Page 73 of More Than Anything

“Lock the doors when I’m gone.” Avery turned and walked to the truck. He couldn’t look back because he knew if he did, he’d run right back to her and that couldn’t happen. He had to get back home before dark, and he had to get away from her so she’d be safer. Climbing into the cab of his truck, he started the engine, pulled out, and waved to her as he drove away. He didn’t see the gray sedan pull out of a parking space a half block away and follow him at a distance.

But Lydia did.

As soon as he got home, an agitated Jason met him at the door. “Shut that and lock it,” Jason barked at him.

“What are you so worked up about?”

“Call your girlfriend. She’ll tell you.” He watched as Jason stood by the door and peered out through the sidelight before he took out his phone.

It only rang once before Lydia’s voice called out, “Avery? Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I just walked into the house and Jason told me to call you.”

There was silence for a few seconds before Lydia said, “Didn’t you notice that car following you?”

Avery was a little surprised. “There was a car following me?”

“God! Men!” Lydia huffed out. “You don’t noticeanything!”

Avery’s heart pounded as he thought about all the possibilities. “Did it go away? Where did it go?”

“It didn’t. It kept following you. Matter of fact, I’m following them now.”

“Lydia, go home,” Avery told her forcefully, total panic rising in his chest. It was bad enough that someone was stalking him; he didn’t need them stalking her too. “Don’t get involved in this, and don’t get caught out around someone like that. Go home?please. Right now.”

“I’m gonna get their license plate number.”

“Babe, don’t you think that car of yours is a little obvious?”

“I don’t care,” Lydia fired back. “I’m getting that license plate number if it’s the last thing I do.”

Avery’s blood pressure rose as he got more and more pissed. “I said go home. Now. Don’t make me go out looking for you because if I find you, I’ll spank your ass and take you home. You understand?”

“Get a piece of paper!” she screamed, and Avery grabbed the first note pad and pen he found. “Write it down! It’s…” Lydia recited the number as she drove and Avery wrote like his life depended on it, because it did. “Got it?”

“Yes! Now get out of there. Right now! I mean it!”

He heard her huff out, “I’m going! I’m turning around in the Atherton’s driveway and going back home.” That was the farm next door, and Avery could feel his heart slamming against his ribs. They were close?too close.

“Get out of there! Go straight to your parents’ house. And don’t do anything like that again.”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Lydia asked with a chuckle.

“Yes. Thanks. Now GO!” he blasted into the phone.

“Okay, okay! Going!”

“And call me when you’re there and locked down tight,” Avery instructed.

“Yes, sir, I will.”

“You’d better. And Lydia?”

“Yeah, babe?”

“I love you, baby. Nobody but you,” Avery whispered into the phone.

“I love you too, gorgeous guy. Talk to you in a few minutes.” The phone went dead and Avery was left to sit there, terrified that she’d never make it to the Kinseys’ house, that the car would double back and follow her.