Page 54 of Safe With You

The sun shone warmly when she got up and returned to the cottage. Inside, she paused at the door. She’d been leaving it open to let in fresh air through the screen door. Today, however, she shut and bolted the deadlock. She hated needing to do that but wouldn’t risk anyone just walking in unannounced. Not again.

After breakfast, she entered the sewing room to resume organizing. She couldn’t help once again reliving what had happened yesterday. She rubbed her wrist, too quick to imagine the sensation of it locked in a tight grip. But she drew a deep breath and shook her head to force the memories out of her mind. She wouldn’t let them color her whole day or give Grant that hold over her.

She’d been working for about an hour when a knock tapped the front door. Her heart lurched toward her throat. She froze for a moment before shaking herself loose. Panic wouldn’t help anything. She picked up her phone, opened Ethan’s contact just in case, and stepped cautiously out of the sewing room. She’d left the baseball bat by the stairway. The first sign of trouble, she’d dash for it and call Ethan.

But even though a semi-sheer curtain hung across the window, she could see enough of the familiar silhouette on the other side of the door to breathe a sigh of relief. Slipping her phone back into her pocket, she unlocked the door and opened it. A hint of apology rested on Ethan’s face as if he knew he’d startled her.

“I should have texted before I came.”

She shook her head, willing her heart rate to return to normal. “No, it’s fine.”

She stepped back to let him in, and he entered the kitchen.

“How are you this morning?”

“Honestly, a bit paranoid. I don’t believe Grant will show up again, but I still feel jumpy.”

“Understandable. I don’t want to interrupt your day, but I thought I’d bring these over.” He held up two barrel bolt locks. “If you want, I’ll put them on your screen doors. They won’t keep an intruder out, but they will stop someone from walking in without you knowing.”

A thankful smile rose to Katie’s lips. How did he always seem to anticipate precisely what she needed? “I would really appreciate that.”

He matched her smile and opened one of the locks. Pulling a drill from his tool belt, he turned to the screen door.

“Any word from your mom?”

“Nothing.” Katie chose to see that as a good thing and that maybe she and Grant had finally dropped the matter. “I keep hoping she’s as shocked by what Grant did as I am, but that’s probably too much to hope for. If it didn’t faze her when he broke my wrist, then it’s doubtful yesterday did.”

Ethan spun back to her, his eyes wide. “He broke your wrist?”

Katie had forgotten she’d never mentioned that in their conversations. She rubbed her fingers over it, and phantom pain darted up her arm. “Right after we moved. He got sick of me begging my mom to send me back here.”

Ethan’s gaze had fixed on her wrist, his jaw clenching. When he dragged his eyes back to her face, they held a riot of intense emotions—anger, pain, regret. “I’m sorry.”

She shrugged. It was a long time ago, and she didn’t want him to carry any of the guilt he had been feeling about her leaving. “Well, I’m here now, and thanks to you, I didn’t have to endure a repeat yesterday.”

It didn’t erase the emotions on Ethan’s face, but he nodded and refocused on attaching the lock. A couple of minutes of heavy silence stretched out between them. At last, he spoke in a tone that said he was trying to lighten the mood.

“There’s something I wanted to talk to you about. I don’t know if you remember my cousin, Abby. She’s quite a bit younger than us, but we always had fun with her brothers, Bradley and Garrett, when they visited.”

Though it had been a long time since Katie recalled those visits, one particular memory stood out. “I remember. She had that cute stuffed animal—the mama cat with the three little kittens. I loved it so much that I went home and begged my mom for one until Grant yelled at me to shut up about the stupid toy. I never dared to bring it up again.”

His jaw twitched with a wince. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to dredge up another bad memory.”

She dismissed the apology. “No, it’s fine. I’m the one who brought it up. But yes, I remember Abby.”

“Well, she’s getting married in a couple of weeks, and the whole family is invited. I wondered if you’d want to go since I have an unfilled plus one. I already made sure a last-minute guest wouldn’t be a problem. It would be like old times when you went to Miss Lisa’s wedding with us.”

“That’s right! I forgot about that.” Miss Lisa had been her favorite sixth-grade teacher. She laughed, another distinct memory popping to mind. “You were horsing around and knocked over the punch bowl.”

He hung his head and then shook it. “See, I was hoping you wouldn’t remember that particular detail. So maybe this won’t bejustlike old times.”

Katie grinned. She welcomed any attempt to recapture the cherished moments of her childhood. “I’d love to go.”

She was glad to see the smile return to his face. “Good.”

“What kind of wedding is it?”

“A barn wedding and outdoor reception. Very country and casual.”

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