Page 86 of To Believe In You
Tim followed her home as usual, and she fixed herself dinner. After she’d cleaned up from the meal, her book failed to hold her interest. TV, too, and it was only eight thirty—dark out, but too early to go to bed.
She could bake something. Nothing hit the spot like the tangy sweetness of warm apple pie in the fall, and peeling and chopping all the apples would take some time. Especially since she’d first have to go buy ingredients.
She glanced out the window overlooking the front lawn. Was it safe to leave alone? She kept insisting her Shane sighting hadn’t been real. And she’d been running the occasional errand alone this whole time. Besides, if Shane wanted to get at her during the drive, he’d either have to run her off the road—unlikely—or do something in the well-lit, busy grocery store parking lot—also unlikely.
After consulting a recipe, she scribbled a list and headed out. As she pulled up to the end of her drive, the vehicle advancing down the road traveled far below the posted limit of fifty-five.
The SUV slowed even more, as though to turn into her driveway. Her heart pattered, fear freezing her until she recognized the vehicle. That was Tim’s SUV, wasn’t it?
The engine hummed as it pulled in next to her, and finally she could discern the features of an unexpected driver. Not Tim or Shane, but Matt.
Thank God he hadn’t made her wait too long.
Yet now that she had his attention, did she really want to know what he’d say?
He rolled down his window and waited until she’d done the same. “Going somewhere?”
“Nowhere important.” She shifted into park, though her nerves were speeding along a rollercoaster. Had he come to thank her for the audition? To talk about his child? To mend things between them? “I didn’t know you were coming.”
“I wasn’t. I’m not.” He seemed to note her expression, which confusion and worry undoubtedly clouded. “It’s just that you live all the way out here, and with Shane …” He gave his head a shake.
His concern sent warm light through her, as if the sun had suddenly taken the place of the dim moon. “Thank you for looking out for me.”
“He’s bad news, Lina. Why are you going somewhere alone?”
“Because normal people don’t get bodyguards to protect them from their exes.”
“He’s not a normal ex.”
True, but he also had never gotten violent with her—aside from tightly grabbing her arm. As far as abusive exes went, others had it worse. She motioned toward the house. “Go ahead and park. I’ll pull back in.”
“I don’t think talking is a good idea. I went to a meeting and decided to swing by after. I wouldn’t have stopped …” He gave her a furtive glance.
He wouldn’t have stopped if she hadn’t caught him.
“But you did.” And he’d attended a twelve-step meeting, another good sign. “We don’t have to talk. We could watch a movie.”
As though he could hear her silent prayer, pleading for him to agree, Matt glowered at his windshield. Then, his SUV advanced down the drive. She reversed all the way back into her stall in the garage. By the time she finished, Matt stood in the drive. The solar lights lining the pavement did little good against the darkness.
She stepped toward the front door, where a stronger light cast a welcoming glow. “The TV’s inside.”
He didn’t smile or make a move for the house, so she stuffed her hands in the pockets of her open trench coat and approached him. She’d offered to not talk, but between his prediction that he’d lose her, news of Nadia and the child, and the audition, her questions could fill an Awestruck concert venue. Maybe he hadn’t come inside for the movie because he wanted to clear the air.
She cautiously picked a conversation starter. “Have the night off work?”
He hung his head and rubbed his brow with the back of his hand. “Yeah. My car got wrecked earlier, so I’m down to two jobs. Key of Hope and the cleaning company.”
“Oh.” She could still picture his smug expression when he’d told Tim he’d bought a car, and he’d been proud to manage multiple jobs. The losses had to sting. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
He continued to avoid eye contact.
“At least the Awestruck audition—”
“You shouldn’t have arranged that.”
“You were defending me. I had to speak up for you. You still want it, right?”
He pressed the side of his fist to his mouth. So much for her peacemaking efforts bringing him relief.
