Chapter 14
BAILEY
Iorder us each a different brunch sandwich from the charming and friendly older woman with silver streaks in her braided hair.
Our table is at the rear of the room, near a bulletin board covered with business cards and community flyers. There's an art gallery in a town this size? Amazing. And sunrise hikes with an outdoor guide company, and a “ladies’ garage night” to teach women basic car maintenance?
I don't believe in signs. I believe in logic and planning. But as I look out across the small town that melts into the beautiful forest and stunning mountains, I want to trust my heart.
I love Nate. It's scary to think that way already, but it's true.
What more of a sign do I need?
The door to the café opens, and a man with a sheriff's badge comes marching over to me. A tall man with a deep tan who had been sitting near the door stands up and walks shoulder to shoulder with him as they approach.
"Bailey Lea?”
My entire body is already clenching up. "Yes?" I squeak.
His expression softens a bit. "I'm Cal Granger, the Sheriff. We spoke on the walkie-talkies last night."
The man beside him nods firmly. “Eli. Mountain rescue.”
"What's wrong?" I gasp. “If someone is hurt or missing, Nate is just outside…"
The sheriff shakes his head. "Nothing like that. I've been getting calls for the past two hours from your father, saying that a creepy older man kidnapped his teenage daughter. Obviously, this is the kind of thing I need to check out."
Oh. My. God.
Every eye in the café is trained directly on me. I just want to melt into the floor.
Taking a deep breath, I remain calm, somehow. "Jeremy is my stepfather. And he's a drunk asshole, if you'll excuse my language."
The sheriff looks like he's trying to keep a straight face until his phone rings. Then he rolls his eyes. "Guy calls every ten minutes,” he mutters to Eli. “Whatta psycho."
It’s a video call, and he holds the phone up as he answers. "I'm with her now, Jeremy. She's fine. You can settle down."
“No, I can't!" He sounds hysterical. "My teenager has been kidnapped by a maniac.”
The Sheriff’s expression barely changes. “Bailey, how old are you?”
“Twenty-one.”
"I believe you, but for the record, can you prove that?"
"Not right now, I can’t. My mother stole my purse with all my ID in it.”
“She’s only seventeen!” Jeremy shrieks. Then he pauses. “Or…something like that. But if she can’t prove it, you have to ship her home immediately, right? There are runaway programs and stuff that do that?”
I start to shake, until I see Nate standing right behind the other men. It’s a comfort to know that he will jump in if I need him.
Then it clicks, and my eyes almost bug out of my head.
"He's trying to get me shipped home for free," I gasp. "They abandoned me here, and now they don't want to pay for me to get home."
The sheriff looks uncomfortable. "I want to believe you, Bailey. But—" He looks back over his shoulder and sees Nate, who simply nods.
"Hold on, I just thought of something." I grab my phone and pull up my photos, then hand it to him. "Pictures of my driver’s license and birth certificate. I'm twenty-one."
Cal takes a close look, then grins with a sparkle in his eye. "Sorry, Jeremy, she's twenty-one. She has proof right here."
"She's lying! Those are forgeries."
"Bailey is happy and healthy, and legally an adult. The most I can do for you is promise that I'll keep an eye on her. Got it?"
"You need to do your job!" Jeremy screams.
"Listen here.” Cal’s voice becomes stern. "You're the guy who abandoned his six-year-old twin sons to go drinking, right?"
Across the café, somebody's fork drops with a clatter. Otherwise, there is stunned silence for several seconds, before Jeremy sputters, "That's not really what happened. Wires got crossed, and—"
"Jeremy… Shut up." Cal sighs. "Bailey, do you have anything else to say to this man?"
"Not a word."
He turns to Nate. Anything you'd like to say, Mr. Creepy Evil Kidnapper?"
Mae snorts a laugh. "Kidnapper, my fanny! Every person in this room saw the cartoon hearts in their eyes when they kissed a few minutes ago."
Cal holds his phone close to his face and glares at the camera. "Jeremy, if you call me one more time, I will treat it as harassment and have you brought up on charges. For that, and for abandoning your sons. Are we clear?"
Jeremy is still huffing when Cal ends the call and turns to me. "Bailey, I'm so sorry about this." He shakes my hand. "Anytime you need me, just holler."
"No problem. I understand you have to check out a call like that."
Eli extends a hand as well. "I'd like to apologize in advance: I'm the one that's going to be calling Nate for help in the middle of the night now and then. It's lovely to meet you."
"You, too."
The men clap Nate on the shoulder on their way out, and Eli pauses. “Sorry I had to call and get you out of here. Cal needed to see Bailey alone—”
“To confirm she’s here of her own free will.” Nate smiles. “You were just doing what’s best for my girl. Fine by me.”
The two men leave, and Nate comes over to sit beside me as everyone else goes back to their food. He takes my hand, then whispers, "I'm so sorry, baby. What can I do?"
Before I can answer, Mae sets our lunches in front of us. "A hearty meal will calm you right down after that little fuss.”
“Thanks, Mae," Nate says.
He stays on my side of the table with his arm around me, gently rubbing my back. "Well," he says cautiously, "now half the town knows who you are, and that you're with me. That's…good?"
If I were at home, I'd retreat to my room with a book for several days. Or journal about my feelings.
Maybe that's the answer. "Can we do another brain dump soon?"
His face relaxes. "Of course, baby. Whatever you want. Always."