Page 5 of Shelter from the Storm

Theo agreed. “Not going to say there weren’t days when burning the damn thing to the ground wasn’t tempting.”

They had run into one setback after another building the barn, between long delays on the delivery of lumber to their construction foreman, Roy, taking six weeks off after becoming a first-time father. They were happy for Roy, but his next-in-charge, Bryant, had screwed up more than a few things that had required renovations after Roy returned.

“Alright,” Sam said, rising. “I’ve left Jace alone too long. When the cat’s away… Twenty bucks says he’s kicked back watching TikTok videos and not doing a damn bit of work.”

Theo shook his head. “I’m not taking that bet. I don’t like to lose.”

Sam gave him a playful salute, then walked out.

Theo sank down on his chair and forced himself to get back to work on his list…then he considered Sam’s campaign. It looked like he was going to be burning that two-ended candle a little longer.

Fucking awesome.

Chapter Two

Gretchen jerked awake as the bus hit a nasty pothole, her head banging against the window that had been serving as her pillow.

Reaching up, she rubbed the soreness away, ignoring the pain.

Because really…what was one more bruise? It wasn’t like she wasn’t currently wearing matching ones on her neck and back, and at least this one would be hidden by her hair.

She blinked several times, trying to clear her vision. Sleeping on a bus was nearly impossible, even given her current level of exhaustion.

She’d spent the past six months secretly saving money and stowing clothing at work, while making arrangements for what she hoped would be a happy future. This was the last leg of the journey, and as the bus crept ever closer to Gracemont, her emotions wavered between relief—that she’d almost made it—and fear. Because life had taught her countless times that the other shoe could drop at any moment.

She pushed those negative thoughts away. There was no room for them here, since she was determined that this time, she would succeed.

Gretchen had made a few weak attempts at leaving Briggs in the past. But they’d failed because she always ran while her emotions were high, and she never had a solid, practical plan in place, turning to unreliable people who never had her best interests at heart.

This time, she had dotted all the i’s and crossed all the t’s, determined to start a new life on her own. One where she didn’t walk on eggshells, didn’t spend a fortune on concealer, didn’t live in fear of saying or doing something that might set someone off.

She had to hand it to her ex. Briggs had chosen his victim wisely. He’d known exactly how to isolate her, how to keep her reliant on him, from controlling all the money, to discouraging her from getting her driver’s license, to driving a rift between her and the only real family she had, her brother Shaw.

She peered out the window, taking in the scenery. It was mid-September in northern Virginia, too early for fall to paint the mountain in an array of bright reds, yellows, and oranges as the leaves changed color.

Right now, everything was still green and lush. If it had been any other day, she might have enjoyed the view, marveled at the beauty of the nature surrounding her, but as she got closer and closer to her final destination, she found herself second-guessing the plan.

What if she’d missed a step somewhere and failed to cover her trail?

What if, when she arrived at the bus station, Briggs was there in uniform, and he forced her into his police car? She’d learned the hard way no one would step forward to save a woman from a cop. That lesson had come the last time she’d run, and he’d caught up with her as she was buying a bus ticket out of town. The other people at the station simply stepped away when Briggs pretended to arrest her, cuffing her and dragging her home in the back of his cruiser. That weak attempt at escape ended with three cracked ribs and marked the end of her running for two long, painful years.

She’d drifted into a dark place during that time, believing the life she was living was the best she could hope for, and she gave up dreaming for happiness or love. Gretchen spent two years as a ghost in her own life, disappearing into romance novels, trying to make herself invisible, and when that failed, taking Briggs’s abuse without fighting back.

As the bus pulled into the station, she took a deep breath. This was a critical juncture, and she needed to be alert, focused. Gretchen scanned the parking lot as well as the front of the building and the area where they would disembark, terrified Briggs would be there.

She didn’t see anyone who looked like him and there were no police vehicles in the parking lot, but that didn’t ease her anxiety as she waited until everyone else got off the bus before making her own trip down the aisle, stepping into the crisp morning air.

Gretchen stood near the bus until all the bags were unloaded. Once she claimed hers, she stepped closer to the building and pulled out her brand-new Tracfone, prepared to call for an Uber, when she noticed an older gentleman standing by the bus station door holding a piece of paper with her name on it.

Her new name.

One of the first steps she’d made toward creating a new life for herself had been dropping her father’s last name and changing it to her beloved great-aunt’s name instead.

Gretchen Parker was now officially Gretchen Banks.

Her heart stopped beating for a moment when the man glanced in her direction. Shit. She’d been staring. He smiled as he took a few steps toward her.

Had Briggs sent this man? He didn’t look like a cop, but maybe that was by design. Briggs had to know Gretchen would avoid anyone in uniform.

---