Page 77 of Fire in My Heart

“I did.” My throat tightened. Had I fallen too quickly, especially after the way my relationship with Rick turned out?

“That’s amazing. I’m so happy for you.” Fiona reached over to squeeze my hand. “We might be sisters one day.”

“What if we’re moving too fast? It’s only been a couple of weeks. What do we really know about each other?” It didn’t sit well with me that I hadn’t told him about Rick. Teddy wasn’t a trusting person. I didn’t think he’d like that I’d kept something like this from him. Although, a part of me hoped it was over, and Rick had moved on.

Fiona lowered her fork. “Are you worried about Rick showing up?”

I winced, pushing the lettuce around my plate. “Kind of? It’s probably too much to hope for that he moved on and forgot all about me.”

“He showed up here not that long ago, and he was angry. I don’t think he’d forget about it that quickly. He might just be laying low and biding his time. Wanting to get you alone.”

A chill ran down my spine, causing me to shiver. “You think so?”

“Aiden’s concerned. Did you ever go to the authorities and get a restraining order?”

“I researched it online, and since we don’t live together, were never married, or share a child, I technically don’t qualify for a protective order.”

Fiona frowned. “That can’t be right. There should be some recourse if someone’s harassing you.”

“I think those are separate laws. But he’s only hit me that one time, and then confronted me here at work.” He’d grabbed my arm, but Aiden interrupted the altercation before it deteriorated.

“Once is too many times.”

I flushed. “I got out, remember? I left that first time.”

“You quit your job. Broke your lease early. Then lived with Cole to hide from him.” Fiona didn’t approve of me running.

“That’s not exactly what happened.” But at the time, it had felt like I was hiding. I refused to confide in Cole. I didn’t wanthim to worry about me, and I thought I had it under control. “He texted me once too, something about him finding me.”

“I don’t like this. You have to talk to someone. What does Teddy think?”

I sucked in a breath.

Fiona shook her head, her disappointment clear. “You didn’t tell him?”

“I will. I just haven’t gotten around to it. I was hoping that Rick was done with me, and it wouldn’t be an issue going forward.”

Fiona pursed her lips. “I don’t think these kinds of guys just go away.”

I chewed my lip, my appetite gone. “I didn’t mean to come here and talk about this. I was feeling so good about everything that’s happening with Teddy and on the farm.”

“You can’t ignore this and hope it will go away. You have to be prepared that Rick’s going to show up again, and next time, you might be alone.”

I nodded. “You’re right.”

“Talk to Teddy soon. I’m worried about you.”

“I’ll talk to him after the holidays. He’s having dinner with your family tonight, and then telling everyone about us on Christmas. I don’t want to mess things up before Christmas by telling Teddy about my past.”

“It’s up to you. But I’d want him to know. How can he protect you if he doesn’t know what’s going on?”

Fiona always had her family to count on. I didn’t. I suspected that was why I was more reluctant to ask for help. No one had ever been there for me. My brother had apologized for escaping to the Monroes, but the reality was that the damage had already been done. I learned quickly that the only one I could count on was me.

And a part of me didn’t want Teddy to look at me differently.To think I was somehow less than because I dated a man who could treat me like that.

Teddy respected me. He cherished me, and Rick made me feel anything but.

Our sandwiches arrived, and we moved our salads to the side. Suddenly, I was starving.

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