Page 66 of Noel Secrets

Addie was embarrassed and sad. She’d been drawn to Price and thought they had a special connection. Honest truth, she’d believed he might be the one she’d been searching for, the one who could break through her barriers and gain her trust.

Detective Thayne called an hour after she got home, telling her, “Captain Price Sanderson is every bit as incredible as we hoped. Definitely not our guy, but we’ll find the perp.”

All that silly subterfuge and hurting Price and they had learned nothing new. She might’ve had a chance with Price, but she and the detectives listening to their captain had ruined that.

What did it matter now? If this stalker attacked, she might not live to see another sunrise. At least the cameras would capture an image if the stalker tried to drop off another envelope. The security company would contact the police and forward the video. If the police could get out here fast enough.What if the notes had only been warnings and the next visit would be an attack?

She shivered and cuddled deeper into the warm blanket, staring blankly at the Christmas tree and wondering what Christmas would look like. She’d been planning to fly home on the twenty-third. Her sister Daphne and Vance Gem from Jade Valley were getting married on New Year’s Day. Everyone would be together for Christmas and the wedding. She’d been looking forward to an amazing holiday season with her family. Now it looked terrifying.

She was still planning to go home. Would the police oppose her leaving? Would the guy follow her to Jade Valley and endanger her family, her innocent niece and nephew? Maybe she should dip into her savings and hire security.

Maybe she could hire Price.

Yeah, right. He’d probably balk after her accusing him of sending the notes to get her to hire him, and rightfully so. What a mess. She hoped to never see Price again; it was too humiliating. It also hurt that she’d never see him again. He appeared to be a man she could truly learn to trust and love, but any hope of that was gone.

It was the thirteenth of December. Could the detectives possibly catch this guy before Christmas?

She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this morose. Maybe after Jamison assaulted and almost raped her or maybe when she found out Juliette and Emery’s husbands were each cheating on her sisters. Those were both rough times. Thankfully Emery had her general now. Reef Blackwell was the kind of man that would be loyal to her sister and her children forever.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She sighed and pulled it out.

Her sigh turned to a smile. Daphne. Her youngest sister was a delight to all of them. Addie hadn’t told her family about thestalking situation and for the moment she was glad. She could use some Daphne humor in her life.

“Hey, sis.”

“What does Santa use to clean his sleigh?”

She smiled. Ah, Daphne. “What?”

“Comet.”

Addie laughed, actuallylaughed. She hadn’t laughed in days. It felt amazing. “Tell me another one. Please.”

“All right, all right, all right.” She could imagine Daphne beaming. She loved when people thought her silly jokes were funny. “Why does Santa have three gardens?”

“Why?”

“So he can ho ho ho.” Daphne laughed at her own joke.

Addie joined her. “Thanks, sis,” she said. “I needed that.”

“Rough day?” Daphne’s voice was immediately full of concern.

“Yeah. But let’s talk about you first. How’s Vance? How are the wedding plans?”

“Vance Gem is dreamy.”

Addie’s stomach soured. She’d called Price ‘dreamy’. He was, and she’d lost any chance with him.

The shutters knocked against the house. Her heart thudded against her rib cage. It was only the wind. The shutters were secure, but they were old and always banging against the siding. She would call a handyman tomorrow and have him secure them. She refused to flip out every time she heard a noise.

Daphne chatted about wedding details and plans and then she started giggling. Her sister was delightful, and Vance Gem was the best guy around—humble, successful, could tease with only Daphne, showing how special her sister was to him. Addie wanted to concentrate on their happiness, not be stressing about some jerk who wanted to come hurt her and how unsafe she felt in her own home.

“What are you giggling about?” she asked, loving the sound. She looked at her Christmas tree lights and felt happier than she had in days.

“Don’t tell, but Vance told me where we’re going on ourhoneymoon.”

“Maybe I don’t need to know about that,” she said and felt almost normal.