Page 9 of Flirting With Forever
She’d thrown all her clothes into one huge load to save money and then driven down to Ft. Fisher where one of the ladies at the laundry said parking was still free.
There, she’d stayed as late as she was allowed. Reading, walking. Just enjoying the view and fresh air and the fact her clean clothes were now folded neatly in stacks and smelled good again.
As she sat on the rocks and watched the waves, she realized there was something innately peaceful about this place, forgiving, with each roll of the water as it came to shore. This town gave her a sense of tranquility she hadn’t felt for a while. Maybe ever.
Granted, it was the off-season, but Carolina Cove had that friendly vibe larger, more manic and overgrown beach towns didn’t. With luck she’d be able to stay a while before having to move on.
Once the parking area closed for the night, she’d been forced back into Charlotte the Chevy, where she’d crawled along the side streets of Carolina Cove looking for a discreet place to park and spend the night.
She really didn’t want to leave the island unless she had to and risk being late trying to make it back to work. She liked the job, Cole seemed easy going enough and was totally smitten with his Ana. And for the first time in a long time she didn’t feel like a piece of meat or pawn to a boss wanting side benefits from someone he held at a disadvantage.
Sloane drove like an old man on a Sunday drive along the side streets. After passing by a quiet neighborhood a few times and noting the lack of activity, she’d made one more loop before sliding in to park behind a large SUV. A huge tree at the end of the street hid her unless someone physically walked her way.
After about thirty minutes spent making sure she wasn’t going to be noticed and asked to leave, she even risked cracking a front window. Just a bit. She felt safer doing so here since it was a residential neighborhood and not an alley, and the salt-air breeze felt fantastic as she’d climbed into the back.
The pecking sounded again, more insistent. Sloane stiffened on the bench seat and tried to decide whether they were a danger or merely the curious neighborhood-watch type.
She hadn’t seen any signs for that, but it didn’t mean there wasn’t one. Please don’t call the cops.
A louder tap sounded at the window, and she groaned, hopes dashed that they might just move on and leave her be. She should’ve known better. When it came to luck, hers was in the toilet and had been for quite some time.
She pried open an eye and tried to get a look at the window tapper from beneath her hiding place, but all she could make out was a shadowy figure due to the start of sunrise at his back. He was big, though. Something that made her nervous.
“Merida, wake up.”
Merida? The name was all wrong, but she definitely recognized that voice. It was him again. Seriously?
She shoved herself upright and waited for the cobwebs to break up a bit more before moving toward that side of the car. Yup, it was him. The starfish guy. “Before you ask, I’m not following you or something weird,” she grumbled in a sleep-rough voice. “It was just a quiet neighborhood.”
“I know. It’s why I moved here,” he muttered. “You said you’d get a new roommate.”
“Good roommates are hard to find,” she shot back, taking in his shorts and sleeveless shirt and phone strapped to his bulging arm, earbuds in his ears. “Sorry to crash your neighborhood. I’ll get going.”
It was almost time for her alarm to go off anyway. That way, she could freshen up in a bathroom and get ready for work.
“You’re not safe sleeping in your car, Merida.”
She shook her head and grimaced. “What’s with the Merida? That’s not my name.”
“My nieces like the movie Brave. You remind me of Merida with all that hair and the freckles, so until you give me a name…”
“Sloane.” It just came out. She hadn’t actually meant to give him her name. Especially not her real one.
“Sloane. Well, Sloane, I hate to say it, but you’d better move on before someone reports you.”
She nodded. “Yeah, I will.”
He didn’t walk away. And she didn’t budge.
“Is there something else?”
“There are shelters, you know. Cots, hot meals.”
The look he gave her tugged at her heartstrings because he seemed so sincere. Like he was trying to help and worried about her. Were there still good guys in the world? “Thanks, but I’m okay. I’m saving up for my own place. And some of those shelters aren’t as safe as my backseat.”
The man rested his palms on his lean hips and gave her an unwavering stare.
“Look, you seem like a nice woman. If you get really desperate for a place to park, go back to the building and park in front of the starfish. I’ll allow you to stay a few more nights, but then you really do have to move on before the city gets after both of us.”
