“Got it. You can trust me.” He led me to the yard that had the large in-ground pool with a diving board and water slide. “This is our stop.”
“You live close.” His fishing spot on the riverbank was only about a mile from his home.
He walked past the pool and up some brick stairs leading to a covered back porch. Thankfully, the porch’s floor was cement, so I wouldn’t ruin anything by dripping all over it.
“Let me grab you a towel, and I’m pretty sure my sister’s clothes will fit you.” He opened the door, which had been left unlocked.
“Your sister?” I cringed, thinking about wearing his dead sister’s clothes. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I mean, they should do someone some good.” His shoulders sagged, and he smiled sadly. “I’ll be right back.” He slipped inside, leaving me alone.
A chill ran down my spine, and I turned to face the woods. I rubbed my arms and assessed my surroundings. I needed to get a feel for the area and devise an escape plan in case they found me here. I couldn’t stay and put innocent lives at risk.
The house next door appeared to have the same layout as this one, but instead of the hunter-green color of Killian’s, it was pure white. A large fire pit had been dug out back with beer cans scattered around. Whoever lived there must be a drinker, or maybe they had people over routinely. That could be a good thing though-it would mix my smell with several others and help to obscure it.
Killian’s footsteps grew closer to the door, and I turned as it opened.
He had changed into a white shirt and jeans. After handing me a large beach towel, he gestured through a pristine kitchen, past the wide-open living room with a picture of him and his family hanging above the couch, toward a hallway on the other end of the house. “If you go to the second room on the left, that’s Olive’s room. You can go through her closet and pick out something to change into. When you’re done, come on out, and we’ll get something to eat.”
“Thank you.” Even if I wanted to argue, I couldn’t. He was being generous and helping me. I toweled off as best I could and hurried to the bedroom.
Inside, I shut the door and laid my head against it. I expected the grief to hit again, but numbness filled me instead.
Good. First step, get dry. I pulled off my clothes and walked toward the white queen-size canopy bed with a plum comforter, noting the matching white end tables and dresser. The walls were lavender, almost the shade of the purple of my eyes. The shaggy cream carpet felt amazing under my feet as I padded to the closet beside the bed.
As I surveyed the room, a picture on the end table caught my attention. It was of a younger Killian and a girl who must be his sister at the embankment, fishing together. They could almost pass for twins. Killian had his arm slung over her shoulders.
The fact that he’d lost his own family and now had found me had to be fate. We could both understand the pain of loss.
Choosing not to wear her underwear, I slipped on a thick black shirt and gray sweatpants. My stomach gurgled, and I grabbed my wet clothes and the towel then headed back to the kitchen.
Killian was nowhere to be seen, so I placed my clothes on the glass circular kitchen table and used the towel to dry the water I’d dripped on the hardwood floors. I’d squatted to finish wiping the floor when I heard him outside on the back porch.
“Hey, man,” he whispered. “Yeah, I’m not going to make it tonight. Something came up.”
Great, I was already interfering with his social life. I would have felt bad, but he had insisted on me staying.
After a moment, he spoke again. “Yeah, there’s this girl I want to tell you about.” No. He’d promised he wouldn’t tell a soul.
CHAPTER FOUR
I
t was time to get the hell out of here. If he was already telling people about me, those men would find me easily. Leaving the towel on the floor, I gathered my wet clothes and moved toward the
front door, my feet pounding on the hardwood. Then I came to an abrupt stop.
Dammit. I wasn’t wearing shoes.
Should I leave without grabbing my soaked tennis shoes or take the extra time and grab them?
The longer I spent contemplating my options, the more likely he’d catch me before I escaped. A quick decision needed to be made.
Being barefoot would garner more attention, so taking the time to get them was the best option.
Making a mad dash back to Killian’s sister’s room, I tried to focus on one task at a time. Dad always said, If you get too many steps ahead, you make mistakes on the most pressing ones. I could almost hear his voice.
Almost.
And my heart somehow fractured a little more.
Focus, Sterlyn, I chastised myself as I slipped the shoes on. Water gushed around my toes, making me pause.
The back door opened, and Killian stepped inside.
There went my plan of sneaking out. Nonetheless, that didn’t change my need to leave. I’d already been leery of staying here, and knowing I couldn’t trust him made the decision to go so much easier. I hated that my instincts had been wrong, but I’d deal with that later.
Evolve and learn from your mistakes.
His footsteps echoed toward the room. “You’re not changed yet?” Killian chuckled. “I figured you’d be out here, pacing the floor.”
Dread pooled in my stomach. I’d had way too many confrontations today, but I might as well add another one. Putting it off would only make things worse.
I held the clothes harder against me, and more liquid absorbed into the dark shirt I’d put on. Apparently, there hadn’t been a point in me changing after all.
“Uh…” He paused. “Dove?”
Dove? Maybe he hadn’t been talking to me all along. Was someone else here? I sniffed, but all I
smelled was him.
He knocked. “Are Olive’s clothes not working?”