Page 406 of How to Kiss a Hawthorne Brother
“We can go now,” I say, pushing back from my desk. “I can work on grant proposals from home, and that’s mainly what I need to be focusing on anyway.”
Nate follows me out to the parking lot, his eyes moving from side to side like there’sactuallya possibility of danger in this sleepy corner of Silver Creek. “So, when I start teaching classes next week, will someone have to come to school with me? I bet my students would love—”
Nate grips my elbow, silencing my rambling, and tugs me behind him.
And that’s when I see him.Ed Cooper.
“I like you in your natural habitat,” he says as he lifts his camera.
My stomach rolls, a wave of nausea nearly doubling me over.
“Keep walking, Audrey,” Nate says, his voice low. “Don’t respond to him.”
Suddenly, the distance between us and Nate’s SUV seems enormous. It can’t be more than twenty yards, but my shoes are full of lead, and my limbs are trembly and weak. The car could be miles away for how long it’s going to take me.
“This whole look,” Ed says, following behind us, the shutter on his camera clicking over and over. “It really suits you, Audrey. You look like a real biologist.”
I swallow against the lump in my throat, but it’s Nate who answers him. “Sheisa real biologist. And you’re on private property. You need to leave.”
“Touchy,” he says, as he takes a step closer. “Sorry if I’m a little confused about what’s real and what isn’t. After all the news lately, who knows?”
Nate pulls out his keys and clicks the fob to unlock the doors. He keeps his hand on my elbow, half-leading, half-dragging my stupid functionless limbs toward the passenger side.
“What can you tell me about your relationship, Audrey? Was it all fake? Are you going to see Flint again?”Click. Click, click.“I saw Flint the other night. He was out with Claire McKinsey. Did you know he’s still seeing her? Was all this faking just a ploy to make her jealous?”
I ignore his words. Ihave toignore his words.
I trust Flint.
Ten times more than I trust Ed Cooper.
Nate pulls open the passenger door and helps me in, shutting it firmly behind me. Seconds later, Nate is in the driver’s seat, and we’re leaving Ed Cooper and his stupid camera behind.
“Are you all right?” Nate asks.
I manage a weak nod, but my mind is spinning. I can’t stop thinking about what might have happened had Nate not been there.
What if I’d been alone?
Nate checks his rearview mirror at least a dozen times on the way home. I don’t see anyone following behind us, but that’s little comfort. If Ed Cooper figured out where I work, I’m sure he knows where I live.
“Do you think he’ll come to the house?” I manage to ask, shocked by how shaken I sound.
“If he does, I’ll be there,” Nate says. “I won’t let him close to you, Audrey.”
Ten minutes later, I’m on the couch in my living room with a bowl of Lucy’s chicken noodle soup in my hands, flanked by a sister on either side. Nate called the cops first—he suspects Ed Cooper broke parole when he left California—then he calls Flint. I can only hear his side of the conversation, but it’s enough to tell me how worried Flint is.
I appreciate his worry. And Nate’s worry. And the way my sisters are hovering like I might break apart if they aren’t here to hold me up. But I also feel like I’m wearing too-small shoes.
The attention. The security measures. All thisconcernfor my welfare. Two months ago, the only thing threatening my peace and safety was the occasional run-in with a black bear. And then, I knew exactly what to do to keepmyselfsafe. I was capable. Confident. Strong enough to handle whatever situation I found myself in.
But I’m in over my head with this. Ididget away from the photographer today. But what if it happens again?
After eating and reassuring my sisters that I’m okay, I escape into my room and collapse onto my bed. I stare at my ceiling fan for a long time, watching the blades spin slowly around.
Right after Flint asked me to go to LA with him, Lucy talked me down from a full-on freak-out by treating my circumstances like a science project. We examined the facts. Formed reasonable hypotheses and logical conclusions. And it worked.
Taking a deep breath, I try to do the same thing, but my thoughts are so jumbled, I just keep thinking myself in circles.
