Page 76 of Serve ’N’ Protect

Since Markus had left, she hadn’t gone out. Anywhere. True to form, after reluctantly informing her family that he was gone, her parents had bugged her to stay with them for a few days. She’d declined, using the Teedle audit as an excuse. Truth was, she could have used their company, but she couldn’t stand the thought of seeing Jimmy and Brianna with their families, or even Sean with Cherisse.

Having a big family one day used to be a sure thing. Kaitlyn kept bugging her to do the online dating thing, but the idea was ridiculous. Risking her heart again was daunting enough. She couldn’t bear to watch her date’s expression turn from one of hopefulness to dismay and disappointment as she limped into the restaurant. Seeing it in Hugh’s eyes was bad enough, and he’d known her before the accident. He should have seen that it was still her inside, but he didn’t.

Markus had.

Her vision blurred as she slammed the refrigerator door shut, then grabbed her purse. What she needed was time away from dating. Time away from men. A guy-atus.

An hour and a half later, Cassidy had checked off the last of her shopping list items and placed them on the conveyor belt. A sharp spasm ripped up her right calf, straight to her thigh and hip. She leaned on the grocery cart, gritting her teeth until the pain diminished. She couldn’t wait to get out of there and swallow half a bottle of aspirin.

After she and the clerk finished bagging her purchases, she pushed her card into the reader, wincing at the triple-digit tally. “Thank you,” she said to the cashier. This would have to be the last big shopping trip for a while. She wondered if Captain McMurray would really make good on his promise of $1000 a week for watching over Markus.

A tiny bubble of laughter stuck in her throat. Watching over him. What would McMurray think if he knew that her version of watching over him included sex?

She left the store, pushing the cart down the sloped curb, and headed in the direction of her car. Even if a check from the Secret Service did arrive, she didn’t know if she could actually cash it. The moment things had gotten personal between her and Markus, accepting that money no longer seemed appropriate.

One of the cart’s wheels jiggled, making it more difficult to push. Even after she hooked her cane on the handle, the going was still slow. Perhaps she should text John and ask if she could continue using his gym until he returned.

She’d progressed halfway across the road when an engine gunned. A black pickup pulled from the curb, heading her way. She pushed harder, trying to increase her pace, but the wheel jammed. Another look at the truck and her heart started hammering in her chest.

The truck wasn’t slowing. It’s speeding up!

Cassidy grabbed her cane, trying to maneuver quickly around the cart.

Another glance at the truck. Still not slowing down. And getting closer.

She plunked her cane in front of her, hobbling as quickly as possible. The truck was almost on top of her. Why doesn’t it slow down? They had to have seen her.

Stumbling, she planted her cane, realizing too late that she’d positioned it right on top of a storm grate. The tip slipped between the grates, the thick rubber padding on the end preventing her from pulling it out. No matter how much she tugged, it wouldn’t budge.

She let go of the cane and limped as fast as she could. She turned to look over her shoulder and sucked in a sharp breath. The truck was almost on her.

I’m not going to make it.

She dove headfirst, slamming onto the pavement. Pain blasted through her chest. Bits of gravel dug into her hands and knees. The impact had knocked the air from her lungs and she lay there, gasping and struggling to breathe. A crashing sound came from behind her, followed by screeching tires as the truck raced out of the parking lot onto the main road.

A few customers ran over.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“I saw what happened. That guy nearly creamed you!”

“I got his license plate,” a balding man said, holding out a slip of paper. “Here. I wrote it down.”

Numbly, she took the piece of paper.

Cassidy inhaled, grateful for the fact that she finally could. Her heart rate had slowed, but she was trembling hard. “Wh-why didn’t he stop?” She struggled to a sitting position, not ready to stand yet.

“I’m calling the police,” a familiar voice said. It was Tanya, one of the store managers she and her family knew from years of shopping at this store. One of Tanya’s many tightly plaited braids fell over the phone as she put it to her ear.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” someone else asked.

“Maybe just a little bruised and scraped.” When she tried to stand, two of the people who’d gathered around helped her to her feet. The fabric of her jeans was ripped at both knees, and her palms stung from where bits of gravel had gouged her skin. She scraped off the tiny pieces, searching the pavement. “Where’s my cane?”

The shopping cart had flipped onto its side, the contents of which now littered the pavement. That must have been the crashing sound she’d heard. Then she spotted the cane sticking out from a storm grate. The metal tube was bent at a ninety-degree angle from being run over by the truck.

“Oh, no.” That was the only cane she had.

“Wait here,” Tanya said, still holding her phone to her ear. “We’ve got canes in our pharmacy department.” The woman headed back into the store.