“Poor Edward.” I gazed at the street. A bar/café called Bhaltair’s sat the other side, across from the auto shop. Beyond that were a winter clothing store and a Christmas market. I needed to stretch my legs. To get my bearings and shake off the version of me that was still fearful. They couldn’t track us here, surely.
“I’d like to explore. Tell you what, I’ll make my own way back.” I could walk to Lena’s in under an hour if the car wasn’t fixed. The route was easy to follow.
“Are you sure?”
“Sure, I’m sure.” I twisted in the seat. “Benji? I’m going to go for a little stroll. Are you going to be okay with Auntie Lena?”
Benjamin gave me the sweetest grin then returned his attention to Stephi, strapped into the car seat next to his. I watched him for a moment, thinking on all he’d lost. All we’d both lost. At least here he was among familiar faces. My decision had been a good one.
“He’ll be okay.” Lena touched my hand. She took off her purple woollen hat and pulled it over my head. “Get a coffee and relax for an hour or two. Looks to me like you need it.”
I gave her a quick hug and left the warmth of the car, heading into the garage. Hank wasn’t there, and his staff member asked me to call back in ten minutes, so I ambled along the rank of shops, their windows jolly with festive cheer.
Despite the bright day, each of my breaths turned to a frosty cloud. My boots, designer, supple black leather with a short heel, leaked in the chill from the snow underfoot.
In my haste to get us away from Scotland, I’d packed light. Clothes for Benjamin and me tossed haphazardly into two suitcases, along with a parcel of keepsakes my sister had insisted on me taking after our last visit to her jail.
‘Take them with you and leave. People are going to be looking for you. And for Benjamin. They’ll want revenge. Don’t let them hurt my baby.’
I shivered at the memory of my sister’s words and headed back up the high street. At a hiking store, I picked up a pair of winter boots and checked the price tag.
Frick. Money.
Gripping the shoe rack, I performed a quick mental calculation. At the airport in London, for extortionate rates, I’d exchanged pounds for dollars. I had maybe a thousand left in cash but would need to withdraw more.
Which left a paper trail leading right to this small town.
Could people really do that? Trace you from a bank’s secure database?
I shuddered and shook off the feeling. Being on the run was messing with my mind.
The bell tinkled over the door, and I raised my gaze. The huge, black-haired man who I’d nearly run off the road yesterday strode into the store. His stare found me, and he did the same thing he’d done yesterday—performed a sweeping assessment.
I stood tall under his scrutiny.
Guys looked at me. A lot. They had done since I’d turned fourteen. With my glossy brown hair, hard-to-hide boobs, and heart-shaped face, I knew I was attractive. Not that I’d dated much; the men on the base feared Dad too much, and the one airman I’d thrown myself at hadn’t wanted me.
Yeah, that was an embarrassing memory.
Today, there was a difference, though. No lust haunted my huge non-vampire’s attention. He frowned at my coat—a nice, if not entirely practical, belted jacket—then curled his lip at my boots.
I replaced the shoes on the rack.
Yesterday, I’d sniped at him. He hadn’t spoken one word in response.
Two could play at that game. I drifted closer to him, stopped and, very deliberately, flicked my gaze down his massive body. I ogled his ridiculously broad chest, the gap in his open jacket that revealed a thick, ribbed jumper over a flat stomach. I took inventory of his belt, his crotch, and his long legs.
Then, a little warm, I returned my attention to his face.
“Morning,” I said, breathier than intended, and I turned on my heel and walked away.
Hank threw down the rag he’d used to wipe his fingers and gave me a happy smile.
“Just the woman I needed to speak to. I’m sorry I missed you earlier. Follow me, let’s get out of the cold.”
He took me into Bhaltair’s, the bar/coffee shop next to his lot, and bought me a coffee. Hank, I liked.
“The upshot,” he explained, “is it’ll cost too much for me to fix that car, so your hire company are sending a truck to take it away and bring you a replacement. They couldn’t get hold of you to leave a message so they asked me to pass it on.”
I hadn’t switched on my phone since we’d arrived in the US, the same vague fear that I could be tracked making me cautious. The hire company had Lena’s home number.
“Did they say when the replacement would be delivered?” I asked. My coffee sent delicious tendrils of scent up my nose.
The man gave a shrug. “Nothing specific. Maybe give them a call if it’s urgent.” He eyed me. “Are you in town for long? We have an old Jeep, one my daughter uses when she’s home. But she has her own car now, so it’s just sitting there.”
I blinked, the generosity of this stranger unexpected. “I’m not sure.”
“It isn’t easy with a child in tow. Not for a young parent.”
He thought Benjamin was mine. Lena hadn’t said. Maybe that was for the best; I didn’t want to attract questions.
I fixed my smile. “That’s incredibly generous. I’ll let you know.”
Hank tapped the table. “That’ll do.” He rose. “Now, do you need a ride home to Lena’s?”
“No, thank you.” Then I added suddenly, “I’m a complete stranger. You’ve been so helpful.”
“You’re family to a local, that means a lot in a place like this. Talk soon.” Hank waved, then he was gone.
I stared after him, still blindsided. A white piece of paper, pinned to a notice board, fluttered as the door closed. Christmas help wanted, it read. Cash paid.
At the end of the room, an open fire crackled. Whatever they were preparing in the kitchen smelled divine. Over the bar, Christmas decorations glinted.
If Falls Ridge wasn’t in a vampire story, then it was a myth about small towns, perfect places with friendly people and nice ways. Somewhere around would be a handsome hero waiting for his lady love to stumble in, needing rescuing. And here I was, the secretive, improperly dressed outsider.
But I wasn’t a stranger to hardship. I was a pampered princess in name only; life with Dad had taught me how cruel people could be. Appearances were always deceptive, and I was no fool to believe in first impressions.
I finished my coffee and left the sweet, homely bar behind.
Two days later, and Benjamin had settled in happily with Lena’s family, at home with their brand of fun and noise, and glued to Stephi’s side. Never having had a dad, he surprised us all by taking to Mark, Lena’s husband, and they all seemed to be enjoying our stay. An overwhelming sense of safety finally had me relaxing. We’d done it. Fled. Got away with our lives.
Even so, I needed to keep on my toes. If we had to leave again in a hurry, I’d need more cash. Our plane tickets had fake return dates and, at some point, we’d have to buy new ones and hop on to another destination.
With no useful information from the car hire company, I borrowed Lena’s 4x4 and left Benjamin in her capable hands. Three hours later, I was a safe enough distance away to risk a cash withdrawal from one of my accounts.