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“Whoever it was is long gone,” he returns, shaking his head. “I think I heard a car speed off.”
I immediately think of the black SUV.
Archer gently grabs my elbow and pulls me in. “You’re shaking.”
“It looked like he was near my bedroom window,” I say.
Leading me to sit down at the breakfast bar, he puts some water in a kettle. “Tea?”
“Archer, you don’t have to do this. You can go back to your guest.” I stand to take over, but he gives me a puzzled look.
“You think I have someone in my room?”
I freeze, embarrassed by my assumption. “I thought I heard a woman’s voice. Isn’t that why you locked the door?”
Archer crosses his arms over his broad chest and sighs. “I was talking to my sister. And that’s not why I locked the door.”
I narrow my eyes as the elephant in the room appears. Instead of blowing it off or making a joke at my own expense, like I usually would, I say something. I need tohearhim say what I already know. “Then why?”
“Everleigh.” His voice drops, and I hate how my body reacts to him. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea that we sleep in the same bed anymore.”
“Oh. Alright.” I nod as my heart thumps erratically. I’m feeling more deflated as reality sets in, and I wish I had that bottle of wine instead of the tea he offered. I won’t pursue someone who doesn’t want me back, but I can at least drink away my sorrows.
As if he can read my mind, he continues, “It’s not like that. It’s just Tyler said some things today that make sense regarding you and me.” He meets my eyes, and I know exactly what he’s referring to—us being together.
A furious laugh escapes me. “Oh really? Like Tyler is the relationship expert here. Gimme a break. I hate to break it to you, but he’s not, regardless of how much he thinks us being involved is a bad idea.”
“He just wants the best for us both. I genuinely believe that,” he admits, and I sigh harshly.
“I’m an adult who can make her own decisions. I’m sick of him interfering with my life. If it were up to Tyler, I’d never date anyone and would die a virgin. It’s exhausting to constantly remind him I’mnota child.”
“What if wearea mistake for each other?” he asks.
“Then it’d be a mistake I’d love to make. What’s that saying about loving and losing, then not experiencing it at all? Well, that,” I say, confidently, then hear a car door outside and jump. Then the tea kettle howls, and I nearly scream. I’m still shaken up from what happened, and now I have to deal with his rejection.
Archer looks over at me, then pours some hot water in a mug with some Earl Grey. He even puts a spoonful of honey in it too, just the way I like it.
Carefully, he places it in front of me, then sits down. “What’s going on with you? You seem really jumpy and paranoid.”
I don’t know how to bring it up, but I find my courage and let it all out. “I’m worried about the black SUV I keep seeing around town. I have a feeling whoever was in my backyard had something to do with the Escalade. On top of that, two detectives stopped me yesterday to ask me questions about—”
“Detectives?”He raises a brow. “You didn’t tell me that.”
I steep my drink. “Yes. Apparently, I’m a person of interest in Eric’s murder. They wanted to know where I was the night he was killed.”
He places his hand on mine for a moment before pulling away. “That’s crazy. You’re innocent, so you have nothing to worry about. They’re just doing their job and following all possible leads. Also, I truly believe that Escalade is actually following me.”
My eyes go wide. “What? Why?”
He releases a breath, then closes his eyes tight before opening them. “I think it’s Chad’s family. They weren’t happy I was being released. Well, more specifically, his sister. There was a whole social media tirade. Anyway, I think she hired someone, or she herself is following me,” he admits.
“For what?”
He shrugs, just as frustrated as I am with this. “Not sure. To scare me, to hurt me, to fuck with me. Who knows.”
Silence passes, but I’m not convinced he’s the one being followed after those detectives approached me.
“I don’t want to put you in any kind of danger, Everleigh. It’s why I locked my door. That’s why I don’t know if I should stay in Lawton Ridge.”
