorry. That's what I wanted to say."