10. Lexi
CHAPTER 10
Lexi
Friday
W alking through the local grocery store, I’m pushing the cart while Shayna rattles off items that she remembers that we need. Nodding, I am basically just following her around as she tosses items in the cart. I already know our final bill is over two hundred dollars with the amount of things she has in here already.
“Do you think I should go ahead and grab two?” she asks me, placing a large bottle of pink moscato in the cart.
“Might as well,” I say with a laugh. “It’s not like we won’t drink it.”
She nods and says, “Well, you’re not wrong.” Grabbing another bottle and sitting it right next to the other one. We both stand staring at the list checking that everything that we need for the next week has already made it into our cart.
“Shit. We need more coffee and creamer,” she says and heads off to the other aisle, as I follow her dutifully. When I turn the corner, I see someone that makes my feet hesitate and my heart skip. I do a double take but he turns quickly around.
My feet move quickly following Shayna. It can’t be. There is no way he would find me here in Savannah. Even if he knew I was here, how would he find me in such a big town? There is no way. My eyes are deceiving me.
As I make it to Shayna, I glance over my shoulder again and the guy is gone. Yep, I definitely imagined it. Staring behind me, checking everyone there, I hear Shayna place a few more things in our basket. My ears are ringing from anxiety. I can’t hear anything besides the incessant humming and blood rushing in my ears. I slowly turn back around and Shayna is staring at me.
She glances behind me as well, then back at me. “Everything okay?” she asks.
“Oh… um… yeah,” I say, giving my head a little shake and laugh. “What else are we missing?” I ask moving to look at her little list.
She stares at me with brows furrowed trying to make out if I’m lying, and then looks down at the list as well. “I think that’s everything. Besides the bagels, they are up front with the bread. We can grab them on the way out,” she says and we move in unison toward the front of the store.
I keep looking from side to side as I pass aisles, checking to see if I find that guy again. Maybe if I can see his face more clearly, it will give me a little assurance that I was seeing things. But whoever it was, must be on the other side of the store or left. He’s nowhere to be found. Shayna grabs the bagels and we make our way to the cashiers.
After we have paid for everything, and all the bags are in our cart we make our way to Shayna’s SUV. We’re getting in, now that all the items are closed up in the back. Shayna places the key in the ignition but doesn’t turn the engine over. Once I’m buckled in, I look over at her and see she’s staring at me.
“Would you like to tell me what happened in there?” she asks.
“What do you mean?”
She gives me a look that screams ‘Don’t play with me’ . I release a breath and roll my eyes. “Fine. There was a guy in there that looked a lot like Jason and it just set my anxiety on high alert is all. But I know it wasn’t him. Couldn’t be,” I say.
Shayna watches me for a minute and something passes over her eyes. Hopefully I convinced her I’m okay. She nods and starts the engine. Backing out of the parking spot we head out of the lot towards home. As we pass the front entrance doors of the store, I see the guy who I thought was Jason walking out with nothing in his hands. He’s wearing a baseball cap and a pair of sunglasses. How did I ever just assume some random guy was Jason.
As I look, his head follows us to the exit as he just stands there. I could literally feel his eyes on me. Looking forward again, I keep telling myself it’s not him. It’s definitely not him. When I look into the side mirror, the guy is gone. I know my mind is just playing tricks on me.
“Are you all set to start back to work Monday?” Shayna asks me as she’s stirring the sauteed onions, peppers and mushrooms she’s making on the stove. In another pan she’s steaming asparagus and in the oven she’s slow cooking a roast with baby potatoes and carrots. The smell of her cooking is making my mouth water. I wasn’t hungry before, but now I’m ravenous. I’m sitting at the kitchen island counter watching her cook with a cold glass of wine.
“Yeah. That reminds me, I have a missed call from Matthew,” I say. Shayna places a lid on top of the vegetables she is sauteing, grabs her glass of wine and turns to face me.
Leaning her arms on the counter, she opens her mouth to speak as the boys come running into the kitchen. Both of our heads immediately turn their way.
“Mom, can we go to the skate park down the street?” Landon asks excitedly. Shayna looks over to Darian, standing at the end of the counter.
“Are you going to watch him while you’re there and who all is going to be there?” she asks her oldest son.
“I’m going to hang out with CJ. He has to take Carter with him so I figured Landon and him can play together,” he says shrugging.
“Yeah, but are you going to watch him?” she asks again, a little more sternly.
“Yeah, mom. I won’t let him out of my sight. Okay?” he replies.
“Please, mom. I want to go play with Carter,” Landon pleads.
“Alright, fine. Just be back before dark. Your dad should be home soon,” she says, lifting her glass of wine to her lips and taking a drink.
“Yay!” Landon shouts and runs out of the kitchen with Darian slowly moving behind him rolling his eyes, as all big brothers being tasked with watching their little brothers would do.
Shayna and I watch as they leave and then look at one another. We both burst out laughing at the same time. The two brothers get along pretty well being so far apart in age, but not when they are forced to spend a lot of time together.
A vibrating noise catches both our attention, we look towards the other counter where Shayna’s phone is laying. She walks over and picks it up and looks at the screen. A smile forms on her lips as she sits her glass of wine down so she can type out a reply with both hands. As her fingers fly, she glances up at me with a devious smile.
“Cam should be here soon,” she says.
Looking down at my watch I notice it’s still early for him. He must have left a little early today.
“Let me go call Matthew back really quick. It’s Friday and he may try to get out early too,” I say, standing grabbing my phone from the island counter. Shayna just nods and turns towards the stove as she continues texting her husband.
Pressing the call button to return his call, I lift the phone to my ear as I sit down on the couch.
“This is Matthew Whitfield,” I hear his deep voice say.
“Hey Matthew. It’s Lexi. Sorry I missed–” I start but he interrupts me.
“Lexi. Are you okay?” he asks, sounding a bit frazzled. This makes me sit up immediately and my nerves are on full alert.
“Ummm. Yeah, why?” I ask.
Hearing him release a deep breath, I hear noise in the background sounding like he’s shutting his office door, then the creak of his chair once again.
“Fuck, Lexi. We had to hire a new receptionist this week. Dayna left on maternity leave. And we didn’t even think Jason would–” he starts but hesitates.
“What’s going on Matthew? Jason would what?” I ask, my voice shaking with my rising panic.
“I came back from lunch and found him chatting up the new receptionist. After I told him to leave, she told me that he had been asking where you were now stationed telling her that he’s your brother. I’m so sorry, Lexi,” he says. My heart stops and my mind immediately goes back to the store this morning. I’m in full panic mode now. My breath quickens and my head starts to swim. I stand quickly, and my breaths are coming out in pants, and I have to sit down again.
There is buzzing in my ears and I can’t hear anything but the blood rushing and I see little white spots before my eyes. Until I feel a drip of water hit the hand that is in my lap, do I realize I’m crying.
“Lexi… are you okay, Lexi?” I finally hear Matthew say through the haze that is my full blown panic attack.
“Oh… Um… no. I thought I saw him but then said it couldn’t be. But now I’m not so sure,” I say, shaking my head slightly.
“I’m so sorry, Lex. This is my fault. I should have informed the new receptionist, but I didn’t think he would try again after knowing you left,” Matthew says, sounding resigned and upset.
“Yeah, it’s okay Matthew. I gotta… I, uh, I gotta go. I will call you later,” I say and before he can reply I’m pressing the red disconnect button. I sit there for a moment longer before I leap into action. I’m walking quickly to my room and throw my bag on the bed. I start throwing my clothes into an open duffle haphazardly. I need to get out of here. It won’t be long before he shows up here too.
From inside the closet, I hear Shayna walking down the hallway. The door creaks open, and I come out of the closet with my arms full of my shirts.
“What’s going on, Lex?” Shayna asks confused, staring between my bag and me.
“He knows. Jason knows where I am. I gotta go,” I say, shoving the shirts inside the bag.
“What? Wait… what do you mean?” she asks, moving closer and grabbing my arm, pulling me to a stop as I try to go grab more clothes. “Stop and talk to me. What the fuck is going on, Lexi?”
“He got the information from a new receptionist. He knows where I am. I think that was him this morning. He’s going to show up here next. I know it. I– I just need to leave,” I say and try to pull away from her as I feel the tears start to flow now.
She pulls me to a stop grabbing both my upper arms. Her strength is crazy for as small as she is. “Look at me,” she says and comes to a stop. Tilting my head to look up at the ceiling, I release a stressed breath. “Look at me,” she says again, this time cupping my cheeks and pulling my face down to look at her.
“You’re safe here, I promise. He’s not going to get to you here. He won’t do anything with us here. And our neighbor down the street is a sheriff’s deputy. We won’t let anything happen to you,” she says the last sentence quietly.
Pulling me to the bed, we both sit down. I lean forward with my elbows on my knees and my face in my hands, I begin to really cry.
“I’m scared, Shay,” I say in my hands. I look up and directly in her eyes. “I’m scared for me. I'm scared for you, Cam and the boys. You really don’t know what he’s capable of.”
Shayna starts rubbing my back in slow circles. “I know, babe. But you’re safer here with us than out there on your own. Please don’t do this. Don’t go,” she says and I look at the desperate look in her eyes. Tears are welling in her own eyes now, and how can I say no to that.
We both hear the front door open and close, my head snaps towards the noise. Now I’m on full alert mode. “Babe… Lexi… I’m home,” we hear Camden yell from the front door as we hear the thud of his bag hitting the hardwood floor and the jingle of his keys hitting the table by the door.
Shayna pleads with her eyes to me, and I give it a few moments thought and give her a little nod. “In here, Cam,” Shayna yells, even though we already heard his boot clad feet heading in the direction of our rooms.