Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-one
Kate had just finished putting on her Grinch face.
Underneath the thick green stage makeup, the skin on her face had started to dry out.
She needed to do an internet search and figure out the best lotion she could put on at night.
If she hadn’t broken things off with Hannah, she would have already asked her for a lotion recommendation.
Kate knew Hannah would know exactly what she needed.
Hannah’s skin was always dewy. She sighed, and her shoulders dropped.
She was doing it again. Reverse Wonderful Life-ing.
In her mind’s eye, she pictured herself listening to Hannah tell her about a concoction of essential oils she’d used to make a lotion that would take off every trace of the green makeup.
With every day that passed, she thought more and more about what life with Hannah could be like.
As she did the pet portraits, she started imagining having a dog again.
The constant parade of people bringing their beloved pets to her for a picture might start an annual tradition.
A lump formed in her throat. She wanted it; she longed for a connection that would last a lifetime.
Maybe she had been the fool Cathy thought she was.
Now, all she had to do was muster up the courage to tell Hannah.
Kate mumbled to herself. “This might have been avoided if I had called her instead of breaking up over a text.” Kate cringed.
What had she been thinking? Oh, yeah, that she didn’t know if she would have been able to say the words.
The temperature had gone up, and instead of snow, today there was steady cold rain. Kate shivered in her hut as appointment after appointment rescheduled. She spent the morning at the market, sipping on a smoothie; it was too hard to eat and keep her makeup looking picture perfect.
The gloom of the day made it feel like it was much later than two p.m. Most of the surrounding huts were shuttered.
The sellers had decided that it wasn’t worth a couple of sales to stand in the cold and the rain.
But she had a building to buy and nowhere else to go.
The part-time help she had at the store had called her an hour ago.
Sales were slow at the store, but the regulars had come in for the baked goods.
Kate checked the time on her phone. She’d give it another half hour, and if the rain continued to keep the shoppers away, she’d close up.
Then she could get a jump on her baking for the rest of the week.
Every time she checked the time on her phone, she was surprised to see only a couple of minutes had passed.
She scrolled through her messages with Hannah, rereading the words and lingering on the pictures they had texted each other.
Surprising herself, she scrolled past the NSFW pictures and lingered on a few photos in their text chain that were selfies of Hannah and her.
Her chest ached. God, I miss her so much.
Kate bit her lip to stop it from quivering.
It was the rain. How could anyone be anything but melancholy when it was raining in December?
Even Santa was in a bad mood today. She watched as he walked by her hut, his hat now dripping with rain.
The white fluffy ball on the end of his hat was now grey.
Kate held up her hand in greeting, and he scowled at her.
“Dang, even Santa is cranky today,” an upbeat voice said behind her. Kate turned to see Zaina with an umbrella and leopard print rain boots. She was with a tall blonde woman whom Kate didn’t know.
“This weather is the worst,” Kate said. “Cute boots.”
“Thanks,” Zaina said.
“Are you here to check in on your hut?”
“Nah, I told Hannah and Jacob to shut down and take the afternoon off.”
“Then why?”
“It’s about Hannah,” the blonde said. She had on a hoodie with a vest over it. Strands of her blonde hair were pasted against her rounded face.
“Is she okay?” Kate felt her pulse race.
“Yes, and we want to keep her that way.” The blonde woman said. “I’m Brandee.” She held out a hand.
Kate shook Brandee’s hand and welcomed the warmth of it. “Sorry, my hand is like an icicle.”
“No worries.”
“Come around the counter.” Kate pulled out the stools she used for photo shoots. “Here, sit.” She tapped the tops of the stools.
Zaina and Brandee sat down, and Kate sat down opposite them.
“What’s going on?” Kate’s smoothie was sloshing around in her stomach, and worry made her heart pound as she waited to hear what was going on.
Maybe everything was fine with Hannah, and they were just here to tell her that she was a jerk, and she should stay away from their friend.
“Hannah’s been getting text messages from her ex. He’s saying he’s coming to Marley Creek.”
Kate’s stomach went from a little queasy to a full-on roil. She rubbed her face and then looked at the green makeup all over her hands. Brandee and Zaina just looked at her. “Oh my God, poor Hannah.”
Zaina pulled a packet of baby wipes out of her purse and handed them to Kate. “Here.”
Kate wasn’t sure how much good the baby wipes would do, but it was better than nothing.
She rubbed at her face until it was raw, as Zaina and Brandee gave more details about Chad and his threats.
The cold air stung her face, and she relished it.
The pain focused her. “What about going to the police?” she asked.
Brandee frowned. “They can’t really do anything unless something bad happens.”
“And then it’s too late. Fuck!” Kate shouted and slammed her fist on her knee.
“That’s why we need your help,” Zaina said.
Kate’s heart was pounding. She wished she could see Hannah right now. She needed to know that she was safe. Her chest tightened. She’d pushed Hannah away; what right did she have to swoop in and try to protect Hannah now? She didn’t deserve Hannah’s affection. But that didn’t matter right now.
“All I care about is keeping Hannah safe. What do you want me to do?”
“We don’t know if Chad is just trying to fuck with Hannah.
He’s a complete asshole, and based on what she’s told me, I wouldn’t be surprised if he is just doing this to mess with her head.
That’s probably the best-case scenario. The other one is him coming here and doing God knows what,” Brandee said.
“How dangerous is he?” Kate asked, and then she wished she hadn’t; it seemed so dumb. Far too many men were capable of extreme violence.
“What do you think?” Zaina asked back.
“I think, from what she’s said, he’s an abuser and capable of God knows what,” Kate replied.
“To top things off, she’s always said he’s able to wrap women around his finger,” Zaina said.
“Gross, there is nothing worse than an asshole who hurts women and just keeps doing it,” Brandee said.
“Agreed.” Kate’s mouth was dry. “Now what can I do?”
“Here.” Brandee showed her phone to Kate, and Kate leaned in to see a shirtless man at the gym.
“Eww, it’s a dating profile,” Kate said.
“I know, right?” Brandee agreed. “But it’s the best picture we could find.”
“I’ll send you a screenshot.” Zaina said.
“For all he’s done to Hannah, his face is seared into my brain.”
“I mean, same here, but look at it anyway. We all have to be sure we’ll know it’s him.”
Kate nodded. “Gimme your phone for a sec.”
Brandee handed her phone to Kate. Kate took a screenshot of the picture and then she scribbled a beard onto the picture.
“In case he grew a beard,” Kate said.
“Dammit! He looks hotter with a beard,” Brandee said.
“He’s the freaking worst. And we are going to make sure nothing happens to Hannah,” Zaina said.
“I’ll do anything.” Kate said.
“Hannah shared her location with us, so we can see where she is; there is that. But when she is here all day, what if he shows up?” Brandee said.
“I mean, hopefully he won’t,” Zaina interjected.
“Right, hopefully he never shows up here. But if he does, we have to be ready for him, and that’s where you come in,” Brandee said.
“Can you keep an eye out? Even though you aren’t very close to her stall, at least you’re here at the market. We know you dumped our friend, and if it wasn’t for the threat of him, we wouldn’t even be here talking to you,” Zaina said.
“If we are being honest here, you’re a dumbass for pushing away my best friend. That’s all I’m going to say, because this is an all-hands-on-deck situation,” Brandee said.
Kate stood there with her mouth open. What could she say? Brandee was right. She was a dumbass.
“Hopefully, you’ll get it together and beg Hannah to take you back,” Zaina mumbled.
“Let’s just say you two are right and move on. So, you just want me to tell you if I see Chad? What if I do? Then what?”
Kate clenched her jaw as Brandee explained they’d set up a group chat, and if Kate saw Chad, she should text them and then they’d rush over from wherever they were or send one of their husbands to get Hannah someplace safe.
Kate crossed her fuzzy green arms across her stuffed belly. “That is a terrible plan.”
“Do you have a better idea?” Brandee snapped back.
Kate tapped her chin, oblivious to the fact that she was getting green makeup all over her fingers.
She shuffled through her brain, trying to think of a better plan and who might be able to help.
She clenched her hand into a fist. “I’ve got it.
One of my clients, who I’d say is almost a friend, is a police dog trainer.
She used to be a K-9 officer, but she retired a while back.
Anyway, I know she is involved with helping women escape domestic violence. ”
“Okay, great, but how does that help Hannah?” Brandee asked.
“Here’s what I’m thinking. If Chad shows up in Marley Creek, we contact Sadie, and she and her dog, Hansel, help us scare him out of town,” Kate said.
“Perfect!” said Zaina. “I’d love to see that asshole run off by a few women and a dog.”
Brandee crossed her arms and glowered at Kate. “Are you sure he’ll be scared off?”
“Hang on.” Kate pulled up Sadie’s website and hit play on a video showing Hansel practicing attacks. They all watched in silence, and once it was done playing, Kate spoke. “Will that work?”
Brandee nodded. “Contact her right away. Make sure she is in and I’ll set up a group chat. If Chad shows up and comes near Hannah, we’ll put it in the group chat and run him out of town.”
Kate went to her contacts and sent a text to Sadie. Then Brandee handed Kate her phone. “Put your contact info in. I’ll set up the chat.”
The rain had lightened up. “We’d better get going,” Zaina said.
Brandee’s brows were still lowered, but at least she’d stopped shooting daggers at Kate with her eyes. “Thanks for your help. You improved the plan. But remember, the reason we are here is because you are working here. That’s the only reason we need you. Period.”
The hostility radiated off Brandee and sapped Kate of all the energy she had. “Got it,” she said quietly. “Once I talk to Sadie, I’ll add her to the group chat.”
“I’m still hopeful that Chad won’t come here, but if he does, thanks for helping Hannah,” Zaina said.
“Always,” Kate said. Her chest ached as the word reverberated throughout her. She missed Hannah so damn much. Brandee, Zaina, and Cathy were right. She was a fool.
The two women walked away. Kate slumped back down behind the counter.
Now that she was finally ready to admit it, life without Hannah was worse than a potential future breakup.
How could she win her back? Her phone rang, and it was Sadie.
First things first, Kate needed to make sure Hannah was safe.