Page 104 of Traces Of You

She opened the door to Clay. “Everything clear?”

“There are footprints on the driveway leading to the road.”

“I walk to work and back,” she said. “You know that.”

“I do. What about around the flowers in front?”

She gulped, her hands shook. “I’ve been weeding them so they look nicer. Your mother gave me some tools. I’m sure it’s me or your mother. Your father was here one day too checking on something outside.”

She hoped that was all it was.

She didn’t want to lose the security she felt here.

Clay wore all black, his gun not in his hand. It wasn’t until he turned slightly that she saw it in the back of his jeans.

Talk about a fright in the night!

“Why isn’t Ford here with you?”

“I told him I’d be fine,” she said.

“Looks it to me.”

“Don’t get snarky.” She crossed her arms. “It’s been a bad day. I’m sure it’s nothing more than the wind.”

“I saw a big branch down on the side of the house. Footsteps around there too.”

“That might have been the noise I heard.” That made sense. There were a lot of old trees around the cabin, shielding it fromview. “And I sprayed the windows down with the hose on the outside, so my footprints will be everywhere.”

“Most likely,” Clay said. “Get your stuff. You’re coming to my place.”

“No.”

He actually growled at her. “I’m not sleeping on that small couch. So I’m waiting here until Ford comes or you’re sleeping in one of the spare rooms at my place. Those are your only two choices. Since you told him to leave and my idiot brother listened, I’m going to assume you don’t want that option.”

“You’re going to tell Ford anyway,” she said, lifting her chin.

“I will. Do you want me to call him now or wait until the morning?”

She paused. “You’d do that? Wait until the morning?”

“Against my better judgment, because I understand more than most the need to have space alone with my thoughts.”

Her bottom lip trembled and her eyes began to sting, but before a tear could fall, she turned away. She headed to her room, grabbed one of Ford’s T-shirts to sleep in and a change of clothes for tomorrow. She knew without a doubt he wouldn’t let her come back here to get ready.

“Thank you,” she said with a bag over her shoulder.

“You won’t get a choice the next time.”

She didn’t bother to argue with Clay. Just walked next to him through the property. He had a small flashlight out that must have been in a pocket and lit the way for them.

“You didn’t use that to come to my place,” she said. “I would have noticed.”

“It’s hard to sneak up on someone if you’re flashing a light in front of your face.”

“Is that a shot against me turning the lights on and looking? I hoped if it was an animal it’d scare them away.”

“It would have. There are animal prints around.”