Page 52 of Safe With You

She was probably right, though part of Ethan still wanted to involve the law after all these years. Grant deserved to have his world blown apart. But those were just vengeful thoughts at this point.

They sat silently for another minute or two as Katie stroked the cat. Then Ethan caught her brows wrinkling before she turned to him again. “What did you mean by what you said to him? About threatening you and throwing you off the property?”

Ethan pulled in a long breath. That’s right. He had said that. In the heat of the moment, he hadn’t even realized. Only his family and Adam knew what had happened that fateful day. He’d known deep down that he needed to tell her, but it was still hard. He rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat.

“Just before you moved, I went to your house and confronted Grant. I…I told him if he ever hurt you again, I would tell everyone what he was doing. He basically threatened to beat me to within an inch of my life if I didn’t get off the property and keep my mouth shut.”

Katie’s eyes rounded. It was hard to guess what she might be thinking, and his stomach formed a tight, burning knot because the result of his actions was a burden he’d had to carry for the last decade and a half. What would she think once she understood the consequences of what he’d done?

“I had every intention of going through with it, but then you left. That’s when I realized…” He swallowed hard, pain digging into his chest. “I was the reason you had to move. I’m so sorry. I should have told you sooner. I’ve never been able to forgive myself for that.”

He’d tried to protect her, but instead, it had caused him to lose her and made her life so much worse. She had every right to blame him for the misery she’d endured the last fifteen years. If he’d just talked to someone instead of taking matters into his own hands, she might have stayed here in Two Lakes, and their lives would have looked entirely different.

He hung his head. “I’m sorry.” It was all he could say, though it couldn’t fix the past.

“Ethan, it’s not your fault.” Her voice was soft but earnest.

“I’m the one who backed him into a corner.”

“You were barely fifteen. You couldn’t have known what was going to happen. You were trying to help me. I could never blame you for that. Besides, Grant was having trouble at the firm where he worked, so maybe what you did caused us to leave sooner than we would have otherwise, but I think it would have happened regardless. I heard my mom mention California at least a few weeks before moving. You weren’t the reason we left.”

Ethan’s breath left his lungs in a heavy sigh. Fifteen years, he’d carried around the self-blame. He’d known he shouldn’t, but he hadn’t been able to shake it. Far too often, he’d imagined how Katie might blame him if she knew and to what extent his actions had hurt her. Now that the truth had lifted that weight, he wasn’t even sure how to feel. Part of him still thought he should share the blame after acting so rashly as a kid, but that was wrong. Katie didn’t blame him, so he needed to let it go.

She reached for his hand again, her gentle smile settling the intense emotions he’d struggled with. “I can’t believe you did that for me. It must have been terrifying.”

Ethan’s mind slipped back to that day. He’d been too worried about her to experience any fear for himself, even when Grant had threatened him. He’d been foolish, but all he’d wanted was to protect her. “You’ve always been my best friend. I’d do anything for you.”

“You’re my best friend too. I’m sorry I wasn’t a better friend over the years and it took this long to get back in touch.”

“Don’t be. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

She squeezed his hand. “Neither do you.”

Chapter Twenty-two

Though he was reasonably confident Grant wouldn’t return, Ethan was glad Katie spent the rest of the afternoon at the house with his parents. He didn’t think she should be alone after what happened. Mom’s mothering was just what she needed, and Ethan couldn’t help but stick close and keep an eye on her as well.

She still seemed shaken that evening and decided not to go to church. Becca offered to stay with her. Ethan would have liked to himself, but he couldn’t back out of youth group last minute like that. Rationally, he knew Grant would never show up at his parents’ house, but leaving the two of them home alone bothered him. Praying for peace as he followed behind his parents, he tried to focus on what he had to teach the kids tonight, which just so happened to be about trusting God’s protection.

The group was particularly rowdy when he arrived, but he settled them down and went through the usual routine. He fought the way his mind kept trying to wander, but he had a feeling Mrs. Anders sensed his distraction. Still, it was a good night, and when the main service ended, he followed the kids into the auditorium, pausing to talk to a few of the parents. He’d just said goodbye to the last family when Adam joined him.

“Everything all right?” He glanced around the auditorium. “I noticed Becca and Katie weren’t here tonight.”

Ethan sighed. “Grant showed up at Katie’s cottage this afternoon unannounced.”

Adam’s expression went taut, and he tipped his head for Ethan to follow. They walked farther back into the auditorium to a quiet corner where they could speak more privately. Here, Ethan relayed all the details of Grant’s visit.

Adam shook his head, the edge to his voice echoing Ethan’s feelings. “That’s very bold of him to just walk in like that.”

“I know. Katie says he’s a coward, but I’m not so sure.”

“Hopefully, it was a desperate, last-ditch effort, and he wouldn’t dare try again.”

“Hopefully.” Ethan rubbed the ache growing in his neck, probably from the stress. “If he had hurt her, I don’t know what I would’ve done.”

“Probably the same thing I would’ve done if it had been one of my sisters.” Adam shrugged sheepishly. “Or Becca.”

Ethan forced himself to take a deep breath. His blood simmered just thinking back on it.

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