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“He’s special, Auntie Nay. So special the government wants to find him and keep him locked away. Study him, take away his freedom and maybe his life. There was something his family hid at the old Reed place that could help him escape. He found it and left. He was gone before I got there tonight. There’s nothing left for the government to find.”
More tears fell. God, how much was she going to cry over another man? Since Tyson, she’d given up crying over anyone with a penis, yet here she was doing it again. At least Anders was worth it.
“I’m sorry, kiddo.”
Mere dashed the tears away with a corner of her blanket and blew her nose on a tissue.
“Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad he got away, but I didn’t think it would hurt this bad.”
Nadine patted her hand and poured more Irish cream into her mug.
“I’m sorry it ended this way. I wish you’d had a chance to run away with him.” At her piercing look, Nadine continued. “Not that I wouldn’t have missed you, but you’ve been so…”
Trailing off, her aunt merely shook her head.
“Boring,” Mere supplied.
“No—”
“Yes. Since Tyson, I’ve been boring. I was afraid to do anything in case it ended up a shit show like the last time I left home to do something interesting. So instead of seeking my next adventure, I stayed here where I was safe.”
“With everything you went through, we were happy you were safe, too. Your mom, dad, and I didn’t exactly push you to expand your horizons. I’m truly sorry this chance for adventure got away, but it’s not too late to look for another. You don’t even have to start with running away from the US government. Maybe just a quick trip to Vegas.”
The rumble began deep in her belly and before they knew it, Mere and Nadine were laughing their asses off. The idea of substituting a trip to Las Vegas for a trip to the stars was ridiculous, but her aunt had a point. She had stayed locked away, ever so careful about her life, never stepping a toe out of line, for five years. Maybe baby steps were better than a great escape.
“Want some more?” Nadine asked later when their cups were empty and Mere had tossed the blanket over the chair next to hers.
“Sure, a little, then I need to get to bed. It’s been a year today.”
19
SEVEN WEEKS LATER
The waves tickled Mere’s toes, and the white sand sparkled in the sun. The turquoise water was even more beautiful than the pictures on the official tourism board website of the US Virgin Islands. She hadn’t wanted to wait until she could get a passport, so she booked a flight and hotel for one of the US territories in the Caribbean.
The warm breeze carried the scent of the ocean and rustled the palm trees behind her. Though she wasn’t entirely sure how she had found a quiet stretch of the beach all to herself, she was enjoying it. She supposed the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas weren’t particularly busy.
The trip had been her idea, but her parents and Nadine had insisted on paying for the flight and hotel as an early Christmas gift, happy she was finally breaking out of her shell. Maybe she should make this an annual thing, visit somewhere new at this time every year.
As she walked along the quiet beach, a sense of uneasiness grew. Although she scanned the dunes and the trees behind her and saw no one, eyes were watching her. The tingle in her spine and goosebumps despite the warm breeze told her so. Walking a few more paces, Mere turned suddenly, hoping to catch whoever watched by surprise.
No one was there. The incident with the government agents must have made her paranoid. Thank goodness once they determined Anders was gone and Mere had no idea where he was, they left town. She had heard nothing in over a month.
She sashayed into the bar and the spotlight turned on her. A novel sensation, but one she’d noticed more often now she had her confidence back. Another thing to thank Anders for.
The bartender, an older woman, gave her a wink. “What’ll it be, hon? You look like a mai tai kind of gal.”
“That will work, thanks.”
Before long, she was sipping the lovely concoction of rum, orange juice, pineapple juice, and a bit of grenadine. Perfect.
A man in his forties approached. “Can I buy you another?”
Mere smiled but shook her head. “Appreciate the offer, but I’m not looking for company tonight.”
“Tomorrow?” he asked hopefully.
She sipped again, buying her time to think. This was her big adventure, and she was prepared for anything. Absolutely anything. But she had another ten days, and she wasn’t quite ready to be that adventurous.
