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She looked at me like I’d grown two heads. “I would’ve said that, silly. No, he’s not local. Or at least, I don’t know him, and seeing as I was born in the same hospital Giddy just was, I know everybody.” It’s true. She did. It was part of what made her good behind Rhyett’s counter. But her words were vaguely muffled under the demanding drum pounding a rhythm in my ears.
There was no way. There was no way, and yet the twist in my gut begged to differ. The world froze over. Hell and heaven could have, too. I didn’t actually know, I was too busy attempting to avoid cardiac arrest. My heart seemed to slow, breath coming in frantic, shallow little gulps. I forced down a lungful. Another.
Scrambling for my composure, I asked, “He said he was looking for Lizzy?”
“Nah, it was super sus. He’s handsome, I don’t know, maybe six feet but he had those fancy shoes with heels on ‘em. But he just slid your photo over the counter and asked if I knew you.”
“And you told him…?”
“Hadn’t seen ‘ya.”
A trickle of relief danced through me as I pulled out my phone. “Good. Okay, thanks.” I hit speed dial number five, watching Brexley’s grin pop up as it connected. To Kara, I asked, “Do you know where he went?”
“No, he left about half an hour ago.” She gently pushed the to-go cup into the drink carrier and slid all four across the counter to the burly guy in a rain slicker who smiled as he slid off his stool and gratefully took it before heading for the door, leaving us alone in the tiny space.
“Did he happen to say his name?” It was irrelevant. I knew exactly who came poking around in slick shoes. Brexley’s phone went straight to voicemail, and I tapped Rhyett’s face next.
“Introduced himself as Mr. Connely.”
I was going to puke all over the shop’s currently spotless floor. I was going to puke all overmycute new rain boots, the lone silver lining being that the damn things were waterproof. Rhyett’s voicemail picked up, and I swore as my breath came faster. Who did I call next? Jameson, Axel, and Maverick were all heading for the water with Milo. It was mid-day back home, so Vallie was likely in court. Josie would be writing, or editing, or on calls or with the kids.
Kara’s tentative voice cracked my stream of consciousness. “You okay, sweets? You’re kinda pale.”
“Uhh, no,” I blurted, mind-numbing terror ripping the truth from my mouth. “Not really.”
“I didn’t tell him anything,” she reassured me, stepping up beside me so she could set a hand on my elbow. “You in trouble or something?”
I hit Jameson’s empty contact icon, a simple JR popping up like a freaking bat signal. “Something,” I muttered back as the world started spinning around me. “Please pick up. Please,pleasepick up.” When he didn’t, I immediately clicked ‘call’ again.Please don’t be on the boat. Please. God, if you love me, Jameson and Axel Rhodes will not be on the boat yet.Slowly, afraid I’d lose my balance, I turned to face the windows. But it had been a mistake. Because my shitty cocksucker of an ex-boyfriend, Eric Connely, wearing some name-brand jacket over designer slacks, stood outside on the sidewalk with his arms crossed and eyes locked on me. His chocolate hair was gelled meticulously into place, as it always was when he needed to make an impression. Skin glowing with a fresh facial. Shoes newly shined.
My skin crawled, stomach rioting at him even being within twenty yards of me. Freeing one arm from where he crossed them over his chest, he gave me a two-finger summons. Something like shame heated my face as I realized he fully expected I’d respond.What the hell?So much for a fucking restraining order.
“Kara, call Charlie.” There.Words. Words were good. Jameson had introduced me to their cousin Charlie at Rhyett and Brex’s wedding. Until then, I’d known him as the town Sheriff, as he and his partner dropped in for coffee a few days a week, always in uniform. In a town this small, with a family that big, it seemed relatives wereeverywhere.
I’d never been more grateful for that fact than I was as I debated frantically between dashing forward and locking the door, or ducking out the back, in hopes he’d leave the building alone. But I couldn’t leave Kara unattended. I didn’t want to believe he’d become that unhinged, that he’d pull a stunt in public. But there weren’t any customers in the shop, which made both of us fair game. I eyed the blacked-out SUV up the street, parked behind all the other cars, obviously unbothered by blocking them in, like he didn’t expect to be here for long, then lunged for the lock.
Eric beat me to it, yanking the door open before I could bolt it closed, and grabbing my arm. I jerked away from him, scowling as I fought to control my breathing, and glanced around for anyone. Of all the times for the street to be deserted.
“Noel,honey, we’ve all been so worried about you.”
Sure you have, you fucking psychopath. “Youcan’t be here,” I ground out.
Nonplussed, he sweetly asked, “Where have you been?”
“Took a vacation.”
He crowded into my space and I staggered backward into the shop, heart pounding, some phantom bruise on my face throbbing. Silky, saccharine words of concern spilled through his lips. “Where’s your phone, babe?”
“Broke.”When I ran it over with my car.He’d been using the damn thing to track me, showing up without notice whenever I wasn’t home when he wanted.
“Hello again,” he said to Kara before his eyes scraped over me, sending a chill down my spine. “I see she found you, after all. Knew I’d track her down if I just scoped out the coffee shops. My girl here loves her local watering holes.” Full lips slanted in a trained, endearing smirk. Fuck, he was convincing. For a blink, I could remember. I could remember what it felt like when his smile showered over me, the way his touch had sent my pulse racing, the way his laugh had filled my chest, and what kind of dim sum we ate Saturday nights.
…The moment that wall came down between us—the second he snapped, his need for control overruling all of that.
I watched as Kara blinked in confusion, his overly friendly delivery conflicting with what I could see her instincts were telling her.Run, Kara. Please. Run and tell someone. Anyone. But get yourself out of here.
“Babe, I’m so sorry things got tough back home, but you can’t justvanish. Everyone has been scared for you.”
“Bullshit,” I said, hating that it came out quieter than it should have.What the hell? Was his voice always so smarmy?How had I fallen for this guy in the first place?
