Chapter 2
Running.
That’s what I was doing.
Running from reality. Running from lies. Running from fear.
And where was I after days of running? In a city I didn’t know, starting a new life, and standing in a tiny studio apartment, listening as the movers thumped down the stairs. I wanted to run again because this was a disaster. Furniture cluttered every inch of space, and I didn’t know where to begin.
“Damn,” I muttered, trying to close the door, which was wedged behind my sofa. I blew a strand of hair from my eyes and shoved the sofa a few times to gain some leverage on the door. Flopping onto the couch, I cursed myself for not researching better when I’d left Treemont.
Ran from Treemont was more like it. I’d been planning my escape for months. After finally getting all my plans in place, I had left without a word, without a single glance back, because looking back would have been a costly mistake. I knew what was in that rearview mirror, and it held nothing but terror.
I’d left it all behind, and I didn’t want to look back, no matter how much it hurt me.
“Wow, that is a lot of furniture.”
I peered up to see a tall blonde about my age with large brown eyes and an amethyst stud in her petite nose. She had her hair piled in messy curls, giving her the appearance that she’d just rolled out of bed. It was cute, and I had a moment of hair envy because my heavy hair only rebelled against styles like that.
“Did you neglect to look at the pictures before you moved in?”
“No, I saw them,” I admitted with a sigh. “I think I just convinced myself the pictures made it look smaller than it would be.”
She shook her head and laughed. “Na?ve and delusional. You should fit right in.”
“Oh good. I was worried those traits would make me stand out,” I said, rising from the couch.
“I’m Ava,” she said. “My apartment is just down the hall.”
I gave the couch another shove. “Riley and I now live here and possibly in the hall if I don’t figure out how to get this couch to shrink.”
“Here, let me help. I’ve been dealing with these studios for a few years. You learn some tricks.” She glanced around at my mess. “Although, I’d recommend paring down.”
“Definitely on my to do list.”
With Ava’s help, the couch moved enough to free the door.
“I’d offer you a drink but, even if I could get to my fridge, there’s nothing in it yet,” I said, as Ava leaned on the doorframe.
“Nah, I’m on my way to work. Maybe once you get unpacked. If you need anything, just knock. I work nights at the bar around the corner, but I’m usually around most days.”
“Thanks. And thanks for the help with the couch.”
Saying goodbye to Ava, I shut the door and stared at the mess. I was starting my new job in the morning, and I didn’t even know where my clothes were. It was overwhelming, and I had a nagging feeling that I’d made the wrong decision. That running was something I shouldn’t have done. That I should have faced the lies instead of fleeing.
“Too late now, Riley.”
After placing a few items for sale on the local marketplace, I maneuvered what furniture I could and unpacked what I needed for the next day. Too tired to even order dinner, I flopped into the corner I’d cleared on my bed. Thoughts of my past and of home cascaded through my mind and a melancholy crept in before I pushed it aside. The morning would be a start to my new life, a new adventure, and I held onto that thought as my weariness overcame me.
My phone alarmjerked me awake, and I sat up quickly, startled by my unfamiliar surroundings. After struggling to find my phone in the tangle of clothes piled around me, I quickly dressed and ran out the door, realizing I hadn’t taken time to figure out how far the office was from my apartment. In fact, I wasn’t even sure where that office was.
I’d interviewed at a firm on the upper east end of the city, finding an apartment online that stated it was within walking distance. But I’d never been to the office, having taken all my interviews by phone or virtual meetings. Treemont was a two-day ride from Bridgeville and since the company was eager to have me, they had obliged to long distance interviews. It still seemed strange that they’d reached out to me. I had been job hunting, thinking Bridgeville was far enough away and offered me the opportunity to blend in. It was a metropolis compared to tiny Treemont. But I hadn’t considered this firm, thinking the smaller one would be a better place to start as I adjusted to city life.
As I was looking down at the map on my phone, trying to determine where the closest coffee shop was, something yanked my purse from my arm. I looked up, seeing my purse in the hands of a lanky teenager who winked at me and ran.
I opened my mouth to yell when a man stepped around me and grabbed the boy, stopping his getaway with a quick jerk of his large hand.
“I don’t think this belongs to you,” he said, snatching my purse back as the boy stumbled backward, eyes wide before he ran off.
That expression ‘deer in headlights’ was one I always thought was cliché, but that’s exactly how I felt, and when the owner of that deep baritone turned his navy eyes to me, I remained frozen. He was tall and built from what I could see from the fit of his expensive coat. His thick brown hair had flecks of gray just around the temples, giving a mature addition to his rugged features. My jaw was dropping when I stopped it, composing myself as he handed my purse back.
“A little advice from someone who has spent his entire life here. Don’t stand out like a tourist when you walk the streets,” he said, his baritone gripping my insides.
“Thank you,” I said, trying not to stutter like a teenager. “Is it that obvious?”
He smiled, something that only made him more handsome. “Definitely.”
I glanced down at my phone, kicking myself for my bashful reaction to his smile. Looking back up, I said, “Thank you again.”
He gave me a nod and turned.
“Do you know where I can find a coffee shop?” I asked, desperate to have this man in my company for a few more minutes but not understanding why.
He turned back to me, giving me a boyish grin. “You are new, aren’t you?”
“Very. Last night was my first night.”
His eyes studied me, making me feel very seen. “Which way are you headed?”
“Upper east side,” I said. “22nd Street.”
“Come on. You need to go off the beaten path to find the best shops. If you go to the ones on the main streets, you’ll get the tourist coffee. It’s like water with a hint of coffee.”
Smiling, I thanked him again. He made idle chatter until he led me to a small coffee shop two blocks from where I needed to be. There was a strange restraint to him. Not that I knew him, but his conversation seemed restrained, kept to the basics of the city and landmarks. When he left me at the shop, I realized I hadn’t even gotten his name and wished I had, no matter that I didn’t need to involve anyone in my life right now. It was risky…but I’d been lonely for a long time, and I liked having someone come to my rescue like he had.
“There are no knights in shining armor, Riley,” I scolded myself. There were only men who turned on you.
I ordered my coffee and made my way to the firm. Standing before the high rise, I looked around. This couldn’t be it. This was a massive building. I walked around the corner, seeing the firm name on the outside, the offices within. The advisory firm I’d worked for in Treemont had been in a refurbished house. It was small with a hometown feel. Nothing about this firm said hometown, and nerves abounded in me.
New life. New experiences,I told myself.
This was what I’d signed up for. There was no turning back now. I returned to the front of the building and made my way in, trying not to look like the newbie that I felt like. The lobby was enormous. A guard station sat in the middle, elevators to their left, and to their right was a hallway that led to what looked like a private elevator.
“Riley Brinks?” I turned to the sound of my name, seeing a face that seemed familiar.
“Ken Stevens,” he said, extending his hand. This was my new manager. I recognized him from the virtual interviews. He was tall with thick graying hair and glasses that framed his green eyes.
“Ken. Hi, it’s so nice to meet you. This place is huge!”
“We are the largest firm in the city, and we have the best spot. It helps when your owner also owns most of the real estate in town.”
“Greyson Tides also owns the building?” I said. Ken had dropped the name enough during our interviews to know Greyson Tides was the most powerful businessman in Bridgeville. Something about that intrigued me. The way Ken spoke his name was beyond respect, as if there was power in it. And a man whose name alone held power made me curious.
“That’s right. Come on in, I’ll show you around.”
Ken led me into the open lobby of the firm, which took up most of the first floor. He chatted to me as he gave me the tour and introduced me to my new co-workers. After showing me to my office, which was three times the size of what I’d had at my old firm, he left me to get settled.
Gazing out the window, I had a strange sense of disbelief, as if I would wake up and find myself back in Treemont at any minute. Everything seemed surreal and so far out of my comfort zone that the instinct to flee and run back home hit me again. But returning home wasn’t an option. I’d made my choice and now I was here. There was nothing more to do than to keep moving forward. Looking backward was too painful.