Had she judged Lance for something she’d been doing herself? All he wanted was to pay the McNealys back on his terms. All she’d wanted was to return to Avery on her terms. Both of those motivations were fueled by pride. Both could have been resolved, had they allowed themselves to see their other choices.
She had other options, too, but deep down, she’d never be okay with feeling like she’d been run out of her hometown. Just like Lance would never have felt right cheating people out of their money to pay back the debt he owed. It would have eaten at him, just like her never coming back to Maine would’ve eaten at her.
What had she done?
She reached over and squeezed Jessie’s hand. “Yes. It was pride. It was important for me to return to Avery. It was part of my closure.”
“Do you have it now?”
“Not completely. I have one more thing I have to do.”
…
Ella gripped the steering wheel tighter as she stared at the brick front of the pizza parlor.
A lot of scenarios had gone through her mind since she learned of Randy’s release. All had revolved around him hunting her down in some dark location and making good on finishing her off. None had involved her hunting him down.
But that was exactly what she’d done. It had only taken a little bit of probing to find out Randy had taken a job as a dishwasher, and what schedule he worked.
She’d spent the last hour driving up and down the highway, working up the courage to pull into the parking lot. Now that she had, doubt crept into her decision. She hadn’t seen Randy since the night he’d attacked her. When he’d pled guilty to avoid a harsher sentence, she’d still been in the hospital recovering.
Now, she was within minutes of being face-to-face with the man who’d changed her life with one punch. This was the last chapter on her hellish journey to finding herself again.
Inhaling deeply, she opened the car door and went inside before doubt had a chance to change her mind.
A young woman at the cash register looked up and smiled. “Welcome to Antonio’s Pizza. How can I help you?”
Unable to speak, Ella stood there and stared at the woman. The woman’s smiled slipped, and confusion drew her eyebrows together. “Uh. Are you okay?”
Clearing her throat, she stepped forward. “I-is Randy working?”
The smile returned. “Yep. Sure is. He’s in the back. I’ll go grab him.”
The girl left through a swinging door. Ella’s insides twisted and she worried she was going to lose her stomach. This had been a horrible idea. She could still leave. She glanced at the door. She didn’t need to face Randy. She could find her closure without going this far.
She turned toward the door, then stopped herself. No. She had to do this.
If she didn’t, she’d always look over her shoulder. Would always wonder. Looking him in the eyes, she’d finally know for certain if the threat he’d made so many years ago was still a danger, or if those had been the words of a desperate, pathetic man hoping to keep out of trouble.
The door swung open and Randy stepped out, wiping his hands on a white towel. For a split second, her heart stopped beating as her throat closed tight, making breathing impossible. It was only when white dots formed in front of her eyes that she drew in a long, whistling inhale.
The man who’d almost killed her was right in front of her—but at the same time he wasn’t. Years before, he’d been a monster of a man. Today, he was…frail.
Randy looked up and froze outside the door, eyes wide. He shoved a hand through his thinning, dark hair. “Shit. You were the last person I expected to see.”
“I kind of feel the same right now.”
He took a step closer, then seemed to think better of it and moved farther away. “What do you want?”
It wasn’t asked harshly, but there was a confused intensity to his question, like he was having a hard time accepting that she’d sought him out. She could understand that.
What did she want? Closure, for sure. But she couldn’t stop looking at the skeleton that had replaced the man who’d beaten her so severely. His cheeks were sunken in, dark bags hung under his brown eyes. Those eyes—they were haunted in a way she’d seen reflected back at herself in the mirror.
“Are you sick?” she blurted out, not caring if it was rude.
“I wish. Maybe then there’d be an end to this nightmare.” He motioned toward a booth. “I figure you have some things to say. I do, too. Let’s get on with it.”
She did. Lots. But she couldn’t think of any of them right now. All she wanted to know was why he looked the way he did. Not taking her eyes off him, she scooted in the booth.
“I was told you left town,” Randy said, as he slid in across from her.
That caught her attention, and she stiffened. “You were asking about me?”
He seemed to look anywhere but at her—out the window, at the salad bar, the other tables. “Yeah. I did.”
“Why?” she forced out of her suddenly tight throat.
“To apologize.”