Page 68 of Tinley's Daddy
“I can’t believe they let us go.” Rayna giggled. We walked through the restaurant to the front door. I felt the uneasy feeling again once we stepped outside.
We walked to the end of the block and stopped.
I took out my phone to find the store where I saw the jacket. It was three blocks down Madison Avenue. We took our time, strolling the streets. People dodged around us, but we were too busy looking at all the sights. We crossed a street, and I looked behind me. An older gentleman in a hat and scarf that covered his face stared at me. It must have been one of the securityguards. I grabbed Rayna’s hand and hurried her along. I didn’t want to be outside anymore.
“Here it is.” She opened the door, and a blast of heat hit us in the face. We shuffled in.
“Good evening, ladies.” An older gentleman walked from the back of the store. “How can I help you?”
We took off our gloves and hats.
“We were looking for a gift for our boyfriends.”
“Well, how many boyfriends do you young ladies have?” The man had a funny mustache and dyed black hair. He fiddled with the buttons of his corduroy vest.
“Just one, each.” Rayna giggled. “But they are impossible to shop for. Any suggestions?”
The man took Rayna to the other side of the shop to show her some hats and scarves. I walked over to the jackets and spotted the one I had seen in the window. It was a soft leather bomber jacket with a metallic gold zipper. It would look so good on him.
“Did you find something?” A young woman wearing black from head to toe walked over to me. “This jacket is so cool. My father would never wear something like this.”
She motioned to the man trying on hats for Rayna.
“For my Daddy, it would be perfect.” I felt my cheeks get hot. I couldn’t believe I said that out loud, but the salesclerk didn’t think anything of it. “Uhm, can you wrap it?”
“Of course.”
I handed her the jacket. She took it to the counter.
Daddy. It must have been the spiked hot chocolate at lunch or the thrill of being back in the world, but I felt almost giddy.
Rayna had selected a brown hat, a tweed scarf, and gloves for Kyler. They weren’t much his style either, but he would wear them because that was what good Daddies did.
I wandered around the store more while Rayna paid for the items. The door opened and a rush of cold air made me shiver.
The man I spotted from the street stepped inside and removed his hat and scarf. Our eyes locked.
I knew him.
And from the look in his eyes, he knew me, too.
CHAPTER 21
TINLEY
The world disappeared. Sounds muted. I detected a shift as the man approached me. He was one of them. The one who hurt me second to least. In my journal, I referred to him as Mr. Family Man. He was super nice to me and seemed truly concerned about my well-being. And genuinely remorseful when he forced me. But seemed to get over it quickly.
“Candy.” He looked around the store and stepped closer. “I thought I’d never see you again.” He reached for me. I snatched my arm back. “Wow.” He looked me up and down. “You look beautiful.”
I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Not a scream, not a whimper, not a sound. I stepped around him, but he turned to block me. I pushed through his outstretched arms and ended up outside. I made it a few steps before I realized it was cold. Where were my hat and gloves? I rubbed my arms and continued to walk faster. I shuffled down the street. I made it to the next block. A shiver ran through me.
“Candy, please wait.” His voice made my stomach turn. He called out again. “Stop.” But in a whisper.
At the corner, I stopped. He caught up with me and put an arm around my shoulders. I tried to shrug it off, but he held on tight. “Please come back to the store. You’re going to catch a cold.”
“No.” I didn’t recognize my voice, but I was happy I had found it. “Get away?—”
I didn’t have a chance to finish my sentence before a figure leaped in between us and tackled me to the ground. We rolled away from Mr. Family Man. It took me a second to realize it was Rayna.
