Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
Sadie
Somehow, I managed to make it through the rest of the day after that intense first appointment. I didn’t know what to think of it, but holy fuck was that man hot. And the way he wrapped his arms around me, I felt more secure than I have ever felt before.
But I barely knew him. He was thirteen years older than me, wasn’t that a bit too old? I didn’t know how any of this worked. I’ve never had a boyfriend before, never been kissed, nothing.
That didn’t matter anyway. I didn’t move to Appleridge for love, nor was I looking for it.
More and more thought trains raced through the tracks of my mind as I drove to work for my second day. I barely slept last night. And it wasn’t like I needed anything more to dwell on. There was enough with my past, never mind adding Arlo to the mix.
Speaking of which, he was on my schedule for today, something I noticed last night before leaving, and when Lacey handed it to me this morning, she wiggled her eyebrows at me. “Did the Appleridge love bug hit you already?”
I raised one eyebrow. “The what?”
“Arlo seemed pretty happy when he left his appointment yesterday and immediately scheduled one for today. And it’s possible a little birdie told me last night that he couldn’t stop talking about you.” Lacey grinned.
“I still don’t understand what the Appleridge love bug is and what it has to do with Arlo and me?”
“It’s a joke around town that when you move here, you fall in love quickly. And from the way Crew said Arlo talked about you, I’d say it’s ready to strike once again.”
I couldn’t help the loud laughter that escaped, and I clamped my hand over my mouth, but it was no use. I laughed so hard I snorted. “I don’t believe it. There’s no way a town makes people fall in love.”
“It’s okay. I was skeptical at first too. But when it hits out of nowhere, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Lacey winked. “Keep up the good work, by the way. All of your clients from yesterday were happy.”
“Glad to hear it. Thanks, Lacey.” But as I walked toward my room, my mind went into overdrive, if that was even possible. I was surprised smoke wasn’t coming out of my ears.
He couldn’t stop talking about me? What weird universe was I suddenly living in?
Alright, that was enough thinking for today. I needed some good self-care and a healthy dose of my favorite food—pizza. I’d pick up some on my way home tonight, pour myself a glass of wine, and watch a chick flick on my laptop while soaking in my big bathtub. One major perk of my cozy cabin and quite the surprise was the deep clawfoot tub in the bathroom.
My mood lifted a bit as I cleaned my room and readied myself for my second day. I lit a couple of candles and gathered fresh towels and sheets.
A sharp knock on my door alerted me of my first appointment. As I waited for Lacey to open it and announce my next client, a voice I wasn’t expecting landed on my ears and made my insides twist in disgust and fear.
“Well, well, well. There she is. Guess you were right, Denise. The little skank wasn’t as far as we thought.”
I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head. I was dreaming. I must be dreaming. I had to be.
Wake up, Sadie! Wake up!
“Only a few states away, right under our noses.” My mother’s voice sent icicles down my spine, and her sneer made me cower. “Thought you could hide forever, did ya?”
“If they were to find you one day, how do you think you’d react?” a therapist I saw briefly after running away asked me.
“I…I don’t know…run? Hide? Cower?”
“Would that make you feel better? Safe?”
“Yes. I mean…no, not really. Shit, I don’t know!”
“How would you like to react?”
I took a deep breath. “I’d like to hold my head up high and tell them I owed them nothing. They have no proof, and I never wanted to see them again.”
“Perfect. Now we’ll work on turning that like to do into a will do.”
Head up. Shoulders back. Say the words.
I forced my head up and my shoulders back, but when I opened my mouth to say the words, none came out.
Instead, they both approached me, backing me into a corner. I dove behind the table, putting it between us, but Randy flipped it over and threw it across the room.
I screamed.
“Give me my money back, you bitch! I gave birth to you, kept you alive, and this is what I get in return?! You steal from me and think you can hide? Think you can run? Well, you can’t run forever!” my mother snarled. She barely had any teeth left and looked as if she’d aged twenty years and not the three I’d been gone.
“We want our money back! And we’re taking you back with us.” Randy grabbed my hair, my mother slapped me across the face, and I screamed again as I tried to fight them off.
Suddenly, there was a loud growl from behind me.
“Get your fucking hands off her! NOW!” Arlo stormed into the room and made a beeline for Randy. Arlo tapped his shoulder, and when the idiot looked, Arlo punched him directly in the face, knocking him out cold. My mother screamed hysterically as she dropped to her knees. “Randy! Randy! What the fuck did you do, you monster?”
I rushed into Arlo’s arms as sobs overtook me, my body shaking. Lacey was beside him a moment later. “The police are on their way. Sadie, are you okay? What the hell happened?”
“I’m so sorry, Lacey. I’m so sorry!” I cried as Arlo held me tight.
“Shh, it’s okay, love. C’mon, let’s go to my office. Arlo, will you stay here until the police get here?” Lacey wrapped her arm around me as Arlo reluctantly let me go.
I didn’t look back at Randy and my mother. I didn’t look back at my now destroyed room or the look of concern on Arlo’s face.
I looked straight ahead as Lacey walked me to the safety of her office.
* * *
After I filled Lacey in on my sordid past, she comforted me and told me it wasn’t my fault. Sometimes in survival mode, we did what we had to. I told the police the same story, and in the end, I went down to the police station with Arlo to file a restraining order against them. They were escorted from the spa and warned never to return and to get out of Appleridge. I was warned they could press charges against me, but I knew they wouldn’t bother with their extensive criminal records.
Lacey told me to take the rest of the day off, but I wouldn’t relax. There was no way I could be alone. I was pretty sure Arlo felt the same.
When we climbed into his truck, he looked at me and covered my hand with his large one. “I refuse to let you out of my sight. Not after what just happened. I don’t care if you agree or not.”
His possessive streak was kind of intimidating, but I wasn’t in the mood to argue, so all I did was nod.
“We can go to my place or yours, your choice, but if we go to yours, I have to bring my puppy.”
“Puppy? You have a puppy?” I asked, my mood lifting.
“I do. I adopted him a couple of months ago. He’s only six months. A German shepherd named Warrior.”
“I bet he’s adorable. But I’m not sure I’m allowed pets. Can we just swing by my place so I can pack a bag?”
“Sure thing. Warrior is going to love having someone new to play with.”
“Honestly, playing with a dog is something I think I need more than anything right now.”
“One of the many reasons I got him.” Arlo steered his truck out of the police parking lot as I told him my address.
When we pulled up to my cabin, I noticed the door was open. It looked like it had been kicked in.
“Oh no!” I cried. “They must’ve come here first!”
“You stay here and lock the doors. Do not follow me, understand?”
I nodded and did what he said.
But the whole time he was in there, I sat frozen with fear.
You can’t run forever…