Chapter Sixteen
ABBIE
At the playground, it takes less than five seconds from the time Lilah and Chase run to the equipment for Sophie to start dropping heavy questions.
“Have the cops said anything yet?” She’s staring a hole through my forehead. “Have they made any progress catching the guy stalking you?”
I don’t turn to Sophie and instead keep gazing over the playground at Lilah as she runs around with Chase and some other kids, playing in the snow, looking adorable in their little coats, hats, mittens, and boots.
I remind myself that she totally has a right to ask these questions.
And I should answer them. Yes, I should answer them.
“Let me sit down first,” I sigh.
We plop down on a cold, hard bench. Thankfully, we’re just as bundled up as the kids.
“So?” she asks.
“No.” I shake my head and look up at her. “Nothing yet.”
She furrows her brow. “My God, how have you been putting up with this for so long? This is so scary!”
“I know,” I murmur as guilt slams through me. “I’m so sorry again that Chase was put in any sort of danger. I really thought things would be okay here.”
“Oh, Abbie, you’re my best friend.” Her tone is soft and sympathetic. “I know you’d never put Chase in harm’s way intentionally. This stalking thing isn’t your fault. It’s the asshole who’s harassing you that’s causing all this, and that’s the part that I want answers on!”
I give her a small, grateful smile. “You and me both. Seriously, though, thanks for being so understanding. It has been stressing me out — like crazy. I don’t know how I was handling it without any help until now.”
She wraps her arm around me and squeezes. “Well, Carter called Detective Peterson and asked him to take on the case. Trust me, if anyone’s going to catch this freak, it’s him. He’s like a dog with a bone. Just look at how determined he was to bring Carter’s dad to justice.”
I raise my brows and feel a wave of gratitude crash over me. “Oh, my gosh, tell Carter thank you for doing that. I really appreciate it.”
“It’s no problem,” she assures me. She hesitates a moment before asking, “have you told your dad?”
“Yep. That was the most fun conversation of our lives,” I scoff.
I try not to remember it. Dad freaked out — no surprise — and had tried to insist I move in with him and Vivianne immediately.
“It’s okay now, though. All those Papa Bear instincts are kicking into overdrive though, and I’m worried it’s going to raise his blood pressure?—”
“You are such a nurse.” She laughs, and to my relief, a laugh seeps out of me, as well. Her expression warms, and she pats my hand. “At least you have Jake staying with you now.”
“Yeah,” I mutter, dropping my gaze again. “It is nice having someone around. It feels more secure, I suppose. Even if it’s Jake.”
I can feel her gaze on me and I know what she’s going to ask me next before she says a word.
“So, have you told him yet?”
“No, I haven’t.”
I glance up at her and don’t miss the flash of disappointment in her eyes.
“Abbie, you have to tell him,” she insists. “He’s living with you, for crying out loud! He probably already suspects the truth.”
It’s been four days now since he moved in, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Sophie was right.
How could he not suspect that Lilah was his?
They’ve been spending so much time together the last few days, and last night, Lilah and I even watched his game on TV even though I really don’t keep up with hockey.
My little girl kept pointing at him on the screen and chanting, “Yake!”
“You promised you’d tell him,” Sophie continues, “and I can’t keep this a secret from Carter forever. I actually think he might have figured it out because he’s just not asking about anything to do with you and Jake anymore.”
I sigh. She’s right. I did promise, and it’s not fair that I’ve dragged this out for so long and put her in this position.
Before I can respond to her, I see a figure in the distance waving to me.
I don’t wave back—this stalker business is stressing me out way too much to wave at anybody I don’t know—but the figure approaches.
Oh, shit. It’s him. That patient from the other day—Stuart.
“Abbie!” He cries out, clearly self-conscious. “Hey!”
Stuart jogs toward us, dressed in the same dirty jacket he was wearing in the clinic parking lot, kind of ratty athletic shorts, with long compression pants underneath, and running shoes.
He’s also got a stocking cap, earmuffs, and gloves on.
He doesn’t look as grungy and unkempt as he did the last time I saw him.
As he comes near, he pulls an earmuff away from his ear.
“How are you?” he asks, stopping in front of us.
“I’m good,” I answer with a polite smile. Looking up at him now, in a public place in broad daylight, he’s not nearly as creepy as I initially thought he was. Still, how much of a coincidence is it that he just happens to be running by while we’re here?
God, I’m so paranoid. I hate this so much.
“Do you run this way often?” I question.
Chuckling, he nods. “Yeah, it’s my regular route. Bit of a late start today, though. Work was busy. Anyway, I won’t keep you. I just wanted to say hi.”
“Enjoy the rest of your run.”
He gives me a little wave before turning and heading back to the jogging path. I watch him, carefully, and when he’s finally out of earshot — as are the kids — I snap my head over to Sophie. “Sophie, do you have any idea how the hell that guy is?”
“I assumed somebody you know…”
“His name’s Stuart. That’s all I know. But someone he knows me, and it’s giving me the creeps. Are you sure you’ve never seen him before?”
It’s a small town, and between the flower shop and her accounting firm, Sophie knows or is acquainted with most everyone. For her not to recognize the guy is a little odd.
She shakes her head. “I don’t think so.”
Before I can reply, a pain-filled cry fills the air. Sophie and I are immediately on our feet and rushing toward the kids. We find Lilah sitting on the ground, holding her knee and crying. Chase is standing over her with a look of frightened concern.
“What happened?” I ask in a calm voice, squatting next to her.
“She tripped and hit her knee,” Chase explains.
“Mommy!” Lilah wails, crawling into my arms and burying her face against my chest. “Owie!”
“Let me see, baby.” I adjust her in my lap so I can get a look at her knee. She’s torn her pants, and the exposed skin is scraped a little bit, but there’s no blood. It’s red, and I can already see a little swelling. “Can you move it?” I ask her.
She can, which is a relief. “Ouchie,” she sputters.
“I got you.” I have her stand up and put weight on it.
She winces a bit but is able to be on the knee, no problem.
Thankfully, it doesn’t appear to be anything serious.
I dig into my purse, pull out my mini-first aid kit, and clean up the scrape.
“Band-aid?” I ask, with a smile I know will cheer her up.
“Fairy one,” she says, brushing away a tear.
“You got it.” I slap one of her favorite fairy-themed bandaids over the wound. Kids always love band-aids. “You’re okay, sweetheart. We just need to ice it a bit. Should we go home?”
Sniffling, she nods and clings to my neck. I pick her up and give Sophie an apologetic, tired smile.
“We’re going to head out,” I tell her. “It’s about nap time anyway.”
“No worries. Let me know if you need anything.” She steps forward and kisses the top of Lilah’s head. “You’re such a big, brave girl! Mommy will take care of you.”
“See you later, Chase.” I give him a little smile and he moves to take Sophie’s hand.
“Bye, Lilah,” he says in a soft voice.
Lilah lifts one hand and waves at him, and he looks relieved as I turn and carry her away.
By the time Jake walks through the door of the apartment later that evening, Lilah is sitting on the couch, watching cartoons and swinging her legs against the cushions as she drinks from her sippy cup.
Apart from the bright pink bandage on her knee, there’s no sign of her little accident from the playground.
However, when he steps into the living room and sees her, he freezes.
“Hi, Yake!” she greets with a grin before turning her attention back to the TV.
His eyes land on her knee and go wide as he drops his duffel back on the floor.
“What happened?” he asks with a concerned frown, shrugging out of his coat. He rushes to Lilah and kneels next to the couch, shoving the sleeves of his hoodie up his arms before he grabs her calf and lifts her leg to inspect her knee, making her giggle. She pats his head.
“What are you doing?” she asks.
“Hey, princess.” He smiles up at her, but his shoulders are still tense. “Did you get a boo boo?”
“Yeah.” She sounds so nonchalant about it now. “Mommy fixed it.”
“She got hurt at the park,” I explain. “She fell down and hit her knee, that’s all.”
He furrows his brows. “That’s all? Did you take her to the hospital to make sure she didn’t fracture anything?”
“Uh, no.” I shake my head. “I checked her out and she’ll be fine. It’s just a scrape and some bruising.”
“You still should’ve taken her.” His voice gets hard and sounds almost accusatory. “What if she’s really hurt and you don’t know because you didn’t bother to have her checked out? Why didn’t you call me and tell me?”
Oh, hell no.
I jump up and move toward him, grab his arm, and drag him out of the living room and into the kitchen so Lilah can’t hear us.
“Okay, need I remind you that I am her mother and a fucking nurse ,” I snap. “I know what I’m doing, and I don’t appreciate you questioning me like that in front of my kid. Why do you even care so much, huh?”
His nostrils flare and his eyes flash as he growls, “You two are my responsibility…”
“Excuse me?” I exclaim. “How dare you! We are not your responsibility. I raised Lilah on my own for years, and I didn’t ask you to just suddenly step in and play the white knight in shining armor.”
Glaring at me, his blue eyes darkening into a thunderstorm. He takes a step toward me, and I have to fight to keep from moving back from him. I’m not going to let myself be intimidated.
“Yeah, well maybe you need someone to come in and save you,” he growls. “You’re just hell bent on doing this by yourself. Have you even considered her father? Tell me, Abbie, where is he right now?”
My rage burns hotter and I clench my hands into fists.
“I don’t know why you fucking care all of the sudden!
Tell me, Jake, where have you been all these years?
I thought we were friends once upon a time, but now?
You ghosted me for three years, so you don’t have any right to stick your nose into my life or Lilah’s. You’re not her father!”
The words are out of my mouth before I realize I’m saying them, and I wish I could snatch them back immediately. My stomach drops and my knees feel like they’re about to give out. Fuck, why would I tell him that? Why would I lie about that?
Now I can never tell him the truth.
“Jake, I, uh…” What can I say? How could I possibly make this moment any less awful?
Jake stares at me in total silence for several moments. There’s something in his gaze… something very much like disappointment, which is gutting.
Has he been hoping that Lilah is his?
Oh, God… what have I done?
Without saying a word, he turns and walks out of the kitchen and I watch him go, along with any possible future in which Lilah has a relationship with her father.