“Tell me,” Ellis starts, his voice a gentle rumble. “Hmmm. Tell me about work this week.” He’s trying to distract me, but work is pretty high up on the list of things I don’t want to talk about. Butanythingbeats thinking about the events that transpired tonight.
“It’s been a really bad week,” I say, admitting it out loud for the first time. Dr. Snider, Cara, and Clint all tried getting me to open up, but I stubbornly refused.
“One of… One of our patients lost her husband. I can't really go into details, but my heart just breaks for her. This should be… the happiest time of their lives, but now… she’s preparing for the future they planned for… all alone.” A sniffle slips free. “I don't know. It hit me really hard.”
Ellis curses under his breath. “I'm so sorry, Scar. Are you okay?”
“I mean, it's dumb to even be upset, right? She’s just a patient. It's not like I know them personally. I don’t know. It just really tore me up for some reason.”
“I don't think it’s dumb,” Ellis says carefully. “I think... I think it shows you’re passionate about your job. That you care about your patients, about their well-being in a way that goes above and beyond. It’s what makes you so good at what you do.”
“Maybe.” I hate feeling so sulky, but between stuff with work and lying to Nora and everything with my stalker, my tough-girl wall is crumbling like it’s made of paper in the rain.
“No maybes. Definitely. Give yourself credit where credit is due, Scarlet.”
“Sir, yes sir,” I say, infusing a sass I don’t actually feel into my tone as I flick my eyes up to my rearview mirror. Sure enough, that car is still right behind me…
Get a freaking grip, Scarlet. Stop letting your fear override logic.
“Well, maybe this will help you feel a little better… my couch is hella comfy, and a new season ofEnemies & Escrowdropped yesterday, and I’m pretty sure Elodie is pregnant.”
The mention of the reality show we watched when babysitting sends a rush of emotions through me. It sort of feels like that weekend is when everything changed between us.
Part of me is still struggling to reconcile how we went from fighting anytime we saw each other to me crashing on Ellis’s couch. Like, what the fuck, right?
Maybe this is all some sort of weird dream?
If only...I groan, frustrated with my line of thinking as I flick on my blinker to merge into the exit lane.
I check behind me once again. The car still there, following far closer than I’m comfortable with. But not so close that I can see anyone inside the dark vehicle.
It's just a coincidence. I repeat the words over and over. But as I move across three lanes of traffic, they follow, almost as if we’re connected by an invisible tether. And that doesn’t feel very coincidental at all.
“Ellis,” I whisper, my heart racing as I finally give words to my insidious thoughts. “Someone's following me.”
FIFTEEN
ELLIS
My entire bodyfreezes at the sound of her terrified whimper. “I need you to stay calm for me, okay?” I murmur, trying to force myself to unclench my jaw so my worry doesn’t bleed through the line.
“I’m scared.”
Fucking hell.“Breathe, Scar. Breathe and listen.”
“I-I’m”—she sniffles—“t-trying.”
“Where are you now?”
“I just turned onto Holland.”
“Okay, good, you’re close. Are your doors locked?”
“Yes.”
“I want you to take the first right and follow that road. It loops back onto Holland. Let me know if they follow.”
“Oh-okay. I see the sign.”
