And she didn’t like it.
After the events of the last few days, she anticipated seeing him here. Lurking. She hoped he’d given up, let her go, and it was over. She wasn’t so sure.
It creeped her out.
She hated feeling paranoid.
The growing anxiety, tightened her gut and notched up the dread building inside her.
When Tate got ready to go home last night, she’d desperately wanted to ask him to stay. Yes, because she wanted to finally get her hands on him, though she appreciated that he wanted them to take their time. But also because for the first time she’d been afraid to be alone at home.
Thanks Clint.
The last thing she wanted to do was ask Tate to stay because she was scared of Clint—instead of simply wanting Tate.
“Earth to Liz!”
“Huh? What?”
Trinity handed over change to a customer and turned to her. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” She pulled out a chicken pot pie for her customer and accepted the twenty-dollar bill. It took her a second too long to calculate the four dollars in change.
Trinity touched her shoulder again. “Is this about Tate kissing you on the forehead before he left? I know how much you like him. He doesn’t think sometimes when he does things like give you a friendly peck goodbye.”
She actually appreciated that Tate hadn’t picked this morning to announce their new status by kissing her silly in front of his sister. “Tate and I are good.” She sucked in a breath and tested the water with Trinity about how she’d feel about her and Tate getting together. “We’re dating now.”
Trinity’s eyes went as wide as the pumpkin streusel muffin in her hand. “Excuse me?”
“I’ll take two meatloaves and a spaghetti with meatballs,” the next customer requested.
Liz went to the cooler and pulled out the prepackaged meals customers loved to take home, heat, and eat. She turned around and practically ran right into Trinity.
“You and Tate are dating.” Underneath the initial shock rose enthusiasm.
“Yes.”
“When did this happen?” Intense interest filled those rapid-fire words.
“Last night. After I broke up with Clint.”
Trinity’s mouth drew back in a half frown. “I heard about the scene Tate made in the bar.”
“Declan pushed Tate to confront his feelings. I expected Tate to be upset that I took a step back to find what I really wanted, but I never thought he’d come to me and confess that over the years he’s thought about us.”
Trinity put her hand on her chest. “Oh. My. God. He did?”
Uncertainty rippled in her belly. “Is that so hard to believe?”
“That Tate would talk about his feelings and not brush them aside with a clever remark? Yeah.”
Relief swept through her. “Oh. No. I thought you meant . . .”
“What? That he didn’t have feelings for you. Of course he does.” Trinity said that with absolute certainty. “He’s just been too stupid to see that you’re perfect for each other.”
Stunned, Liz stood there unable to come up with anything to say to that.
She leaned in and dropped her voice. “Did he kiss you yet?”
“He short-circuited my brain. Now it seems every time he looks at me, he can’t help but kiss me. It’s weird. And exciting all at the same time.”
Trinity laughed. “I knew you’d turn him inside out one of these days.”
“It’s new.” And for all she hoped it would be everything she wanted, she still harbored fears it wasn’t real at all.
Trinity touched her shoulder. “It’s been coming for a long time.”
They couldn’t ignore the customers any longer and got back to filling orders, but Liz still felt a heavy presence watching her. It took all her energy to focus on the task at hand, but eventually, she ignored the warning tingling inside her and fell into the routine of helping one customer after the next.
Just when the crowd thinned as the market wound down for the day, she spotted Clint standing next to a building across the street. His intense stare made her anxious. Her heart pounded so loud she thought Trinity could hear it.
He held up his hand and crooked his finger for her to come to him.
Fear made her want to run. But a wave of anger and indignation that he’d followed her here—watched her—made her scared and paranoid, and incited her to move before she thought better of it.
“Liz, where are you going?” Trinity called.
She didn’t answer or stop, but rushed across the street and ran right up to Clint. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Surprise filled his eyes, though he shouldn’t have expected anything less than her boiling hostility. “I wanted to see you. I miss you.” He reached out to touch her but she slapped his hand away.
“Don’t touch me. I told you yesterday. We’re over. I do not want to see you anymore.”
Clint dismissed that with a shake of his head. “I saw you with him this morning. He doesn’t really want you. Not the way I do. He kissed you on the forehead like you’re his sister.”
She’d thought the gesture sweet. And appropriate given they were in public with Trinity watching them.
“Don’t let him make a fool of you again, Liz. You deserve better. Come back to me. We’re so good together.”
“You got one thing right. I do deserve better than a man who leaves bruises and forces himself on me. You hurt me. Nothing you say or do would make me want to take you back.”
“How about this?” He grabbed her by the arms and pulled her in for a kiss that punished more than it soothed or coaxed her to see his side.
Because he held her arms pinned to her sides, she struggled to back away. Panic swept through her and made it hard to think and act appropriately.
Fear gave her the strength to fight. She turned her face away and kicked him in the shin.
He shoved her away. “What the hell, Liz?”
She should have known better than to confront him. It only gave him the attention he craved. She should have made her intention to stay away from him clear, by not giving him the time of day.
Lesson learned.
She swiped the back of her hand across her mouth. “Don’t ever touch me again.” She didn’t wait around to hear any more of his declarations that they belonged together. She didn’t give him a chance to hurt her again. She ran back across the street, straight to the Almost Homemade booth.
Trinity stood staring at her, concern and a hint of suspicion lighting her eyes. “What was that?” Anger filled her words.
“He just showed up. He’s been watching me.” She raked her shaking fingers through her hair. “Why won’t he just leave me alone?”
Trinity responded to Liz’s distress and hugged her. “I don’t like this.”
Liz didn’t either. Clint gave up his plans to watch a game at his place with his friends to come all the way downtown to the farmers market just to spy on her.
“Hey, did you guys sell out again?” Tate startled her.
She hadn’t seen him walk up behind her, but just hearing his voice, knowing he was here, eased her thrashing heart. She turned away from Trinity to him and threw her arms around his neck and held on.