Page 11 of Passion in Bloom

Chapter 4

Roarke

This situation withHeather didn’t sit well with me. I didn’t like how she cowered in fear and hunkered down in some sort of traumatized status of panic when that man had shown up. She hadn’t invited my opinions about anything that happened to her. All she was clear about was how she desired her privacy.

I had no business butting into her business, but dammit, how could I not? Even if I wasn’t attracted to her, even if I wasn’t her neighbor, I would’ve done the same thing all over again.

Wanting to help a person stay safe from a controlling man was a fundamental status of giving a shit. Of human decency. It was the simplest sign of goodwill, and it didn’t matter how much Heather welcomed me into her life or into her business, there was no way to shut that off. At the basis of my motivation to stand up to that asshole was this drive to do good. I wanted to believe everyone had the capacity to act like that. It was the same reason why I always made sure that Nevaeh knew she could crash on my couch. If she ever felt like she was completely out of options or had nowhere to go, she could fall back to me.

I didn’t care if she didn’t want me to be her hero. I had to do something.

But I couldn’t take the first step yet.

All day at work, I was deprived of finding out anything from Eric. Heather’s cousin was off sick and had been since yesterday. Gavin wasn’t in either, tied up taking Wendy to an appointment or something like that.

I didn’t have anyone to talk to. No one to commiserate with. Todd came by during the workday but he didn’t say much.

“I ordered a coupla security things,” he drawled.

“Cameras?” I asked.

He nodded, switching his chew to the other side of his cheek. “They’re sensors and whatnot. Goes to some newfangled app or some shit like that. And I’ll wrangle some of them trail cams too.”

“Good. Thanks,” I said.

“You wanna set ’em up? Or you want me to?”

I envisioned how mad Heather might be to know that I’d rigged actual devices to maintain surveillance over where she lived. My actions would be intrusive. But if Todd handled it, he’d have every right, acting as the man in charge on the cabin sites on behalf of the Grand River owners.

“You,” I replied.

He nodded. “I’ll do ’em tonight.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “You know anything about that dumbass?”

I shook my head.

“Hmm.”

“But I’m going to talk with Marty as soon as I’m done here.” I wiped my brow clear of sweat. It was hot back here in the barns, but at least I wasn’t far out dealing with fence. “Do you want to come with me and tell him about it?”

He shook his head and clapped me on the back. “Nah. He can hear it from you. I’ll see him ’round sooner or later and I’ll catch up with him when I do.”

“All right. I’ll let you know what he tells me.”

The second I was done working, I drove into town. Since some things were shuffled around at the ranch, I actually had the chance to leave earlier than usual. Heather wasn’t parked at her cabin. I cruised by to check. No one was there, and no one—especially a car I wouldn’t recognize—was parked at any other cabin.

How the hell did he find her, anyway?

Heather was so private, a hermit, that she didn’t put herself out there at all. I hated the idea of someone following her, and I loathed the thought that someone in Burton could have told this asshole where Heather was staying.

Sure, Gavin made it sound like she wasn’t welcome when she was younger. It sounded like there was a lot of family history to unpack. But from what I’ve noticed, aside from some snide remarks from Ashley who seemed annoyed with everyone, no one minded Heather coming back to town.

Just to check up on her, I drove down Main Street so I’d pass the parking lot that the bank employees used too. I saw her car there, and it filled me with a sense of relief that she was with others.

Not vulnerable or alone. Like at her cabin.

No, wait. That’s not right.

She didn’t have to be alone out there either.