Page 29 of Spotted at Lighthouse Bay (Spotted Cottage #4)

It was the longest ride of her life. Addy tried to find something to hold onto – the side of the van, a bucket full of paint – but as she moved, everything shifted and moved with her, bouncing over the bumps in the road.

The most she could do was try not to groan when they hit the biggest potholes at full speed.

They were terrible drivers. Terrible conversationalists, too. Her main focus was on being still and quiet, but she couldn’t help but eavesdrop.

It didn’t sound like anything intelligent: an argument over the best sauce for McNuggets; why Batman was the worst superhero; and which of them would survive time travel more readily.

And the music, if it even counted as that. It was loud and full of screaming, like cries out of her worst nightmare.

It didn’t matter how terrible it was, though. It helped conceal her, even if it did give her a headache.

Mercifully, the car eventually stopped, and both men got out. Their bickering voices carried even after the doors shut.

Addy waited a minute before she dared to peek through the front window. She was in a parking lot surrounded by

other cars. The sun was setting, the sky a mass of thick, charcoal clouds, swirling above like a shroud.

After another five minutes, she sat up and pulled on the metal partition separating her from the front seat.

It was no use. It was welded into place, probably to keep paint cans from flying and hitting them in their stupid heads.

She sank down, her hips aching, and pulled out her phone. More bad news. It had ten percent battery and no service.

She unlocked it anyway, the warm glow filling the space around her. There was a missed call from Eliza. A missed call from Rick, and two text messages.

Her heart leapt and she rushed to open them. The first one was long and cryptic. He apologized a lot, and said he had to tell her something.

What could that possibly be about? Here she thought he’d never speak to her again, and now there was something important she needed to know?

His second message was much shorter. “I am coming. Don’t worry.”

She smiled. There was no way he was going to find her, but she appreciated the thought. She tried to send him a message in return, but it wouldn’t go through, spinning and spinning like a useless Ferris wheel.

She tried calling three times, but the ring wouldn’t start.

Addy was in a dead zone. A total dead zone. She would probably be here for the rest of her natural life.

Her plan was simple. When Julian and Sebastian came back, hopefully in the morning, she would leap from the van and run as fast as she could. It was ridiculous, but her only chance at escape.

The hours of waiting wore her down. She tried to keep herself awake by envisioning the moment they returned. How she’d spring to action. How the wind would feel in her hair.

Yet other ideas floated in her head. What if she just rested her eyes for a moment? Said no awake person ever . Her eyelids fluttered shut and she drifted off, snapping back awake and scolding herself, then quickly drifting back into dreamland.

This process repeated for what she thought was minutes – until light blasted into the back of the van.

“Addy? Are you okay?”

She shot up, eyes wide, heart thundering in her chest. The sun was blindingly bright. She squinted, holding an arm to block the view.

So much for being alert and ready to run. She blinked and squinted into the light.

Her voice cracked. “Rick?”

Within seconds, he was in the back of the van, lifting her up. “Are you okay?”

His voice was more pressing now, his hand delicately breezing over her arm, her leg.

“I’m fine.” She cleared her throat. It felt like she was floating, there in his arms, it felt like all the light was pouring out of her chest. She was more than fine, she was having a dream… “I’m not hurt.”

They stood on black asphalt. He still had an arm around her, holding her steady. Addy’s legs burned, blood rushing back like fire.

“I’m so sorry,” he said. “I’m so sorry about everything. This never should’ve happened.”

If it was a dream, she wasn’t waking up.

“It’s my fault,” she said, waving a hand. “I got myself stuck in the van.”

“I shouldn’t have left you.”

His eyes looked so pretty in this light. Addy grinned at him. “But you came back.”’

“Of course I came back.”

The terror of the moment was gone. She was safe again. Addy tripped, falling into him. “That’s all that matters.”

“It’s not,” he said, steadying her. “You must be exhausted.”

“I’m a little tired.”

“Hang on a sec.” He pulled out his phone. “Hey Mia, I’ve got her.” A pause. “Yeah. Meet us at the gate.”

Addy hobbled alongside him, letting her weight fall into his chest. This was far better than the plan she’d had. They worked better together. She closed her eyes for a moment, and it occurred to her she might still be asleep.

“Adelaide!” Mia shouted. She got out of her car, the engine still running, and threw her arms around Addy’s neck. “I am so sorry I sent you in there alone!”

“I’m fine,” Addy said. “Really. They took my phone, and when I tried to get it, I got stuck in the van.”

“I am going to destroy both of them,” Rick said quietly.

Mia and Addy exchanged glances.

“Are you hungry? I have some food in the car.”

Addy shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”

“Joey is waiting for us,” Rick said. “We can fly back now.”

“Thank you.”

It was a short trip to the docks. Mia talked nonstop, guilt exploding from her. “I tried to find you. I went to the boat place, and it was so creepy, Addy! I got so scared, and then –”

Addy appreciated her concern, but it was getting harder to pay attention. Maybe she had managed to stay up for most of the night. Or maybe she just felt too sleepy around Rick.

She thanked Mia for her help and assured her she wasn’t to blame. “This one’s all on me,” Addy said, giving her a hug.

Joey stood on the dock, doing a little hop when he saw them. “You found her!”

“I did,” Rick nodded.

“How did you find me?” Addy asked, looking up at him.

“I’ll tell you everything when we get back,” he said softly. They took their seats and he spoke again. “Can I get you anything?”

“I might just rest my head on you if you don’t mind…” Addy said.

She certainly wouldn’t fall asleep with the loud engine, but she could at least rest her eyes. In seconds, she had drifted off again.

It was too bad she couldn’t have held out a minute longer. She missed Rick whispering, “I’ve got you,” before Joey started the engine.