Page 114 of Hidden Depths

Sara pressed her fingertips against her forehead. “None of this is what I ever wanted. I didn’t want Florida. I didn’t want my parents to die. My whole adult life has been dictated by that man. When can I ever be free?”

“You are free. Wherever you go, you’ll be free there because you won’t have to look over your shoulder or worry about him turning up.”

“And you can decide where you go next,” Peter said. “You can go warm or cold. It’s up to you.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“It’s supposed to give you a choice.”

“Not a real one.” She knew she couldn’t fight it. This was happening, and any inkling that her future involved Tom in any capacity dissolved. The best thing she could do for herself was to accept it. “Fine.” She pressed her lips together, forcing her brain to move on. “But Tom, can you do me a favor?”

“Anything.”

“Find Margaret and Pastor Frank and tell them thank you. Let them know I’m okay.”

“I promise.”

“I hate this.”

“I know. I don’t like it much either.”

She looked at him skeptically.

“It’s the truth,” he said. “All I wanted was to go out to lunch with you.”

“We fit one in. I guess that will have to be enough.”

“I want you to know that, if any other option were open to you, I’d fight for it.”

“Would you?”

Peter cleared his throat. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some things I need to take care of.”

“You don’t think I would fight for you?” Tom said once Peter left.

“I don’t know.”

He looked away from her and nodded. “I understand why you’re mad at me.”

“I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at the situation I’m being forced into.”

“I know, but make sure you don’t let it eat at you.” He stood and walked over to the couch, sitting beside her. “Wherever you end up, live your life. Enjoy every opportunity you have.”

“But don’t make it into the news, right? I can’t live a good enough life to be famous and get my image plastered on TV or the internet.”

“Who would want to be famous anyway?”

She smiled. “I did when I was sixteen. I was always in the news for the wrong reasons. First because I was a senator’s daughter and then because…anyway. I think I’ve had enough of that.”

He put his hand over hers. “I’ll miss you.”

“Really?”

“Really.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, pulling away slowly. “And you know I’d do more than that if I could. I want you to know that.”

She blushed, but it stung knowing what could have been. “It will be a distracting thought for me while I settle in to a new town.”

“You think you’ll go back to the beach?”

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