Since there was no coffee to be made or muffins to bake, I decided to go sit out on the porch, but I hadn’t gotten far when the front door flew open, and Billy charged inside with his hands full of groceries. I rushed over to help him as I asked, “What’s all this?”

  “Just a few things to get us through the next couple of days.”

  “I didn’t know you were going shopping.” I placed the bag down on the counter and started pulling everything out. “I would’ve gone with you and given you a hand.”

  “I know. I just hated to wake you.” He placed the milk and eggs in the fridge, then started on the dry goods. “How did you sleep?”

  “Not that great.”

  “I was afraid of that.” When Billy got to the coffee, he lifted the container and asked, “You up for a cup?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Great.”

  He stepped over to the counter and put a fresh filter in the coffee maker as he announced, “You were talking in your sleep.”

  “Oh, really? What was I saying?”

  “I don’t know. I couldn’t make it out, but you seemed pretty upset about something.” He placed the bread on the counter as he told me, “I’m sure it had something to do with our unwanted guests last night.”

  “About that...” As much as I was dreading telling him about what I’d done, I knew I couldn’t put it off any longer, so I asked, "Do you remember when we were at the diner, and I told you that I had something to tell you?”

  “Yeah, I remember.”

  “Well, I think it’s time we talk about that.”

  “Okay. What’s on your mind?”

  “I did something that I shouldn’t have.” I backed up against the counter and let out a deep sigh. “It was stupid and rash, and I’m pretty sure it’s why those men came to your house last night.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I was frustrated, and I wanted to make DeLuca pay for all the horrible things he’d done.”

  “I’m not following.”

  “It happened the day that Viper and his brothers came to the house. I was already feeling a little vulnerable, and then I overheard you all talking about getting me gone sooner than later... which stung a little.” I couldn’t even look at him as I continued, “So, I went downstairs to put some distance between us. And that’s when I saw your computer.”

  “What the hell did you do?”

  I inhaled a quick breath, then let it out as a grumble before admitting, “I took some of his money—a good bit of it, and I moved it into a private account that he couldn’t access.”

  “I made him all that money,” I continued. “Not because I wanted to, but because I had to. I was trying to keep my father alive, but he’d already killed him. And then, he tried to kill me, too. I wanted to make him pay, so I got him where it hurts him the most. His pocketbook.”

  “Dammit, Everleigh.” He ran his hand roughly down his handsome face. “What the hell were you thinking?”

  “I was upset, and I wanted to make him pay for the hell he’d put me through.” I hated seeing Billy so angry, so I tried to calm him down by adding, “I was really careful. I made sure there was no way he would know it was me.”

  “Clearly, you weren’t as careful as you thought,” he snapped. “I’ve done everything in my power to make sure he couldn’t get to you, and you just invited him right in.”

  “That wasn’t my intent.” My voice trembled with guilt. “I thought I had covered my tracks.”

  “Would be hard pressed to get anything past a man like him. He’s got people on his payroll that can do just about anything, including hunt down an IP address.”

  “I’m so sorry, Billy. If I could take it back, I would.”

  His expression softened as he stepped over to me and slipped his arms around my waist. As he pulled me close, he assured me, “We’ll figure it out.”

  “But how? What are we going to do?”

  Billy looked anxious as he told me, “First, I’ve gotta get in touch with Viper and let him know what’s going on.”

  “Doc’s friend?” My throat tightened with worry as I asked, “The scary one?”

  “Yeah, that’d be the one.”

  “What does he have to do with all of this?”

  “You know how DeLuca has people?” I nodded. “Well, I have them, too. And Viper is one of those people.”

  “I see. So, he can help us?”

  “I certainly hope so.”

  I watched silently as Billy took out his cellphone and dialed Viper’s number. His face was void of expression as I stood there waiting for his friend to answer. After several moments, he finally said, “Yeah, this is Billy.”

  There was a brief pause, and then he added, “Yeah, I know that’s the way it usually works, but today, it’s me needing something from you. Not the other way around.”

  There was a brief pause before Billy continued, “We ran into some trouble last night.”

  He paced back and forth as he listened to Viper’s response, then added, “Antonio sent some guys to the house. I’m pretty confident that they were looking for Everleigh.”

  He grimaced as he listened to Viper’s response. “We both knew it was a possibility, but I have a pretty good idea how he figured it out.”

  Billy glanced over at me, then explained, “Everleigh got into his financials and moved some money around. She did her best to cover her tracks and all that, but they found a way to connect it to her. If I had to guess, I’d say he used the IP address to track it to my house, but I can’t be sure.”

  While I couldn’t make out what he was saying, I could hear Viper’s thunderous voice grow even louder. Concerned that I might hear what he was saying, Billy gave me a half-hearted smile and walked out to the front porch. Just before the door closed behind him, I heard Billy say, “Yeah, I know. That’s why I’m calling. I’m gonna need your help.”

  As tempted as I was to eavesdrop, I decided it was best to give Billy his space and finished putting the rest of the groceries away. He hadn’t bought much—just some basics for sandwiches and possibly a light dinner, so it didn’t take long for me to put it all away. By the time I was done, the coffee was made, so I poured myself a cup and waited anxiously for Billy to come back inside. Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long.

  I’d only taken a few sips of my coffee when the door opened, and Billy stepped back inside. He was still on the phone as he said, “She’s supposed to be in Boston until the end of the week. When she gets back, we’ll need to keep her under close watch.”

  Billy paused for a moment, then told him, “I appreciate this, Viper. I’ll definitely owe you one.”

  He hung up the phone and immediately started over to the coffee pot. As he poured himself a cup, I asked, “How did it go?”

  “Better than I expected. We’re going to look into some things and see what we can figure out.”

  “That’s good.” Curiosity had gotten the best of me, so I asked, “And Kiersten is still in Boston?”

  “Yeah.” He came over and sat down across from me as he said, “Of course, she’d be hundreds of miles from home at a time like this.”

  “Well, she’ll probably be safer there than here with us.”

  “I was thinking the same thing. Viper, too, but I’d feel better if she was closer to home.”

  “I understand.”

  He took another sip of coffee, then stood. “I’ve got a few things I need to take care of. After that, would you be interested in taking a ride? I could really use a break and some fresh air.”

  “Yes, a ride sounds great.”

  “Good deal. Just give me a bit, and then, we’ll head out.”

  Billy took his cup of coffee to his bedroom and closed the door, leaving me to fend for myself. I figured he’d be a while, so I grabbed myself a muffin and poured myself another cup of coffee, then went out on the porch.

  I went over and sat down on the swing, and it wasn’t long before my mind drifted to Billy. I’d known from the start that he was different from other men I’d known, but I didn’t realize how different he truly was until we made love.

  When I was younger, I thought a good man was just a guy who had his shit together—had a good job, dressed well, and had a roof over his head. I thought if he had good friends and came from a good family, then he was set, but Billy had taught me that there was much more to it than that.

  He’d made me see that a good man also makes you feel safe—not only physically but mentally. He has to be honest, even when it’s easier to stretch the truth or just flat-out lie. He listens without judgment. He’s present and attentive, and he simply allows you to be you. That was Billy.

  He was all those things and more, which was why I was starting to have feelings for him. I knew I was setting myself up for a heartache, but then again, maybe a heartbreak was exactly what I needed—at least then, I would know I was still alive.

  I’d spent the past five years feeling utterly numb. I simply went through the motions, never feeling anything, but being with Billy made me realize I didn’t want to live like that anymore. I wanted to take chances and feel things. I wanted to live out my days to the fullest, but with DeLuca on our coattails, I feared my days were numbered.

  But then again, no one was guaranteed tomorrow.

  I had today, and I was determined to make the best of it.

  As soon as Billy was done with his work, we made a couple of sandwiches, then put them in a cooler with some drinks and snacks. Billy grabbed a blanket from the back closet, and then we were on our way. I had no idea where we were going, and I didn’t care. I was just excited to be getting out and about for a little while.

  We hadn’t been driving long when Billy turned down an old gravel road. It was lined with beautiful oak trees that created a tunnel of leaves and branches, shading us from the blaring sun. The road ended right next to a small creek bed that was hidden beneath the trees. The water rolled and babbled through the moss-covered rocks, beckoning anyone in its path to come to take a dip. I was in complete awe of its beauty as I muttered, “Oh, Billy. It’s beautiful.”

  “I thought you might like it.”

  “I love it!” I could feel my smile growing wider as I told him, “I haven’t been to a creek since I was a kid, and even then, it wasn’t nearly as amazing as this.”

  “This has always been one of my favorite spots.”

  “I can see why.”

  The tomboy in me was itching to get my feet in the water, so I jumped out of the truck and raced over to the creek. I kicked off my shoes and socks, then stepped into the clearest water I’d ever seen. I looked back over at Billy as I smiled and said, “It’s freezing!”

  “It stays cold all year long.” He motioned his hand above us as he explained, “I’m sure it has something to do with all the shade.”

  “Probably so.”

  “You ready for a bite to eat?”

  “Sure.”

  Billy grabbed our stuff from the back seat, then brought it over to the creek’s bank. I’d hoped he might come and join me, but instead, he laid out the blanket and started unpacking the cooler. I waded in the water a moment longer, then got out and made my way over to the blanket. As I sat down, I asked, “Do you come out here often?”

  “Not since Kiersten moved out.” He offered me a sandwich as he added, “She used to love to spend the day out here. She’d wade out in the water for hours trying to catch little blue gill with her bare hands, but as she got older, she wanted to spend time with her friends and lost interest in hanging out with her ol’ man.”

  “That tends to happen with girls.”

  “Yeah, I know and I get it that she had to grow up, but it was tough to let go.” He chuckled as he admitted, “She’s graduated from college and has a career of her own, and it’s still tough.”

  “Sounds like you two were pretty close.”

  “We were when she was younger, but things changed after her mother died.” His expression grew somber as he explained, “I made some mistakes, and it really affected our relationship. I’ve been trying everything I can to make it up to her.”

  “I’m sure it means a lot to her that you’re trying.”

  “I think so. I still hate that I made such a mess of things.” He took a bite of his PB&J, then decided to completely change the subject by asking, “How about you? Have you thought about having kids?”

  “Me?” His question caught me off guard, so I took a quick sip of my soda before answering, “Yeah, I’ve thought about it, and I want them. I just haven’t really had the opportunity.”

  “No, you certainly haven’t.”

  “I still have time... I just have to find a way to survive this whole thing with DeLuca first.”

  “You will.” Billy’s expression grew intense as he assured me, “I’ll make sure of it.”

  I don’t know what it was—the look in his eyes or the tone of his voice, but I believed him, and it was impossible not to feel grateful for all he was doing for me. I leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “You’re pretty great. You know that?”

  “You’re not so bad yourself.”

  Billy was just being kind, but the way he spoke to me—the way he looked at me and encouraged me, lifted me up in ways I couldn’t describe. He had a way of making me feel more confident—like I was worth his time, and it meant more to me than he’d ever know.

  BILLY

  After we finished eating, Everleigh headed back over to the creek and started wading around in the water. She looked so beautiful, so young and innocent, dancing around in that creek. I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. I might’ve been a little jealous of the fact that she seemed so carefree as if she didn’t have a single worry or an ounce of trouble weighing on her, but I knew better.

  She was just as worried as I was about DeLuca and what he might do next, but our little outing had given her a much-needed reprieve from the all-consuming dread we’d both been feeling. It was the reason I’d suggested it. I knew she was terrified, and rightly so. Now that he knew she was alive, Antonio wouldn’t stop until he found her, so he could finish the job he’d started the night he’d shot her.

  But I was going to do everything in my power to make sure that didn’t happen.

  I was thinking of all the ways I’d like to wipe DeLuca from the face of the earth when I heard Everleigh ask, “If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?”

  “Are there any parameters that I need to be aware of, or are you talking about any place on Earth?”

  “I wasn’t thinking I’d need parameters,” she scoffed. “I was just asking if there was a place you’d like to travel to sometime. You know, like Switzerland or Greece.”

  “Well, when you put it like that... I’ve always wanted to go to the cliffs of Moher in Ireland.”

  “Oh, that’s a good one. I’ve always wanted to see the Dublin castle.”

  “Maybe we could go there sometime.”

  “I’d like that.” She splashed the water with her toes, then suggested, “Maybe we could start with something simple like dinner and a movie first.”

  “Yeah, I think we could manage that.” I started gathering all the food and our drinks as I told her, “For now, how ‘bout we continue with our ride around the lake.”

  “I’d like that.”

  Everleigh slipped on her shoes, then helped me put everything back in the truck. Seconds later, we were both back in the truck and making our way around the lake. She thought we were just taking a causal scenic drive, but it was much more than that. It was my opportunity to check our surroundings and make sure there were no unexpected guests. Thankfully, the only thing I saw was a few deer and some ominous clouds rolling in.

  I didn’t want us to get caught out in a storm, so I decided to head back. By the time we got to the cabin, the clouds had grown even darker, and the wind was starting to pick up. Everleigh sounded a little nervous as she said, “It looks like we’re in for another storm.”

  “Yeah, we better get inside before the bottom falls out.”

  I grabbed the stuff from the backseat, then we both raced up to the front porch. I unlocked the door, and we’d just started inside when the clouds broke and rain came pouring down. A loud rumble of thunder had Everleigh bolting into the living room with a shriek. “Wow, this storm isn’t messing around!”

  “No, it isn’t.” I carried the cooler into the kitchen and started unpacking it as I told her, “I’ll light a few candles in case the power goes out.”

  “I can do it. Just need to know where I can find a lighter.”

  “There should be one in the utility drawer.” I motioned my hand toward the end of the counter. “Pretty sure the candles are in the storage closet down the hall.”

  “Got it.”

  I finished unloading the cooler and put everything away while Everleigh took care of the candles. The thunder continued to rumble and roar as she placed them throughout the cabin, and just as I feared, it wasn’t long before the power went out and we were both encased in darkness. With the light of a candle illuminating her face, Everleigh smiled and said, “Just in time.”

  “Yep, you did good.”

  I thought she would go over and make a spot on the sofa.

  She didn’t.

  Instead, she simply stood there staring at me with a look of wonder in her eyes. It was the kind of look dreams were made of, and it stirred something inside of me. I felt more alive than I had in years. I held her gaze for a moment, then shook my head and asked, “How do you do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “You just look at me, and then I suddenly feel things I never thought I’d feel again.”

  “Like what?”

  “Hope.” I brought my hand up to her face and gently ran my knuckles across her cheek. “I really never thought I’d feel it again.”

  She placed the palms of her hands on my chest as she whispered, “You make me feel it, too.”

 

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