I wanted her back, but that was not going to happen and so life went on.
Elliot and I had a big summer planned. We were taking the girls camping for a week while AJ went to some summer cooking school. We also had plenty of events planned at my place. My parents had left two days ago, flown off to Europe for their second honeymoon. It was actually a relief to see them go.
The house was quiet and I liked it that way. I tipped the rest of my coffee into the sink and checked my watch. Elliot was busy with his dad today and the girls had gone off on some shopping spree. I told AJ I might stop by the restaurant for dinner, but I didn’t know if I could be bothered.
The doorbell rang.
I frowned, wondering if it was the girls coming to show me their purchases. Surely not. Did I really have to deal with that? That was a boyfriend’s job. I plastered on a grin wanting to be a good sport and flung the door open.
My smiled fled, as did the air in my lungs.
“Hi, Zach.” Her voice was whisper soft…and beautiful.
I couldn’t speak. I swallowed past the lump in my throat, gripping the door and just staring at her. She looked terrible. Her hair was a scraggly mess down her back, her blue eyes looked tired and bereft of hope. Her lips were dry and peeling and her hands wouldn’t stop shaking as she squeezed them together.
“I um…” She licked her bottom lip. “It’s been… Well…”
“What are you doing here, Dani?”
She winced as I said her name.
“I know I don’t have a right to be standing at your door. There’s no apology big enough to make up for running away like that and there’s no apology big enough for coming back.” She grimaced. “I don’t know what I’m doing anymore.” Her chin trembled as she sucked in a breath. “I’m scared and running’s always kept me safe in the past. But it doesn’t seem to matter how far I go, I…you…” She paused, her lips quirking to the side. “You are impossible to run away from.”
My heart did a little somersault before taking off for the Grand Prix.
She tucked a grimy strand of hair behind her ear with a dirty finger. “I guess I just couldn’t live with…” She blinked rapidly, looking down to the ground. I still couldn’t find my voice. I wanted to know what she had to say and I didn’t want my words getting in the way.
She finally huffed out a breath as if summoning all her courage. “I never introduced myself to you properly.”
My insides hitched, wondering if she was about to give me a gift she’d given no one else before.
Her complete trust.
Her hand jerked out in front of me, asking to be shaken. “I’m Lucy Tate.”
At first my insides shuddered to a stop.
Lucy.
As in the parent killer?
I gazed at her open expression, the peace offering her hand was providing, and I couldn’t make myself believe it. There was more to her story and I knew without a doubt that she would let me have it.
I stepped forward, wrapping my fingers around her quivering hand.
“Nice to meet you, Lucy.” A slow smile spread across my face as I gently pulled her into my arms.
Lucy. I now knew Lucy.
It was a small thought that comforted me, filled me with a burst of hope so strong my insides were sizzling.
Her arms came around my back, squeezing tight, and my smile grew.
I was holding Lucy and this time I wasn’t planning on ever letting her go.
Lucy’s story continues in
SET ME FREE
(A Fugitive Novel, #2)
Keep reading for a sneak peek of what’s coming on May 18th, 2014.
Chapter 1
LUCY
June 2014
The ride back to Danville had been quicker than I expected. The trucker who picked me up near Bakersfield had made a detour on his way to San Francisco, just to drop me off.
“Thanks for the ride,” I mumbled, jumping from the cab.
His deep brown eyes shimmered with warmth. “You take care of yourself, quiet one.”
I grinned and flicked him a wave before slamming the heavy door and watching him drive off.
He was a good guy. A family man who I knew all about after our three-and-a-half hour trip together. I had barely said two words the entire trip and he’d filled in the space nicely. It was a good distraction from my beehive of thoughts. My body was buzzing with so many emotions I could barely function.
Hiking my bag onto my shoulder, I orientated myself. Trucky Derek had dropped me off on the outskirts of town. I recognized the buildings and took a deep breath before heading towards the brick house near the middle of town.
I never usually hitched, walking was more my style. Six weeks ago I had walked out of Danville, scurried away from the love of my life because I was scared. I made it all the way to San Diego. I could practically smell Mexico, but I just could not make myself cross that line.