My jaw dropped open. “Are you fucking serious?” I sat up straighter when he glared at me. “Sorry. I’m just . . . I had no idea.”
“I’m serious. We take your safety seriously. There’s also surveillance on Katie, in case he decides to come after her again.”
“He won’t do that,” I said with such confidence Green looked at me oddly. “He doesn’t want the trouble. That’s why he ran.”
“We’ll find him, Will. I promise,” Green said with a slight nod.
I said nothing. Promises were made to be broken. I tried my best to keep the promise I made to Katie and I think I somehow fucked that up. I got her to safety, got her out of that storage shed, but did I really help her?
I don’t know.
“If I give you my gift for Katie, will you make sure she receives it?” I pulled the envelope out of the back pocket of my jeans and slid it across the table.
Green picked up the legal-sized envelope and shook it. “Can I ask what’s in there?”
“Jewelry.” I shrugged, uncomfortable. “A bracelet. I liked the charm on it.”
“A charm bracelet?”
“Sort of. There’s a guardian angel on it. Someone to watch over her since I can’t be there to help her any longer,” I explained, dropping my head so I could study what was left of my burger. I didn’t want to see Green’s eyes, the expression on his face. I felt weird, telling him this. I didn’t want to share my feelings for Katie with this guy.
I couldn’t even understand them myself.
“That’s nice of you, Will. Real nice.” Green’s voice was gentle, and I glanced up to watch as he slipped the envelope in the inside pocket of his jacket. “I’ll make sure Katie gets this, okay? Even if I have to hand-deliver it myself.”
Relief poured through me and I leaned against the back of my seat. “Okay. Yeah. That’s cool. Thanks. I appreciate it.”
“Where are you going?”
I glance up to see Mrs. Anderson standing in her front yard, watching me as I walk down the steps from my porch and head for my car, which is parked in my driveway. A low fence divides our property and she’s standing on her side, an empty plastic watering can dangling from her fingers.
“Hi,” I say as I make my way toward her. Both Mom and Brenna find my elderly neighbor completely annoying, what with how nosy she is, but I like it. Her nosiness means she cares, at least a little bit.
“You look pretty.” She gives me a critical glance, taking in my outfit. I’m wearing a pair of black leggings with black ankle boots and an oversized midnight-blue sweater, my hair up in a bun. Nothing special, but I know this particular shade of blue looks good on me. “Doing something special tonight?”
“Sort of.” I want to hop up and down like a little kid, but I keep myself contained. “I’m going on a date.”
Mrs. Anderson’s eyebrows rise. “Oh really? I figured you didn’t do that sort of thing. Or you kept your love life a secret because maybe you were a lesbian or something.”
I burst out laughing and shake my head. “I just haven’t really ever met anyone who interested me before.” That was the truth. And despite the fact that Ethan ignored me for the last few days, I appreciated his honesty when we talked earlier. I can only wonder if he appreciated mine. But my excitement overrides my nerves because I get to see him tonight and I can’t . . . I can’t wait.
“I like that. You’re picky. I was picky. Took me a long time to find my Mr. Anderson. But when I met him, I knew.” She nods, her gaze turning wistful. I knew she lost her husband a few years ago to cancer and that she still missed him terribly.
“You knew what?” I ask.
“That he was the man for me. Once I set eyes on him, I saw no one else. He was it.” Her gaze narrows. “Where are you going? Why isn’t he coming here to pick you up like a proper gentleman?”
“I don’t know him that well and I don’t want him to, uh, know where I live yet.” I wince, feeling silly. My privacy issues aren’t normal. I know this. “I’m a very private person.”
“That’s good. Real good. There are too many creepy guys out there. You didn’t meet this boy on one of those dating websites, did you?”
“No, nothing like that.” I smile. “I should get going. Have a good night, Mrs. Anderson.”
“You too, Katherine! You should come over tomorrow morning for coffee and tell me all about your date!” She waves after me as I go to my car, and I turn around and smile.
“I’ll try.” I slip inside my car and shut the door, smiling like an idiot as I start the ignition. If Brenna were here, she’d be going off about my nosy neighbor who’s only offering up coffee so she can dig info out of me.