Page 42 of All Inn Thyme
I nod. “Preston is going to help me file for divorce and get everything straightened out so we can be here legally and Kase can start school next year. We don’t even exist on paper, and we can’t live on the run forever.”
“I get that.”
“He’s scary, Ty. He has repeatedly threatened to kill both of us. I always felt like him saying it was halfway to doing it, so we had to get out. We couldn’t just walk away; we had to run.” My voice catches, and he tightens his grip on my hand.
“It didn’t start out bad. Up until our wedding, he was fine. He was almost too nice. Then, on the night of our wedding, he slapped me as soon as we got back to our hotel because he said I danced like a slut at our reception and embarrassed him. I spent the night locked in the bathroom on the floor, crying while he slept it off peacefully, not even caring that I was hurt and devastated, or that our wedding night was ruined. I made excuses and blamed myself for everything.”
Something in Ty’s eyes darkens when I tell him this, and he shakes his head slightly. “Do you think he’ll ever find you guys up here?”
I’d love to think he couldn’t, but honestly, I wouldn’t put anything past him. He’s awful, but he’s smart. The manipulation tactics he used were scary enough for me to never underestimate Bradley and what he’s capable of doing. I have to hope that we did all we could to cover our tracks.
“We’re very careful, and we will continue to be, but when I file for divorce and sole custody, that is when things will get bad. Preston is figuring it all out. That’s what he was working on with me tonight.”
“I’m glad he’s helping you.” His kind blue eyes lock on mine.
“Thanks,” I whisper and lay my head on his shoulder. “It’s so complicated because as a cop, Bradley has access to resources to use against us when we do file charges. I’m really scared about how things will go.”
“I know you like to remind me that you can keep yourselves safe, but I’ll never let anything happen to you or Kase. I promise.” He says this softly, rocking back and forth on the Adirondack chair glider.
I nod. “Okay.”
“I’m glad you’re here at the inn.”
We sit in silence for a while, but I can feel he’s upset by what I just told him. It’s disturbing to know this stuff when you care about someone, and I feel like he cares about us. The problem with that is that I really care about him, too. I just don’t know what to do about it. Not yet at least.
13. mellie
I get to come home to him.
“Kase!Come on, buddy. We’re going to be late!” I grab my bag and look for my shoes by the back door, where I know I placed them last night. I wonder if Nova did something with them. She hasn’t bothered any of our shoes before, but they’re gone, and I don’t have time for this. I have a ton of rooms to clean today for fast turnarounds and Kase needs to eat breakfast. I sigh and turn around to see Nova is sitting there, watching me.
“Well?” I ask her, hands on my hips. “Have you seen our shoes?”
She tilts her head and her ears tilt back, almost like she’s saying she didn’t do it. She lays her head down between her paws and continues to watch me search. Finally, I step out on to the porch and there my ratty sneakers are, right next to a pair of bright red Hunter boots. A pair of olive-green Hunter boots in Kase’s size sit next to his little blue sneakers.
Ty.
I snap a picture of the boots and send them to our group text.
Mellie
Look what Ty got us. You guys! I can’t with this guy! (Heart eye emoji)
Beth
This is the sweetest thing!
Allie
When are you going to jump his bones?
Mellie
Eyeroll emoji.
At first, I thought kissing him was too risky, and then I couldn’t imagine telling him the truth about our past, and yet I did, and he didn’t freak out. He was calm and encouraging. I could tell he was upset hearing it, but it was because ofwhatI told him, not because I told him at all. It felt good opening up to him, his heart is so big and he is so unbelievably kind.
I finally get Kase’s new boots on and tuck his shoes into the ATV for later when we work in the garden. Before we head out, Ty pulls in and parks next to me. He turns off his truck and heads toward me. He’s wearing his navy coveralls, and he looks like a manly, blue-collar man that I want to drag inside and find out what’s going on underneath. Explore the tattoos that I know are there. And by the way he’s looking at me, I think he just might be thinking some of the same things about me, too.
