Page 70 of Whatever You Want

Not wanting to be rude, I adjusted the bag along my shoulder and started making my way toward the parking lot.

“Did you call Logan yet and ask if Brina can come over later?” Madison asked as she walked her bike beside me.

“Not yet.”

“Please, Mom, Logan’s your boyfriend. Don’t you want to see him?”

That caught Will’s attention. Maybe now things wouldn’t be awkward once we parted ways.

I looked down at her little freckled face. “I told you I would ask him when we got home.”

“So, are you and your boyfriend serious?” Will asked as we winded our way through the parking lot. It was packed when we got here, so I parked on a side street around the corner.

I searched for a way to let him down easy, but the sight in front of my eyes stopped me cold. All the color drained from my face.

I gripped Madison’s hand, pulled her back, and sucked in a breath at the smashed windshield. Someone threw a brick through my fucking window. I turned around in a circle, searching for what, I had no clue. I inched closer to look at the damage, and my heart seized when I noticed my slashed tires and the spray paint along the side.

My hands shook as I pulled my phone out to call 911. Strangers were starting to gather around. I swallowed against the lump in my throat as the dispatcher asked question after question. I hated that I couldn’t get my brain to cooperate. I took a cautious step back because I didn’t trust anybody at that moment.

Once they told me an officer was on the way, my body sagged against an oak tree. Will’s eyes filled with concern.

“Do you want me to stay here until the police arrive?”

My mind spun, trying to come up with a face or a name of anyone with an axe to grind. The only person I could think of was Logan’s ex-wife, Vanessa. Was she that fucking crazy? How would she even know where I was? My heart banged against my chest at the thought of her following me. I thought her showing up at my work was bad; this was much worse.

“You don’t have to do that.” I pulled Madison tight against me. “I’m sure you’ve got to get on with your day.”

“I don’t mind. Rex and I will keep you company.”

“Thank you.” I swallowed, taking in my surroundings and noticing my car was the only one damaged.

Madison slipped her hands around my waist and rested her head against my stomach. “Mom, what’s going on?”

I pressed my lips to the side of her head. “I’m not sure, but I need you to stay with me, okay?”

A few minutes later, a sheriff’s deputy pulled up to the curb. The big, beefy man with a military crew cut stepped out of his car and surveyed the area. I put my hand up, letting him know I was the one who called.

He walked over to my car first, roaming up and down from front to back, inspecting the damage. Once he was finished, he made his way over to us.

“Good afternoon, I’m Deputy Michaels. Is that your vehicle over there?”

“Yes. I’m afraid so.”

I pulled my phone out of my purse and handed it to Madison. “Can you call Logan and tell him where we are while I talk to the sheriff?”

I didn’t want to bother him at work, but I knew he would want to know. Plus, my car wasn’t going anywhere, and we were going to need a ride home.

Deputy Michaels glanced over his shoulder to where the other sheriff took pictures of my car and looked back at me. He took out a small black notebook and clicked a pen. “Can you tell me what time this happened?”

“I don’t know. I called nine-one-one as soon as we got to the parking lot and saw my car.”

“Do you remember what time that was?”

“I’m not sure. I’d have to look at my call log.”

He jotted something down. “How long were you away from your vehicle for?”

“I don’t know.” My brain was so scrambled, and I couldn’t think straight. “If I had to guess, maybe an hour or so.”

---