Page 89 of Safe With You

Evelyn guided her to the chair in the corner of the room, and Katie sank into it, her legs a little shaky. A moment later, Eric sat on the edge of the chair next to her.

“I know this is difficult, but could you tell me what happened? We searched your cottage and found the screen in your sewing room torn out.”

Katie closed her eyes. She’d been forgetting to close that window, not that it would have stopped Christopher. With a wavering breath, she nodded and recounted the nightmare that had awaited her after walking home from the Harts’.

Chapter Thirty-nine

Ethan sat while having his wounds examined, cleaned, stitched, and bandaged, but all he wanted was to get out of this examination room. Though thankful the wound to his side wasn’t as deep as they’d feared and hadn’t caused any serious internal damage, he could only think about Katie. No one was able to update him on where she was or what was happening. What if Christopher had hurt her more than he realized? It was hard not to imagine the worst.

After what felt like hours, the doctor finally finished and was ready to discharge him. A nurse brought him a clean tee shirt to replace his bloodied one and then led him out of the room. His heart thumped for news as they walked down the sterile hall toward the door to the waiting area.

When he stepped into the quiet space, his eyes locked on his family in one corner. Joel, Megan, and Adam were there with them. Huddled between everyone sat Katie. They spotted him immediately and jumped to their feet to meet him, bombarding him with questions about his condition.

“I’m all right,” he assured them, but his attention was divided. He was still breathing and standing. What mattered now was Katie.

The questions died away as he focused on her. He reached to grasp her shoulders. “Are you all right?”

He looked her over for signs of injury, sliding his hand to the brace on her wrist.

She lifted it. “Just a sprain.”

Her voice was rough, but he didn’t know if it was from nearly drowning or emotion. Looking into her eyes again, he saw how red they were, and tears had begun to pool. Fear still lingered there, bringing him back to the broken little girl she’d been during their childhood. He’d tried so hard to protect her, yet here they were.

He drew her closer, and she fell into him as he wrapped his arms around her, burying her face against his chest. Hearing her cry pained him, but all he could do was hold her and tell her everything was all right.

A glance at the clock on the mantle in the living room told Ethan it was just after two in the morning. Dad and Becca had gone to bed at Mom’s insistence. Ethan had tried to coax Katie to do so, but she didn’t want to be alone and said she didn’t think she could sleep. He didn’t blame her. Sleep wasn’t his first inclination either. But he’d grabbed one of the throw pillows and put it on his lap, telling her to at least lie down and rest. She had done so, and now she was out, hopefully sleeping peacefully with his arm wrapped around her. Her steady, even breaths soothed him.

Quiet movement brought his attention to Mom, who draped a light blanket over Katie. He smiled appreciatively, thankful for how she had always cared for Katie like one of her own.

She stepped closer to him and whispered, “Do you want me to move the ottoman so you can put your feet up?”

Ethan nodded, and she slid the big ottoman to the couch. He lifted his legs onto it, trying not to jostle Katie too much. It probably wouldn’t take much to wake her. Careful as he was, the movement sent pain shooting through his side, and he couldn’t hold back a wince.

Of course, Mom noticed. “Do you want me to get you one of your painkillers?”

He shook his head. He’d rather not take anything if he didn’t have to, and as long as he didn’t move too much, right now, it was tolerable. “No, thank you.”

The pain subsided as he relaxed back against the couch. He stared down at Katie, thinking for the hundredth time of coming upon the scene and realizing what was happening. He shook his head, his chest seizing up.

“I was almost too late.”

Had he ignored what had clearly been a prompting from God or waited a few more minutes, he would have been. He might have had to pull her limp body out of the lake instead. The thought left him cold.

Mom bent over him and pressed a lingering kiss to the top of his head. When she straightened, moisture shone in her eyes that wasn’t there before. Tonight could have easily ended in tragedy.

“I am thankful you’re both all right.” She put her hand on his and squeezed it. “Try to get some sleep. I’ll be right here if you need anything.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

Katie stood between the kitchen and the living room at the cottage and looked around. In the four days since Christopher had tried to kill her, she hadn’t been here much. The memories of that night had been too fresh. They still were, but today, she was determined to face them. Christopher, her mom, and Grant had all been trying to steal this place from her from the very beginning. She couldn’t let Christopher succeed by robbing her of the peace she’d always had here. This was still her sanctuary, even if he had broken into it.

She crossed the living room and entered her sewing room, where he’d forced his way in. The screen would have to be replaced at some point. But she looked away from the window and focused instead on the shelves Ethan had made. It wasn’t just reminders of Grandma’s love and care that filled the cottage, but Ethan’s, even if it had taken her until recently to realize the depth of it. Those were things Christopher’s actions couldn’t steal.

“Are you all right?”

Ethan’s gentle voice came from the doorway. She turned to him, and he studied her, searching her face.

She smiled. “Just admiring your handiwork.”

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