Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
The music stopped, and the studio door burst open like a dam breaking, releasing a flood of tutu-clad little girls into the waiting area.
Delaney followed Mr. Aylett out of the viewing area to meet Charlotte.
She emerged from the chaos, her eyes scanning the room until they landed on her uncle.
Her face transformed—not into the reserved smile Delaney had grown accustomed to, but into something brilliant and unguarded.
She didn’t run to him, didn’t call out his name, but her entire being seemed to vibrate with joy as she made her way slowly, as if afraid sudden movement might make him disappear.
“Uncle Noah,” she whispered when she reached them, and though her voice was barely audible, it carried more emotion than Delaney had heard from her in weeks.
Mr. Aylett crouched to his niece’s eye level. “Hey there, Charlie-Bear. You looked beautiful out there.”
She ducked her head, watching him through her eyelashes, pleased at his compliment.
A redheaded girl bounced over, her freckled face bright with excitement. “Charlotte, is that your daddy?”
Charlotte’s fingers gripped her tulle tutu. “He’s my uncle.”
“I’m Shanyn,” the redhead announced, extending a small hand toward Mr. Aylett.
Mr. Aylett shook her hand with grave formality. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Shanyn.”
The girl dissolved into giggles.
A woman with the same fiery hair and freckles as Shanyn approached, grinning at her daughter’s boldness. “I’m Lisa.” She extended her hand to Delaney first. “Shanyn talks about Charlotte all the time. They’ve become quite the pair.”
“Delaney Wright.” She shook the woman’s hand. “I’m Charlotte’s nanny.”
“Noah Aylett.” He shook her hand as well. “Her uncle.”
“We’re heading to Dockside Burgers for an early dinner. Would you like to join us?”
Mr. Aylett glanced down at Charlotte. “What do you think? Do you want to go get burgers?”
Charlotte’s eyes widened, her shy grin suddenly wide. She nodded, then looked up at Delaney expectantly.
That was just the kind of family outing she would love.
And the kind she must avoid. The last thing Mr. Aylett needed was to be seen eating with his nanny.
And there was the stalker to worry about now too.
“I’d love that, Charlotte, but sadly, I need to run to the store.” She looked at Mr. Aylett. “Anything I can get for you while I’m there?”
“No, but…” His brow furrowed. “You need to eat.”
“I’ll grab something while I’m out.” Delaney smiled at Charlotte, whose face had fallen. “You have fun with your uncle and Shanyn. Tell me all about it later, okay?”
Charlotte gripped her hand, tears hovering in her eyes.
Oh, dear.
Delaney crouched in front of her, ignoring the others. “I’m going to go to the store, and then I’ll be home.”
Her little lip trembled. She leaned in and whispered, “You promise?”
Delaney backed up and took Charlotte’s little face in her hands. “Beautiful girl, I promise I will come back tonight. And I’ll bring you some of those yummy peanut butter bars you like.”
The child studied her as if looking for lies. After a moment, she said, “Okay.”
“Love you, sweet girl.” She kissed her on the forehead, then stood and addressed Lisa. “It was nice to meet you.” To Mr. Aylett, she said, “Text if you think of anything you want me to get while I’m out.”
“See you at the house.”
The late afternoon air had cooled considerably, and Delaney zipped her jacket as she walked to her car.
She’d meant what she said about needing to go to the store.
Her toothpaste tube had been rolled within an inch of its life, and she was almost out of shampoo.
Now that she had a few weeks’ pay in her checking account, she felt confident stocking up on personal products she hadn’t wanted to add to Mr. Aylett’s grocery bill.
She pulled out of the parking lot, checking her mirrors more carefully than usual. The man had a stalker. So strange.
Fortunately, no one followed her as she drove the few miles to the superstore on the outskirts of town.
Her list wasn’t long. She’d made a mental note to pick up a few things they were running low on—bread, eggs, and fresh fruit. She’d add those peanut butter bars to the list. Anything to see that sweet smile when she returned home.
Home. The word rooted in her heart. When had the Aylett house begun to feel that way? It wasn’t hers, but for now, it was the only home she had.
Delaney took her time in the personal care section, scanning the shelves for her favorite shampoo. Now that she had a steady income, she could finally replace the travel-sized bottles she’d been rationing.
In the clothing section, she shopped for sweaters and a jacket.
She’d left home in the middle of summer, and though it wouldn’t get nearly as cold here as it would in Maine, she’d still need a few things to get her through the winter months.
She took her time picking out items, not eager to go home to an empty house.
Her phone vibrated, a text from Mr. Aylett.
Charlotte wanted me to make sure you’re really coming back.
Delaney’s heart squeezed. After everything the little girl had been through, of course she worried about abandonment. Delaney dug through her cart, found the peanut butter bars, and took a selfie with them. She tapped a reply.
Tell her I promise.
She sent the photo and the note.
Three dots appeared, disappeared, then reappeared before his reply came through:
Thank you. Drive safely.
Strange how those four words warmed Delaney’s insides.
The total at checkout made her wince. Her bank account wasn’t flush, but she wasn’t destitute either. She was surviving.
Her phone buzzed again, and she glanced at the screen. A text from her mother simply read,
Please consider coming home for Christmas. We’ll cover the cost.
The words were followed by a travel website.
Home for Christmas?
The thought of going home filled her with equal parts joy and dread.
She wanted to see her sisters, to hug her mother. To give her father back his you’ll-never-make-it check.
But was she ready to face them? Or to face the townspeople and their judgment after learning she’d been dating a criminal?
Nobody cared that much, not really. But she did.
She stared at her phone for a few moments, at the dancing dots that told her Mom was either typing or waiting for her to respond.
She tapped the best answer she could give at the moment.
I’ll think about it.
After paying for her purchases, she rolled her cart to the fast-food restaurant inside the superstore’s entrance.
The smell of fried food made her realize she was hungrier than she’d thought.
She ordered a chicken sandwich and ate it at one of the high tables near the window, watching the parking lot as daylight faded into dusk.
The lot wasn’t empty when Delaney stepped outside, but it felt that way. The distance between her small SUV and the store entrance stretched farther than it had when she’d arrived. She saw only one other person, a person ducking into a vehicle a few aisles away.
By the time Delaney loaded her purchases, full darkness had settled. She pulled out of the parking space, her headlights sweeping across the rows of empty spaces.
The drive back to Driftwood took her along the winding two-lane highway that cut through farmland and patches of forest. During the day, the route was scenic.
At night, it felt isolated. Her headlights carved a tunnel, illuminating the yellow center line and the reflective markers that dotted the shoulder.
She’d driven this route dozens of times now, but tonight something felt different. When she pressed the brake pedal as she approached a stop sign at a crossroads, it felt mushy beneath her foot.
Weird. But the car stopped normally, so she continued toward town.
The road was mostly flat with one exception, a hill that bordered the valley where Driftwood was nestled among the pines. When she crested the hill, the little town’s lights shone in the distance.
Her SUV picked up speed as she headed down. She pressed the brake pedal. It mashed all the way to the floor.
But her Highlander didn’t slow.
Her heart lurched as the car gained speed down the incline. She pumped the brake frantically, but the pedal offered no resistance, no response. She sped around turns that seemed to get sharper the faster she went.
“No, no, no!” The yellow center line blurred beneath her headlights.
A sharp curve loomed ahead, marked by reflective yellow signs. She yanked the wheel into the turn, tires squealing as she fought to keep the SUV on the asphalt. The vehicle fishtailed, and she feared she’d spin.
She managed to straighten out, but another curve was coming fast.
The emergency brake. She yanked it up. The car shuddered, slowing slightly, but not enough. The acrid smell of burning brake pads filled the cabin.
Another curve. She took it too wide, her tires hitting the gravel shoulder before she wrestled it back onto the road.
Lord, help!
The road continued to wind, curve after deadly curve between the dark trees. At this speed, she’d never make them all.
Her heart pounding in her throat, Delaney spotted a small turnout ahead. She remembered the abandoned strip mall on the hill, having seen it on other trips to the store. It was her only chance. She steered onto the gravel, bracing as her Toyota lurched over the uneven ground.
It skidded on loose stones, careening toward the trees that bordered the pullout.
Delaney yanked the wheel hard to the left, trying to avoid a head-on collision with a tree. She failed. The front of her car rammed into the trunk with a sickening crunch of metal and glass.
The impact jerked her forward against her seat belt as the airbag deployed, knocking the wind from her lungs. But at least the car had stopped.
The headlights cast eerie shadows into the forest.
She shifted into Park and shut off the car, as if the thing might suddenly drive on its own. For several moments, she sat frozen, hands still gripping the wheel, the only sound her ragged breathing and the tick-tick-tick of the cooling engine.
“I’m alive.” The whispered words caught in her throat. “Thank you, Lord.”
She fumbled for her phone and called AAA, relieved to find her membership was still active. The operator’s calm voice helped steady her as she explained what had happened.
“We’ll send someone right away, ma’am. Are you injured?”
“Nothing serious.” At least, she didn’t think so.
“Okay, just stay with your vehicle. Our technician should be there in about thirty minutes.”
Thirty minutes.
She needed to call Mr. Aylett and let him know she’d be late, if only to reassure Charlotte that she would keep her promise and come home. She’d do that when she thought she could talk without bursting into tears.
It was just a car accident, and she’d survived. But adrenaline still coursed through her veins.
Delaney stared into the darkness beyond her windshield. The turnout was deserted, the only light coming from her damaged headlights. Even the distant glow of Driftwood was hidden behind trees.
She tried to steady her breathing. How had her brakes failed? Had she done something to cause that? She hadn’t been good about getting her oil changed, but that wouldn’t affect the brakes, would it? Maybe the fluid was low. Wouldn’t there have been a warning light or something?
Delaney unbuckled her seat belt and climbed out of the car. She stretched, carefully checking herself for injuries. Her chest ached from the belt or the airbag, and her neck felt stiff. But nothing seemed broken. At least outside, she could breathe fresh air, away from the airbag dust.
Headlights appeared, approaching slowly from the direction she’d come. Thank goodness. She wouldn’t have to wait alone in this dark place until the tow truck arrived.
But the vehicle didn’t pull up beside her. Instead, it stopped at the entrance to the turnout, high beams suddenly flashing on, blinding her.
She lifted her hand to shield her eyes, thinking the driver would get out or call through the window to ask if she needed help.
But nobody stepped out. Whoever was in that car just sat there, engine running, lights blazing.
Delaney’s relief curdled into unease. If they hadn’t stopped to help, why not move along? Why stop at all?
The car idled. The driver watched.
Delaney took a step back toward her damaged Toyota. Was this the same car she’d seen following her and Charlotte earlier? The glare made it hard to tell.
Mr. Aylett’s warning echoed in her mind. Could this be his stalker? The woman who thought she and Noah were “fated” to be together?
Delaney slid back into her SUV and locked the doors. The stranger’s high beams illuminated the steam still rising from her crumpled hood, turning it into ghostly fingers reaching toward the night sky.
Whoever that was behind her…it wasn’t a friend.
And she was all alone and defenseless. She was no longer careening along the narrow highway, but the situation suddenly felt just as dangerous.