Chapter 33 Audra
AUDRA
Ihated that I was in some sort of weird limbo. It felt like the universe was pushing Donovan and me towards each other. Or maybe it was just pushing me. He magically appeared when I needed him, and he was my shelter from the storm raging in my life.
Donovan drove us to the store, and while we waited for Murphy to meet us at Grá, I went in to help start stocking, and he ran to his office.
Maeve, not one to mince words, was all over me as soon as I strode in. “Donovan dropped you off? But your car is here. What is going on, Audra?”
“Good morning to all of you as well,” I play bowed. “My car wouldn’t start last night, and he happened to be coming back here late to grab his car that had been parked here since the reveal, so he drove me. Where’s Cora?”
“I’m here!” Cora’s shout came from the back. “Just getting some things organized so we can start putting stuff out. I can hear everything, though!”
“Drove you? I hope you mean drove into you,” Jules threw out.
“Not quite. He drove me home. Well, that was the intent, at least,” I answered.
“But you couldn’t keep your hands off of each other, and you spent the night making sweet, sweet love?” Jules tried again.
“That’s my boss, Jules. Take it down a notch,” Maeve interjected.
“Yeah, well, your boss is fucking gorgeous,” Jules shot back.
“Wrong again, you freaking sex maniac. No, actually…”I began as Cora emerged, and I steeled myself for my admission.
“Audra, your face just fell. What’s going on?” Cora picked up on it immediately.
“I need this to stay here, ok? For right now, at least.” I took another deep breath.
I wondered if this was part of his plan.
To make me feel so embarrassed and uncomfortable that it made me not want to tell people.
“Theo was on my porch last night. Uninvited. When Donovan pulled up, we saw him, but he didn’t notice us.
We bailed, and I went to Donovan’s house to sleep.
Not with him,” I threw in, looking at Jules.
I conveniently left out that he woke me from a nightmare, cuddled me back to sleep, and that I definitely saw his dick. “I’m really overwhelmed because it’s not the first time Theo has done something in the past month, and it’s just … it’s giving me a bad feeling.”
“Audra. Why didn’t you say anything?” Cora gave me the most sympathetic eyes.
“Because everyone has their own shit they’re dealing with. And I know this last week has been especially hellacious for you,” I said, looking at Cora.
There was no more joking in Jules as she spoke. “Have you documented everything?”
I nodded.
“And have you thought about going to the police? Emergency restraining orders are a thing.”
I nodded again. “Donovan was going to come with me after we figured out the car thing.”
“Ok, good,” Jules said.
“I’m sorry I didn’t pick up on this, Audra,” Maeve interjected, looking hurt.
“I have had my head wrapped around my stupid brother and the implication of everything he’s done.
Plus, if we’re into sharing right now, Tucker has been acting a little off lately, too.
Just a little secretive. It’s put me on edge and in my head about it. ”
“Well, aren’t we a mess?” I tried to lighten the mood. “Jules, anything you feel like sharing?”
“Not a damn thing,” she smirked. “Anywho, Audra, do you want to keep talking and processing? I know when I first started to come to terms with all the shit I went through, I didn’t always want to talk about it.
So we can do manual labor in the form of stocking products to keep busy and occupied instead?
You know, we could even stock and talk at the same time because we are that good. ”
My answer was quick. “No, I don’t really want to talk about it. I’m still trying to sort through the onslaught of feelings I have. Let’s just stock.”
Cora came over to hug me and then went to the back to put on some music, and before we knew it, we all were dancing around filling the shelves with goodies. We were making substantial progress when Donovan popped his head in the door to let me know Murphy would be there in ten.
“Ok, guys, I have ten minutes before Murphy is here. After we figure out my car, I have to go down to the station before I lose my nerve. After that, I can come back here to keep helping.”
When I left Grá, I found Donovan leaning on his car with his trunk open.
His head was down, and he was so engrossed in whatever was happening on his phone that I had the opportunity to take him all in.
The man was delicious. When he looked up, he saw me staring, and a smile crept across his face.
He outshined the damn sun. I jumped up into the Navigator and sat next to him while giving him a playful nudge.
Just then, the twins pulled up. They must have taken Maverick to the airport together.
I couldn’t believe he actually left. I don’t know what Donovan texted Murphy, but neither of them blinked twice when we were sitting next to each other.
No jokes, insinuations, no anything. It was very unlike either of their playful natures not to stir the pot.
Or maybe they were just in their heads about the Maverick thing, too.
“How’d it go?” I asked when I saw them.
“Well, he’s an idiot, that’s for sure,” replied Murphy.
“But,” Bennett interjected, “I think we got through to him. I hope. We’ll see.”
“Fingers crossed.” Murphy finished the thought. “What’s up with the car, Audra?”
“I have no idea. I took it in recently, and everything was fine. Last night it just didn’t start. At all.”
“Can I get the keys?” Murphy asked, and I tossed them to him.
Before he popped the hood, he tried to start it, but when it still didn’t start, he went under the hood. Less than ten seconds passed before his head was back out, looking serious. “Does anyone else have keys to your car?”
“No.” What a weird question, I thought.
“Someone disconnected the battery cables, Audra. There’s no way both of them would have fallen off simultaneously.
I’m wondering if anyone could have gotten in your car to pop the hood.
It’s possible to do it without a key, but it’s a fuck ton more work and would most likely draw some attention. But this seems intentional.”
The blood drained from my face, and my heart rate picked up.
Looking at Donovan, there had to be fear in my eyes.
He tried to counter with a look of strength, but I saw the concern.
Instantly, I felt nauseous, and like my legs were going to give out on me.
This was fucked up. Someone popped my trunk open and disconnected my wires, and we know damn well who it was.
At what point yesterday did he do this? My head felt dizzy, and I couldn’t catch my breath.
I registered Donovan racing towards me in my periphery while I heard Murphy say, “Audra, I know you’re the nurse, but you don’t look so good,” before I went down.
I’d never fainted before. Things didn’t make me squeamish, and up until that point, I thought myself pretty infallible, given my career.
Nope. I went down like an anchor. When my body was flat, it reset, and I was only out for a quick count.
Opening my eyes, first, I saw Donovan, who had gone from a look of concern to sheer terror.
Then the girls ran up on us while the twins looked completely freaked out. Jesus, now it was a scene.
“Audra, fucking Christ, you scared the hell out of me,” Donovan pulled me into his chest.
I managed to piece together that he literally caught me on my way down and then laid me down flat. “Hey Batman, you caught me before I fell,” I whispered with affection, then rested my head on his chest, smiled, and took deep breaths, trying to gather myself.
I saw Murphy and Bennet exchange looks over how this was playing out in front of them, as well as the girls looking at each other. “Uh, should we, like, call an ambulance or something, or take you to urgent care?” Murphy asked.
“No,” I declined. “I just fainted. I don’t feel great at the moment, but I’ll be ok.” Despite my weakness and nausea, I was thankful Donovan was holding me.
“Who did this to your car, Audra?” Bennett asked.
There was no levity in his voice. Even as his best friend, I rarely saw that side of him. He was in protector mode, and based on the night I went to his house instead of home after work, he knew exactly who did it.
Pulling my head off Donovan’s chest, I looked back and forth at all of them around me, and then I looked down. “I can’t say for sure, but lately, Theo has been causing some trouble,” I admitted to the entire group.
“Trouble?” Murphy pushed, looking confused. “What kind of trouble? No one has mentioned anything.”
“Yeah, he’s been acting a little strange since the night of the dart league. Before then, too, but after darts, things have intensified,” I explained.
“A little strange?” Donovan cut in with an agitated voice.
“Let’s call a spade a spade here, Audra.
He’s been acting unhinged. You have to stop downplaying this.
The more people you tell about it, the more people will help keep an eye out for you.
He’s followed you, been waiting for you on your porch, popped up at your house when I was there, and made several shitty and disrespectful comments to you.
Not to mention disconnecting cables on your car and whatever else that has happened that you haven’t said, because I’m sure there’s more.
That’s not a little strange. That’s really freaking concerning.
”He looked back at everyone standing around before adding, “The plan was to come here to check the car before officially filing a harassment report at the police station.”
“Good God. I knew there was more to it than that night you came to our place after work instead of home. Why didn’t you say it then, Audra?” Bennett asked.