Chapter Two
CHAPTER TWO
MADISON WEBSTER, FORMALLY ZOE DANIELS, WHO IS QUESTIONING ALL OF HER LIFE CHOICES RIGHT NOW
How did I not know that Carter Bailey, baseball star extraordinaire, Carter Bailey, hero who helped me get out of a life that would have killed me, Carter Bailey, a sexy man who’s starred in one—or many—dreams since the day he helped me, lived in Boulder Canyon? Fuck. My. Life.
I’ve managed to be here for almost eight months and have avoided most of the Gossip Girls and Counter Carls. They follow me through the grocery store or at the gas station, making ‘small talk’, trying to find out where I’m from and why I’m here and what I’m doing. There’re only a few people in town who know who I used to be, my boss, Miss Melly, the guy who runs ANON’s two friends, Ranger and Elle, and an attorney I’m to call if I have any issues. Whose last name is Bailey. Yep. Fuck. My. Life.
“Hey,” Davis says, putting a napkin down on the table in front of me. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, fine. Can I just get a Diet Coke for now?” I ask, my eyes roaming over the open room.
“My friend didn’t say anything to make you uncomfortable, did he?” he asks, the look of concern on his face making me feel bad.
“What? Oh, no. It’s fine. He thought he knew me, but he was mistaken.”
I try to smile at him and can feel the failure before I even get started. The way he looks at me, like he can see all of my memories and into my soul is really unnerving, but before I can get up and run out of the place, he smiles, taps the table, and heads back to the bar for my drink.
Before he returns, Ranger and Elle come in, ordering their own drinks on their way to the table I’m at in the corner. I’m also very aware that Carter is still sitting at the bar, trying not to be too obvious that he keeps looking at me.
“What’s wrong?” Elle asks as soon as she’s by my side. The pixie of a woman looks like she’s ready to slay some bad guys for me, and it makes me smile.
“I’ll fill you in later,” I lamely tell her, and see Ranger go on high alert.
The man looks like he doesn’t give a shit about anything, but that’s all a facade. He’s acutely aware of everything and everyone in the place within two minutes. When he clocks Carter, he nods to himself before looking at me, silently asking if he’s the why. Of course he is. He’s the one man who knows more than anyone else in this town about what happened and he could out me with the snap of his fingers. I return Ranger’s look with a small nod, and he goes back to watching the room.
Once Davis has dropped off our drinks and had his weird man-hug-shake thing with Ranger and returned to the bar, the couple both turn to me, questions all over their faces.
“He knows who you are,” Ranger states.
“He does. He’s the one who got me out.”
“How well do you know him?” Elle asks.
“I mean, we know each other well enough, I guess? My brother-in-law was on the same team as he was. I knew his wife, bitch that she was, and he helped me get in touch with Daniel.”
“Fuck,” Ranger growls. “That changes things, doesn’t it?”
“Does it?” Elle asks. “Did he say something to you directly or are you prematurely freaking out?”
“He called me by my real name,” I answer quietly. “And when I told him he was mistaken, he told me he’d keep my secret.”
“Oh. Fuck. So he knows-knows,” Elle scowls.
“Yeah. So I don’t know what to do. Do I need to call the guy and find out if I can move?”
“I don’t think so,” Ranger quietly—confidently—responds. “My best friend is his brother-in-law. Elle’s best friend is his sister. Who you know. And ‘the guy’ is his dad.”
“Of course he is,” I laugh humorlessly.
“Welcome to the small-town, city girl.” Elle grins. “Everyone knows everyone or is related to everyone.”
“Are we sure it’s safe for me to be here?”
“Safe as anywhere else. And because it’s a small town, you’re more apt to get help quicker than if you were in a big city. Because the first time a strange person comes in, twenty people will know.”
“Did you say you know his sister?” I ask, trying to place her.
“Lottie Workman. Her husband is the really big guy that looks terrifying but is a literal teddy bear.”
“Duncan belongs to them?”
“He does. And his big sister, Natalie.”
“So you think I’m okay?”
“You’ll be fine,” Ranger assures me. “You know, it would be okay to pull these people in. This group is not like others. All of us have gone through something big and came out the other side.”
“I’ll, uh, think about it.”
He nods, accepting what I say without any pushback.
“Can I ask why everyone here is so far in everyone else’s business?”
“Have you looked around?” Elle laughs. “They’re fucking bored! You have to drive to Rockton for good pizza, Diamond Cove for the best shopping, and people stopped watching soap operas. Have to fill their time with something, right?”
“The pizza here does suck.” I laugh, having learned that lesson my first weekend in town.
“So,” Elle begins, waggling her brows, “you know Carter Bailey, sexy stud of baseball, huh?”
I roll my eyes, a small chuckle escaping. “I’ve met him. A few times.”
“Yeah? Ever checked him out in the locker room after the game all hot and sweaty with his clothes off?”
“What? No!”
“Damn. That would have been really good alone time material.”
“I don’t even…” I shake my head. Unfortunately, now she has me thinking about what was under the uniform, and I can feel my cheeks burning. Luckily, Ranger is here to rescue me.
“You don’t need any alone time material, Tink,” he growls in her ear, wrapping his arms around her. “Want to go in the back and I’ll show you?”
And just like that, I’ve lost Ranger and Elle. If they weren’t so cute together, I’d puke. Before I totally lose them, Ranger pulls back and gives me a serious look.
“I know you’re trying to keep a low profile, and we are going to keep helping you do that. But that guy behind the bar? He’s a good guy. He can be trusted.” Ranger looks around. “It’s still quiet in here, and Carter already knows, right?”
I nod.
“More friends that know isn’t a bad thing. And more than him being a good guy, his wife is a great woman. And both of them would protect you with no questions asked if they needed to. Fuck, all of us would.”
I look from Ranger to Davis and Carter. They’re watching us. It’s totally obvious, but I don’t see any malice on their faces, only concern from Carter and interest from Davis.
“I’ll think about it. For now, I should probably go on and get home.”
“No, you don’t have to leave!” Elle grasps my hand over the table. “Really, we won’t push. You should have some fun.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it, but you two look about five seconds from ripping your clothes off, and as much as I’d love to see the Facebook posts about it happening—again—I’m going to see myself out.”
Ranger laughs, pulling Elle close. “She’s not wrong, Tink. Let’s go.”
We wave to the two men standing at the bar, and Ranger walks me to my car.
“Thanks for the drink,” I tell him.
“Anytime. But think about what I said. I know how hard it is, but if you’re ever going to not be the topic of conversation around here, you need to open up a little. Make new friends. Be a part of the community, not just on the fringes.”
“Thanks, Ranger. I really will think about it, but tonight? I just want to be alone.”
He gives me a knowing smile and swings Elle up in his arms as they walk to his truck. I close my eyes and gather my wits about me before starting the old, used car ANON found for me and drive home. ANON was who Carter called for me that night at the stadium. I didn’t know what they did for the longest time, but I do know they help people who are in the same situations I was in. They help us get away from our abusers and set up a new life. It’s like a whole network of people ready to help you. They were amazing, and my only regret is waiting a whole year after my breakdown at the stadium to finally get away.