“Now you’ve solved another thing for Angie she’s incapable of solving. She can’t stand how jealous she is of you. I am sorry for her lack of appreciation when it comes to you.”
Sarah glared at him tempted to say,
her behavior? What about yours
? Instead, “I didn’t expect any. I want what’s best for Angie, and as it turns out in this situation, what’s best for Kelly and Luke.”
“That was good thinking.”
She shrugged. She should go now. She partially rose up when he suddenly asked, “So, how’ve you been?”
She plopped back down. “Fine. Good. Busy. You know how it is,” Sarah said lamely.
“Been a while. I thought maybe you were avoiding us.”
“No.”
“This was awkward this morning. I hope you know I wouldn’t have had Mindy here if Vanessa had passed along you were coming by.”
“It was awkward for Mindy. Not me. Did you let her know you wouldn’t be calling?”
“Why are you so sure I won’t be calling her?”
“Come off it, you won’t be calling her.”
“No. But I did mention it was a onetime deal.”
“Well, that was kind of you.”
“Why do you care? Why do you disapprove of what I do? It’s not like I was cheating on anyone, now was I, Sarah?” His tone was silky as he said her name. She glanced away.
“She was only a couple of years older than Angie. Do you ever think of that? How vulnerable these girls are?”
He snorted. “What do you think? That I’m some kind of predator? I met her at a bar, she’s over twenty-one, and I’m explicit what hooking up with me entails, which is nothing. Unlike you, not every girl protects their sexuality like it’s the Holy Grail. And most girls are only into me as far as I am them.”
Sarah highly doubted that. Mindy’s face had been crestfallen at Scott’s brush-off of her. If he was too insensitive to see that, then what could she say? She got up, annoyed beyond belief he’d presume to think he knew anything about her sexuality. She guarded it only from men like Scott who would use and abuse it all in the same hour. Scott got up too.
“I get what you think of me. But you know what? Having simple, basic manners toward another person, a person you’ve had sex with, does not make me some kind of frigid ice queen.”
“Neither does me having a good time with willing partners make me some kind of sex-addict womanizer.”
“Fine! Have all the fun you want.” She twirled around and stomped toward the door.
“What is with you? Why do you have to be so fucking judgmental of me?”
She stopped dead. “Me? You’ve done nothing but judge me from the first day you walked into my shop. And then you also let Vanessa have her say about me. So, don’t I deserve to have an opinion about you treating young girls like doormats? You know what? You’re right, I do. I don’t like it.”
He stepped right in her path. She glared up at him as he glared right back at her. Why was she hissing at him about his sex life? Why was she even commenting?
Because she cared. She cared way too much. And she was disappointed in him, and expected more of him. She expected his integrity toward Angie, even Vanessa, to extend toward the rest of his life. Apparently, that’s where she went wrong.
“I don’t defend you from Vanessa because what’s there for me to say? Vanessa has nothing on you and Vanessa knows it. You’re so fucking perfect who could live up to your standards? Who, Sarah? Tell me that. I’d like to meet one guy who could. Aren’t you pretty clear on the fact that you’re too good for the likes of a guy like me?”
“That’s all you. That’s your issue, not mine. I’ve never once implied whatever type of guy you are isn’t good enough for me. What I’ve said is I wouldn’t let you treat me like you treat every other woman you cross. But you’ve been very clear of one thing, you don’t even want to try with me, do you? So you know what? I’ll just take my cold, frigid, too perfect, and judgmental ass out of here. Enjoy the rest of your life.”
She pushed past him. She fled down the sidewalk. Her heart heavy. Why did she care? His behavior this morning was an illustration of everything she didn’t want in a man. Why wouldn’t her heart listen?
He just didn’t seem to realize she was everything he needed in a woman. And her anger, however righteous it was, stemmed from the fact that he didn’t want her. But he wanted someone like Mindy.
She was afraid he had almost succeeded in showing her what a broken heart was.
Sarah’s anger at Scott kept her going for about a day before she deflated into embarrassment. Why had she bothered to confront him?
About Mindy of all things
. So what if Scott slept around? It wasn’t any of her business. He hadn’t done anything specifically to her, as he so accurately pointed out. He hadn’t cheated on her or anyone else. He’d simply led his private life how he wanted to lead it. So why had she said way too much about it? No wonder Scott thought she was a judgmental bitch. Simply, she was.
All the normal pleasure she took of her everyday life went stale. And it was directly connected to Scott’s appearance in her life, and now his sudden disappearance.
By Tuesday she’d started to cool down. She was due out at her parents that evening for dinner. She closed up her shop, did some last minute shopping for items her mother wanted, and then she finally left for her parents’ house which was about fifteen miles from her shop.
She didn’t mind the drive tonight. The long winding highway followed along the bluffs and dips of the ocean, through towering trees and curving cliffs. The drive felt good and cleared her head. Her cell phone chimed, she grabbed it without glancing at the caller ID, her eyes glued to the now darkening road. There were no streetlights out here, and only the occasional traffic.
“Hello.”
“Hello, Sarah. Did you miss me?”
Sarah’s heart squeezed. The chilling whispered voice she remembered from before seemed to come out of her cell phone and fill her car.
“Who is this? What do you want?” Her voice was tinged in hysteria.
“You. I want you. Haven’t you figured that out yet? Sorry I’ve been so neglectful of you, I’ve been out of town. But I’m back now.”
“Stop it! Or the police are going to catch you.”
“Will they catch me before I catch you? Tell me, why are you taking this long, dark road so late at night? Didn’t anyone ever teach you the dark’s not a safe place?”
The line clicked off. Sarah stared at her phone. Her insides froze up as if she swallowed glue. Oh God, he was back. He’d gotten her private cell number. And…he seemed to know that right now, she was out here driving all alone. How? Where was he? She glanced in her rear view mirror. Nothing but blackness, and the sharp points of trees filled her view.
Stop it!
She nearly screamed out loud. She needed to keep her head clear. She was driving, alone, and there was nothing to do but get to her parents’ house as fast as she could.
Her phone chimed again. She turned it off. Then, suddenly, as she was glancing at her phone, the world went loud and crazy, as her car roared over something. Something clunked under her car as her left front wheel suddenly bumped. Sarah screamed in confusion and fright.
Don’t shut your eyes
!
She managed to straighten the car back onto the pavement. Glancing in her rearview mirror she saw nothing but more shadows. A sickening dread filled her. Her car was off-kilter.
Her tire was flat.
She’d hit something…and now she was stranded on the side of the road. And someone, someone awful and scary knew she was out here. Had they done this? They had to have done this. A pit settled in her stomach. She was being stalked, and now, she’d let her guard down and she was stuck at the mercy of some sick bastard. Suddenly galvanized, she grabbed at her cell phone. She was sobbing by the time she managed her shaking fingers to dial Scott’s cell phone number. As automatic as anything, she called him.
“What do you want?” he answered his tone was of complete annoyance.
“Scott,” she whispered her voice thick with tears. She hiccupped and took a breath.
“Sarah?” His voice sharpened in alarm. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. I’m scared. Really scared, I’m stuck out here, and I think someone is out here too.”
“Where are you? What’s going on?”
“I’m along Highway 101. My car ran over something in the road, and now my tire’s flat. But even worse,
he
called! Whoever is stalking me called just before the tire blew. He knew I was driving on this road and that I was all alone.”
“I’m on my way right now. Which way out of town? How far are you?”
“I was heading north, about ten minutes or so.”
“Okay, I’m coming right now.” She heard the distant sound of his engine through the phone. “It will be okay.”
“Just hurry. What if—”
“Nothing. What if nothing. I’ll be right there. Damn it, you’re breaking up the more in the trees I get. I’m hanging up. Keep my number dialed in and call me if anything else happens. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Okay,” she said reluctant to end the signal between them, nearly hyperventilating as she looked around at the dark silhouettes of trees and branches. All the while she sat helpless and exposed along the side of the road.
What
was happening?
Why
was it happening?
Should she get out? Go hide in the trees? But the thought of going in there, those dark hulking trees had her legs trembling. She sat there for long drawn-out moments. She stared at her mirrors and kept glancing out the windows. Waiting for what? Someone to come up and try to get in? What did this person want from her? She was so afraid, her breathing increased to nearly hyperventilating levels. She had to calm down. Breathe in and out. In and out. She could not faint now of all times from lack of oxygen.
There were headlights bouncing through the trees as a car came up the hill behind her. Then the car was around the corner and coming in to park. Her heartbeats stopped as the moment dragged on, the moment where she wondered if anyone would hear from her again. Her hands went slick with sweat, and her entire body trembled. She pressed talk on her phone. Scott answered.
“It’s me behind you.”
She threw down the phone and jumped out of the car. She stumbled on the pavement, righted herself and launched at Scott as he was closing his truck door. She fell against him so hard he stepped back for balance. She was sobbing. Her face buried in his chest, her arms clutched around his waist. She felt so weak kneed with relief she almost couldn’t hold herself up.
Scott’s shoulders were stiff under her fingertips. He lowered his hands and patted her shoulders awkwardly. Tears choked her and her entire body began shaking.
“Shh. You’re okay, Sarah. I’m here now. I’m here.”
She sniffed. “I thought he might get me. Really, truly get me.”
She finally began to calm down as his warm hands rubbed her back and arms. She finally took a step back as she quickly wiped at the tears on her face. “I’m sorry. I just freaked out. I’m totally freaked out right now.”
“It’s okay,” he said, letting her pull away. “I am too.”
She nodded. His fear chilled her to her spine.
“Get in the truck, I’ll glance at your car, and then we’ll get out of here.”
Scott turned toward her front tire. She was right behind him, unwilling for there to be even a foot between them. He sighed, but took her hand. She grabbed onto it, glad for its bigness, and his reassuring warmth around her.
He looked at her tire. “It’s punctured. What the hell?” He glanced back at the road. “What did you hit?”
“I have no idea. I didn’t see anything. I heard it, and my tire started going flat.”
Scott glanced around. “Someone removed whatever you hit.” She nodded, and gulped. Just as she’d feared. Someone, or something had been
right there
looking at her, within a car length of her.
“Let’s get out of here.” He dragged her to his truck where he threw her in the driver’s seat and then jumped in behind her. She scooted over making room. Cookie was in there and jumped between them. Sarah wrapped both arms around Cookie, shaking still with nerves. Her fear made her suddenly feel cold. Cookie’s soft, warm body felt normal and reassuring. She pulled the dog across her lap as Cookie looked up and licked Sarah’s hand.
Scott started the truck and pulled out with a screech.
“We must call the police. This has gone from creepy to dangerous.”
“I was on my way to my parents. I have to show up. How else can I explain not being there? They know I’m on my way.”
“Someone made it so your car got disabled on a long dark road in middle of nowhere, and you want to go visit your parents? Christ, just tell them about it. I’m sure they’ll understand you’re not making it to dinner.”
Sarah scrubbed at her face. “You don’t understand, they can’t know about this. Any of it. And I always show up there every other Tuesday night for dinner. If I don’t show up they’ll know something’s up. I can’t outright lie to them. But I can’t tell them this. Please, just go with me there, and pretend this didn’t happen, and then I promise, I’ll do whatever you suggest about it.”
“Why is it so important your parents don’t know about this? Most parents would want to know and protect you.”
“I don’t have most parents.”
Scott glanced at her, taking his eyes off the road. He drove dangerously fast getting away from her car.
“Okay, explain it to me. Why wouldn’t your parents want to know? You’ve been pretty mysterious about them. In fact, now that I think about it you don’t say anything about your family. Why is that?”
Sarah sighed, her heart still racing, and her body in a near numbing shock. “I take care of them. They don’t take care of me.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means my father is old and can’t work. My mother isn’t capable, so I work for them. I support them. I can’t come home with a stalker and expect them to help me because they are incapable of it. I won’t worry them.”
“Of course, they’ll get worried. Any idiot would be worried about what’s happening. I’m worried. So, why can’t your parents worry about you?”
“Okay, I’ll explain it. But only if you turn around and take me to their house.”