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“Do you see a car dealership on the left or right?”
“The left.”
“Perfect, that’s great. I want you to go to my house. I’m going to give you directions, and once we hang up, I want you to turn off the GPS on your phone and car, then put your cell on airplane mode and shut it down. Understand?”
My hands shake again.Bryan’s tracking me.He was just a cheating asshole last week, how did this escalate so fast? Now he’s a threat to my life.
I nod, even though he can’t see me. He calmly gives directions, and his voice sounds like one of those meditation recordings. I scribble down the street names he tells me on the back of an old receipt in my purse. He provides the code to the gate and another code for the door.
“Am I really doing this?”
“It’s gonna be all right.” His voice sounds so sure. “I’m going to wrap up here. I’ll be home soon.”
“Can I stay with you for a night? Only a night until I can figure shit out.” I squeeze my eyes shut and hold my breath, hoping he’ll say yes.Please, one night.
He chuckles “Of course. There’s an apartment above my garage, stay as long as you want. I’ve got a few errands still, but help yourself to whatever.”
Relief washes over me now that I have a plan. I have somewhere safe to go.
“God, thank you so much, Cam. I owe you. Whatever you want, it’s yours.”
“Uh-oh. Is that you changing your mind about me not being your type?”
I choke on a laugh.
It may be inappropriate, but he has no idea how much I needed the levity. I appreciate him not pitying me or treating me differently. I sniffle and shake my head. “Not even close.”
There’s a slight grin in his voice. “It’s going to be okay, Jordan. Go to my place and hang tight.”
I exhale, and some of the tension leaves my shoulders. “Thanks Cam.”
“You bet. Don’t forget, turn off GPS on your phoneandcar.”
“Okay.”
9
Idon’t know what the fuck went down this afternoon with Jordan and Bryan, but I swear to Christ if he laid a finger on her... And how am I the first person she called? It confirms my suspicions he’s been isolating her. It’s probably been going on for a while. Veronica is probably the only woman in her life she had. Then he went and fucked her. I’m praying this is only a bad breakup and she’s been kicked out and not something more nefarious.
On the way home, I make a couple of stops. First the grocery store to get ingredients for macaroni and cheese, a toothbrush—just in case—a few pints of ice cream, and a six-pack of those hard seltzers women like. After that, I swing by the coffee shop and pick up a half-dozen apple scones and a few pumpkin muffins.
When I turn onto my street, I see her car in my driveway and take a relieved breath. I type my code in the keypad, and the gate slides open. Instead of parking in the center of the garage like usual, I park on the far-left side.
I grab my groceries and enter through the mud room.
“Jordan?” I call out.
“Kitchen.” Her voice is more collected than before, but it’s hoarse.
When I find her, she’s sitting on a barstool by the kitchen island. I set down the groceries on the counter. Her eyes are puffy and red. She looks utterly defeated.
“Hi.”
She’s clutching a small duffel bag.
“Hey. I’m glad you got in okay. Where’re your keys? I’m gonna pull your car in.”
She slides them across the island toward me, I grab them, and jog back outside to move her car. I’ve got a spare door opener around here somewhere I can give her. Meanwhile, I don't want Bryan to know she’s here. I will be gone for a couple days while we play in New Jersey—plus the other away games—and I don’t want to be worrying about her while I’m traveling.
