Page 57 of Hearts at War

“Nevaeh?” I greeted, posing it as a question. I hadn’t referred to her by her name, and doing so this first time was strange. I hadn’t seen her around, not since that night I’d turned her away. I still felt bad about being so protective of my space, but given our first run-in, I convinced myself I had to behave according to what experiences I had with her.

“Oh. Hey, cabin lady.”

I huffed. “Heather,” I clarified.

“Oh.” She didn’t pass me by, but it didn’t seem like she was in any rush, going nowhere.

I wondered all over again where she had gone and what her deal was. Drugs? A runaway? Lost? All of those sounded depressing as hell, and since she wasn’t being catty or outright rude, I decided to borrow a little of Nance’s—or Yoda’s—advice. Unlearn what I learned. The “old” me would’ve kept walking and kept to myself. That version of me would’ve gotten in my car and driven off. But now, in the light of my reflections earlier today, I tried to lower my guard.

I didn’t want to meddle in her business, but if she was needy or something, I could share.

“Hey, do you want a coffee?” I pointed at the coffee shop down Main. “It’s a good time for a hot pick-me-up.”

She arched a brow. “You buying?”

I nodded. “I offered.”

Her thin shoulders rose and fell. “Sure. Whatever.”

“All right.” I turned from the direction toward my car to walk down there with her. I wasn’t good at striking up small talk, but I’d let her guide how this went. I couldn’t turn off that nagging worry about her, but I refused to be taken advantage of.

As I pivoted, though, I caught a glance of a man walking to the opposite side of the street.

One glimpse was all it took.

His height. The lanky frame. That thick blond hair styled with too many products.

A slight turn of his head showed me all I needed to know.

David.

I gulped, almost choking on the pure panic and fear that descended upon me. On the sidewalk, I locked up. My body couldn’t move. Frozen and stiff, I vaguely realized I was paralyzed with the anxiety of seeing David.

He’s here.

“Heather?” Nevaeh asked. “Yo, cabin lady. You okay?”

Through my periphery, I saw that she squinted at me, peering at my sudden frozen status like I’d grown a second head.

“You with me?”

I shook my head. It began as a slight shake, but I ramped up the motion as if I could physically deny that my ex was here in Burton.

My feet carried me away from Nevaeh. I stumbled, backpedaling as David got into a car and drove off down Main.

“No,” I whispered, dizzy with the shallow breaths I could manage. “No, I’m not okay,” I mumbled, not caring if she heard.

I turned and did the one thing I was becoming a pro at in the face of danger and trauma.

I ran.

I sprinted to my car and hurried to get back to the small safety of the cabin out of town.

Chapter 20

Roarke

Gavin knocked on the door at the nearest health clinic and raised his brows. “Is your arm still attached?”