Or wait until I know I have nothing to tell him.
I hope.
“No way. I’m excited for the fireworks.” I smile at him in an attempt to get him to be less concerned about my subtle shift in mood.
Luckily, the first boom sounds as pink streaks across the sky so his attention shifts with mine to the show above us. At least for the next twenty minutes.
My anxiety climbs with every boom. The fear of being pregnant etches deeper into my brain.
What will we do? What will he do? Will he run? He says he loves me, but will a baby change that? Oh God, what about Hugh and James? What if they find out?
My head is spinning by the time the grand finale starts. My palms are sweaty, and mine slips out of Wyatt’s that we’re trying to keep hidden.
Know what you can’t hide? A fucking baby bump. Stop spiraling, Sophia. You don’t even know yet.
I must have gotten lost in my own head because when Wyatt says my name, everyone is packing up their chairs and snacks. Hopping up quickly, I fold my chair and sling it over my shoulder. Immediately, it’s pulled off my shoulder and placed on Wyatt’s.
“I don’t know why you thought you’d carry that.” His hand rests on the small of my back, guiding me out of the crowd. “You must be really tired to have forgotten who you’re with. Rough night last night?” He winks.
“Sleepless night, no regrets.”Yet.“Ten out of ten, would ride again.”
“You two know you’re in a crowded space right?” Evelyn leans her head over our shoulders.
“Shhh. Don’t tell anyone,” I whisper with my finger over my lips.
She bursts out laughing at me. “Secret is safe girl, I get it.”
My feet feel like concrete walking to the car. I am actually really tired and can’t wait to crawl into Wyatt’s soft-as-a-cloud king size bed and sleep wrapped in his arms.
Walking out to the parking lot, we see a small crowd gathered around one of the digital traffic signs.
I’ve found you. You can run from me, but you’ll never be able to hide.
My blood runs cold, and I freeze to my spot as Keaton after Keaton runs into me.
“What is wrong with you, girl?” Aubrey asks, walking around the pile up.
I simply point to the sign, and she freezes alongside me.
Wyatt scoops me up in his arms and carries me to the truck, placing me in the passenger’s seat. “You don’t need to see that. I’ll be right back. I’m going to unplug the sign until they can reset it.”
Watching out my window, I see him disappear into the crowd as his entire family comes over to his truck to stand next to me.
Ripp is the first to reach me. “I’m so sorry, Soph. I didn’t see anyone here tonight.” He rests his arms on the open window, keeping the family at bay.
“He’s hacking. It’s why Hugh likes him,” I say simply. Ripp already knows that.
James could be sitting in a car watching this unfold or hiding in the mountains of Montana, hoping that his antics ruin my life.
He’s going to succeed. He’s going to ruin everything good I have here in Balsam Cliffs.
That last message has me on edge with Sophia. She’s trying to be brave and act like it’s not bothering her, but I know it is. She’s been distracted and distant. Spacing out in the middle of conversations.
I talked to Chief and found the name of a breeder with some puppies that failed out of the rigorous K9 academy but would still make a good guard dog for her. She runs a rescue for them to find loving homes with a family or trains them as detection dogs if she can. She currently has one that’s been trained for detection, and with the new task force, Chief has approved me to work with her. It’ll take a minute to get all the paperwork, but we’re getting her today for Sophia’s protection.
I can’t wait to surprise her.
Sophia comes out to meet me in the driveway. I’ve given Ripp the day off. I’ll be home with her all day today after a forty-eighthour shift. I was only home for naps and couldn’t guarantee that I wouldn’t need to leave. Ripp took over the guest room while I was gone, and I appreciate him.
