Page 58 of The Lies We Told Ourselves

“Go ahead.” I grimaced down at my watch. “I need to run back to the house to check the pie I have in the oven, anyway. Do you need anything while I’m up there?”

“No, I’m good. I’ll only be two minutes, anyway.”

I waved goodbye and set off for the little cottage that was starting to feel like home. I’d spent my time between there and Booker’s place, but there was something about having a space that was my own that settled a part of me. Being around Booker was amazing, especially the nights and the little amount of sleep we ended up having. But there was something about the quiet here that felt comforting. Not like there was something hiding in the shadows, but rather that the world was holding its breath and letting me have time to think. Giving me that much-needed moment to breathe.

It had been so long since I’d felt like I could pause and just breathe. I’d forgotten the sense of peace it brought with it.

I smiled as I approached the cute little cottage and jogged up the step onto the porch. My coffee cup from this morning was still sitting on the table, so I quickly grabbed it as I knocked the dust off my boots.

The smell of sweet caramel apples flooded my senses, and my mouth watered in response. It didn’t even register with me about why I could smell it already as I reached for the door handle.

And then my hand paused midair as I stared at the shadowy line of the door standing slightly ajar.

I pulled my hand back like something had burned me and then took a cautious step back. I could have sworn I’d closed the door this morning. I hadn’t locked it because why would I? There hardly seemed a need to all the way out here with the illusion of safety of Booker’s house standing right next to mine.

Shaking my head, I pushed open the door, cautiously looked inside, and then laughed at how ridiculous I was being. I must have just not closed the door properly this morning, and it was probably pushed open by the wind. All those years of being on edge, in fear of doing the wrong thing, had gotten to me.

I was free of that place now, and yeah, it might take a while for my mind to catch up, but I’d get there eventually. I couldn’t expect it to happen overnight.

I rinsed the mug and sat it in the sink to wash later. Grabbing some oven mitts, I turned…and then my entire world came to a crashing halt.

There on the counter sat the steaming pie with a slice cut out and a plate covered in crumbs at its side. At the same time, a door slammed shut somewhere inside the cottage. The loud, jarring sound finally kicked some sense into me, and I turned and sprinted out of the cottage. I’d barely made it two steps out the door when I collided with another body.

My hands instinctively came up to cover my face, and I cowered back, waiting for the blow to follow. Every muscle in my body tensed, preparing for the inevitable pain.

But nothing came.

The sound of a soothing voice floated around me, but my brain wasn’t online enough to really register it. It was only when hands gently gripped my wrists and pulled my hands away from my face that I realized it was Cole I stood in front of, not the man who stalked my nightmares.

Embarrassment flooded me hot and ladened with an unhealthy dose of shame.

Not again.

I couldn’t believe I was humiliating myself in front of someone else.

“Reece? Reece, are you with me?” Cole said, stepping back away from me and giving me space as soon as I wasn’t freaking out.

“There…there was someone in the house.”

Cole didn’t hesitate. He ran past me and straight into the cottage. I could hear him moving through the rooms, opening and closing the doors as he checked the place over. By the time he came back out the front door, I’d nearly convinced myself that I was hearing things.

“Your clothes are thrown all over the bedroom, and the window is open,” he said, pulling his phone out of his pocket and putting it to his ear as he came to stand beside me. “Booker, you need to come back to the ranch. Someone was in the cottage. Reece is fine. She’s here with me, and I’ll wait with her until you can get back.”

I zoned out then.

Someone was in the cottage.

Someone had pulled all my clothes out of the closet and trashed the bedroom.

“They stole my pie,” I whispered.

Cole looked like he didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t blame him. I wouldn’t know what to do with someone I barely knew having some kind of mental breakdown in front of me either.

“Let’s get you inside Booker’s place,” Cole opted for. His hands came to my shoulders, and he steered me toward Booker’s house.

We climbed the back porch steps and walked into the kitchen, and then I ran into Cole’s back for the second time.

He looked around the kitchen cautiously, and it took me a moment to realize that it was because he was wondering if whoever had been in the cottage was now inside the house.

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