Page 6 of Beautiful Envy

Lennox ran back to the van, a smile on her face as she neared. I flicked my gaze back toward Bubba and Slade, finding Slade shaking his hand and slapping him on the back. The door opened, jolting me out of my snooping, and I slid out of my seat, my cowboy boots hitting the pavement.

It felt like I was wading underwater as I picked up my bags and moved toward the front door. While I’d agreed to this, it felt odd to be going through with it now. Slade moved past me, probably heading to grab the few boxes I had. Lennox was talking a mile a minute in my ear as we approached, but I didn’t hear a single word.

My eyes were fixed on the man in front of me. He was an unmovable force as he stood in his doorway, his thick arms crossed as he watched me approach.

“Bubba, in case you forgot, this is my bestie, Darcie. Thanks so much for doing this again. You’re the absolute best, Bubba bear.”

The man stayed stoic, his usual jovial smile long gone from his face. I didn’t know if it was a good sign or not. He seemed more menacing this way, making me believe he could protect me. But it was odd to not see the laughing man I’d met before.

“Hi,” I said, my voice almost cracking at the end. “Thanks for letting me stay.”

“No problem.” Bubba didn’t say anything else but moved aside so we could enter.

Stepping into the house, I was surprised to find how tidy it was. If three grown men lived here, I expected it to be cluttered at the least.

Instead, I found a cozy home that was organized and clean. Boots were lined up against the wall, and hats and coats were on pegs. As we turned the corner, couches filled one space with a bookcase along one wall and a giant TV on another. A soft rug lay in the middle, pulling colors from the pillows and wall. It was tastefully decorated, making me more curious about these men.

A dining room was off to the left, a table that would seat about eight sitting in the center. A breakfast bar led to an open kitchen where I could make out a package of eggs and bread on the counter. It seemed we’d interrupted him preparing breakfast.

Dark hallways jetted off in either direction from the kitchen, stopping my perusal of the space. Slade and Simon entered with my boxes and placed them on the floor near my feet.

“Lennox, you got ten minutes,” Slade said, nodding his goodbyes as he pushed Simon out the door.

Lennox hugged Bubba once more, whispering something in his ear before turning toward me. She grabbed my arm and walked to the door.

“Call me or text me whenever you can get a phone. I want to know you’re okay. If you don’t feel comfortable here, we can figure out another plan. My dad would help you, Darce.”

She stopped, holding my hands in hers as she stared at me. I nodded to appease her, knowing going to her father was the last option I’d consider. He might be able to argue self-defense, but I didn’t want to chance it. I was too pretty for prison.

“I promise. Go win America’s heart. They’re going to love you, Len.” I pulled her close, needing one more of her hugs to hold me until I could do it again.

She pulled back, wiping a tear, her smile a bit wobbly. “Be kind to him. He’s the sweetest.” She kissed my cheek and headed out the door.

The sound of it latching seemed to echo around me, and I knew I could only wait in this hallway for so long before it became weird.

Taking a deep breath, I headed toward the kitchen to find my new roommate.

Diary #2

Dear Mom,

I’m about to head to my new safe house with a man I’ve met once in passing. Lennox swears he’s the one person I can trust. I trust her, so I’ll give it a go.

I’m not sure what I’m really going to do here. When I left last night, I just needed to get away from it all, and this was the first place that came to mind.

Being only an hour from Nashville, I’m not exactly out of harm’s reach. But I think it will work for now. I need to figure out a plan to get in touch with Maddox and see if his sister is alright. I need to talk to Dad too, but I doubt he’ll respond. He hasn’t in all these years.

I’m not really sure what my plan is beyond that. I can’t go back to Nashville or that life. So, I’ll focus on this and figure the rest out later.

I wish you were here to give me advice, but I guess this is all I have. So, it will have to do.

As always, thanks for listening.

Love,

Me

CHAPTER 3

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