Page 18 of Saved from Deception

The last of my worry eases. “I hoped you’d think so. Sometimes when I’m having a rough day, getting outside helps. Inside can feel kind of… suffocating.”

“I guess I never thought about it.” Her brows pull into a little V. “I never thought of myself as an outdoorsy person, but this—” She gestures at the stream we’re passing. “This is much nicer than staring at the walls of my apartment.”

“Did you come here much growing up?” I know Charlie lived in Saratoga until she moved away for college, returning a few years ago when she took her most recent job.

“Not really,” she answers. “Which I’m sure sounds surprising, having this big park so close, but I rarely came here.” Her lips pull into a sheepish smile. “Honestly, this is the first time I’ve ever been on one of the trails.”

“Well, what do you think of it?”

“I really like it. Being here now, I wish I had visited when I was younger.” She pauses, her expression going pensive. “I think it would have been easier, having a place to escape to, especially as a teenager.”

Charlie slows as we get close to one of the natural springs, and we step to the side of the path to look at it. She’s quiet as she reads the sign posted next to the spring, her brows still slightly down, not unhappy, but clearly thinking about something.

Abruptly, she turns to me and says, “My parents didn’t approve of activities like hiking. Or anything outdoors that wasn’t something like polo or horse racing. They dragged me to some events at the park, events at the Gideon Putnam hotel, or a benefit at the Performing Arts Center, but actually walking the trails? Sitting on the grass for a picnic? They would never consider it.”

I had already decided that Charlie’s parents weren’t very nice people—they don’t even believe their daughter, for one, and from what I overheard on that phone call the other day, her mother sounds awful.

But I am curious how Charlie turned out so… normal. Not just normal. Nice. Funny. Down to earth. Sweet.

Charlie walks over to the spring and cups her hand under it, lifting a small amount of water to her mouth and tasting it. “Ooh.” Her face pinches with distaste. “I’ve heard that the spring water doesn’t taste good—all the minerals in it—but I’ve never tasted it before.”

Her nose is all crinkled and there are splashes of water down the front of her shirt, turning the small spots transparent. I laugh at her expression and she says, “Hey, you try it. Tell me if you think it tastes good.”

A moment later, I’m making a face right back at her. “Okay. You were right.” It’s fizzy and tastes like a mixture of copper and iron, and I’m fairly certain I won’t become a natural springs enthusiast.

Charlie laughs, her eyes sparkling. “So you don’t want to go around trying all the springs, then? I think there are twenty-one of them all around the city.”

If visiting each of them would make Charlie laugh like she is right now, I’d do it happily. “If you want to,” I tell her, and I mean it. “We can visit all of them if you want.”

Her gaze goes soft for a second. Then she touches my arm and says, “It’s okay. But thank you. Truly. For today, and bringing me here, and”—her expression goes serious—“everything. It means more than I can say.”

Her fingers are cool and soft, but it feels like they’re searing into my skin. The light weight of her hand is heavy with meaning. I felt something when I touched her before, but this? This is different.

I’m on a job. This isn’t the place. Or the time. Or the person.

Even so. I can’t bring myself to pull away.

CHAPTER SIX

CHARLIE

Maybe the worst of it is over. Maybe.

At least I’ve added a few things to the plus column of this whole situation.

In the negative column, there are still awful videos of me circulating online. Naked photos with my face are still being shared on social media. I’m still unemployed. My bills are piling up. I can’t go anywhere without snide comments and rude stares.

In the middle, I’m still exiled from my family and friends—which I’m starting to think isn’t such a bad thing after all. Not considering how easily they turned on me.

When I think about all the crappy stuff, it’s hard to believe there could be anything left to be happy about. Or if not happy, relieved.

But. There are some good things.

There’s Rylan—going places with me so the stares and comments never escalate to anything more. Rylan shooting dangerous glares at the people whispering about me, intimidating them into silence. And Rylan at home, playing games with me, making me laugh, cheering me up when I start to get overwhelmed with everything.

There’s Leo, who is actively working to track down whoever decided to screw with my life. He hasn’t found the culprit yet; apparently this person really does know what they’re doing, but Leo isn’t giving up easily.

And I’ve received a few promising responses about jobs. So that’s a tentative entry in the plus column. Nothing definite yet, but I have a phone interview set up for tomorrow, and two more stores have asked me for references.

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