34. Chapter 34
thirty-four
J ulian glared at Chris. The man had gone white as snow, hands above his head. Julian hardly recognized his own voice as he barked, “Walk backwards, a couple yards, and stand there. Slowly.”
Eyes down on the ground, Chris lifted a foot.
He nearly stumbled. Even as he walked away, Julian smelled the stench of alcohol coming off Chris in waves.
It had been unlucky for all of them that no stater had stopped Chris for intoxicated driving– or perhaps, Julian imagined, Chris had started drinking not that long ago in order to goad himself into throwing himself upon Annie’s mercy.
I shoulda pulled my gun the second he grabbed Annie. But that was neither here nor there. They’d both underestimated this piece of excrement.
Julian stepped forward and extended his arm into the car. He kept his focus on Chris, finger poised over the trigger, and held his breath until Annie grabbed onto him and scrambled out into the night air. She tried latching onto his chest.
“No, behind me.”
Obeying, Annie scrambled. Her quaking body rocked violently against his.
“You,” Julian said, addressing Chris. He jerked the gun towards the car as he carefully moved backwards with Annie.
Their bare feet shuffled on the cold gravel.
“You’re going to leave. We’re all going to forget this night.
But you drive away. Far away. If you ever try to contact Annie again, even if it’s to say hello, I will immediately file a police report and have you arrested for assault and stalking.
” Now up on the deck, he beckoned Chris forward with his empty hand.
“Slowly. Get in your car. Get off my property.”
“She’ll learn one way or another that I’m the only one for her, the dumb bitch,” Chris muttered, walking forward, hands still up.
He pulled open the driver’s side door, and as he slammed it, Julian almost wished the man had given him a definitive reason to put a bullet through his skull.
Chris was no doubt enraged that he’d lost in such an ugly way.
In his gut, Julian somehow knew that Chris would never give up his obsession.
Finally, the set of red taillights disappeared down the driveway, the madman leaving them with the sound of their terrorized, heaving breaths.
Satisfied Chris was gone, Julian switched his gun’s safety back on.
“Julian...” Annie whimpered, trembling.
He guided Annie into the cabin. Closing the door, he slammed every deadbolt home before he wound his arms around her. He brought her as close to his chest as he could, and placed a hand on the back of her head. His fingers mingled with her locks.
“Ow!” She flinched and gently pulled his hand away. “He yanked my hair...”
“Sorry.” He rocked her gently. “I’m so sorry, Annie. I couldn’t aim at him until he put you down.” Chris threatening her life would’ve been the exception. But let’s not think about that.
“He’s changed,” she said, crying into his chest.
Still holding her, Julian found her phone, which he’d tucked into his back pocket. He dialed 911. It rang for a few moments before a male voice came over the line.
“Hello, what’s your emergency?”
Annie looked up, confused.
“Yeah,” Julian replied. He rubbed his tender jaw. “I need to report a drunk driver...”
The afternoon following the fiasco with Chris, Annie couldn’t bear to leave Julian. She could hardly keep her eyes open, but the last thing she wanted was to rest. Sleeping through nightmares filled with awful scenarios her brain cooked up was even more draining.
“He’s not here,” Julian whispered when she’d woken up in a cold sweat.
A kiss to her forehead.
Slow strokes pressed into her back.
“You’re safe with me. You’re in my room. Under these warm blankets. Take a deep breath…”
Annie exhaled slowly, nestling closer to Julian’s chest. He wrapped his warm arms around her.
“I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t been there,” she whispered. She looked up and traced the outline of the bruise forming on his jaw. Guilt washed over her. “Your poor face.”
“Worth it. I’d take a hundred punches if it meant keeping you safe.”
The next day, they stopped by Molly’s cabin to fix the leaking kitchen sink with the parts Julian had bought weeks before. To her dismay, he told her that his dad was getting out of prison— not only early, but in days .
What the fuck! That’s egregious . It surely weighed on him like a dead chicken hung around his neck. She worried his frustration would trigger something dark. Poke at habits he’d worked so hard to overcome.
This is going to test him. Test any residual anger he’s forced down.
Julian confessed that he’d deleted her phone number, and she gave it to him again before she left Northgold a few days later. She felt a little guilty that he’d given up on her that much, but what mattered was that they had vowed to make things work.
They were both still shaken up, but Peter needed Annie back home in time for the anniversary party, and she’d promised she’d still help.
She thought about telling Molly and Peter what had happened over the phone, but knew it was something that needed to be explained in person.
Julian would drive into town for the party the day of to join her.
The first morning back in Fort Walton, Annie checked her messages. She’d sent off her articles for review. In her inbox was an email from her boss. Her leg bounced, but once she read Leonard Princely’s praise, she put a hand to her chest and let out a sigh of relief.
To: Annie Turner
From: Leonard Princely
Subject: Article Edits
Dear Miss Turner ,
I just finished reading your article, “Powdery Mildew: You’re Not Alone in This Fight.
” I wanted to express my appreciation for your clear writing.
While this isn’t a new topic, this was upbeat, refreshing, and a great motivator for our gardeners who need a little extra push.
Your article will help them realize their problem is typical and solvable, and that they truly aren’t alone.
I’ve noted a couple of changes. Keep the good writing coming.
Yours, Leonard Princely
At the Root Level, Head Editor
Annie sat with her hands on her cheeks and a wide smile on her lips. Princely had praised her writing before— just never to this degree. She really had seen herself as a failure, and this was exactly the boost her starving ego needed.
A laugh bubbled from her chest and a wave of embarrassment hit her as tears misted her eyes. Well, heck, I deserved that praise. These are happy tears, and they’re mine.
Annie helped Molly with a few chores and made them salads for lunch before they settled down, eating snacks and streaming shows. Having come home after bedtime the night before, Annie now told Molly about her weekend– the good and the awful.
It was a mystery how Chris had found the cabin, but their best guess was that he’d seen Molly’s public No Wait Diner repost on her social media.
Molly swiped at her eyes with a shaking hand. “I’m so sorry, Annie... I forgot to change the share setting to friends only. It slipped my brain. I’m so sorry. And we were worried he’d stalk you. And this was all my fault. ”
Annie took Molly’s hands and stared her dead in the eye. “Things happen. There’s no way you could’ve predicted he’d super sleuth his way to Julian’s cabin.”
“God... that’s scary. He didn’t cause too much trouble, did he?”
Annie hesitated. “He cussed us out and left when his movie-inspired demonstration didn’t win him any points,” she fibbed.
She couldn’t bring herself to tell Molly the whole story.
The less stress her friend endured, the better.
In the end, Annie and Julian had taken care of it.
She was, however, considering filing a restraining order.
“I’m so sorry...”
“It’s alright. I think he’s got the message.” He can think about what he did while he’s in jail for that DUI .
Julian had followed up with the sheriff’s office, just in case Chris had slipped away. He hadn’t. Annie had no idea how harsh a punishment Chris would get, but Julian assured her it wouldn’t be light.
“Good.” Molly hugged a pillow and smirked. “So... the rest of your grand gesture went well. Before dingus showed up, of course.”
Annie smiled shyly.
“Awww, you love him, don’t you!”
“Maybe...”
“Have you said it yet?”
“It?”
“You know... that you love each other...”
“Maybe...?”
“Annie!” Molly growled, hitting Annie on the shoulder with her pillow. “You totally said it, didn’t you? You like-like him... Considering all that K-I-S-S-I-N-G in the trees! ”
Annie burst out laughing. Moments like this reminded her of their younger days when they’d gossip about their crushes — well, usually just Molly’s.
It’d felt like she’d had a new one every week.
“Remember Stephen Rosling?” she said. “He was next to you in alphabetical order, so you’d walk next to him when we’d have to line up, and you thought he was the best thing ever–"
Molly rolled her eyes. “Yeah, until he gave me a flat tire in the hallway and called me a klutz when I tripped. I couldn’t look at him for the rest of fifth grade. Everyone knew you like-liked Neil-something-or-other.”
“Of course. He always had an amazing mom lunch, and he shared it with me,” Annie laughed. “He only wanted the store-bought cookies.”
“Very generous. Good quality.”
Later that night, Peter brought takeout for their late dinner.
They all ate together in the bedroom— Molly under the blankets, Annie on the end of the bed, and Peter in a chair at Molly’s side.
Molly was chatty, but halfway through the meal she looked exhausted.
She set her half-eaten plate aside on the nightstand.
Peter raised a brow. “You done, Molly?”
Molly blinked, covered her yawn with her hand, and shook her head. “I’ll heat it up and eat more later.” Molly closed her eyes and leaned back against her mountain of pillows.
Peter reached over and stroked her arm gently.
Annie took this as her cue to leave. She grabbed hers and Peter’s plates, which he’d practically licked clean.
“I’m heading to bed. I have an assignment due.
” Tomorrow was also the surprise party; she had a few people to check on regarding desserts and snacks.
“Hey, Molly? I’d like to treat you to lunch tomorrow,” she said, hoping she didn’t sound suspicious.
“That sounds lovely. We can pick a place in the morning. Goodnight, Annie,” Molly murmured, pulling her blankets up to her chin.
Once in her room, Annie realized she was tired, too. She quickly sent out messages to party guests before she sent a goodnight text to Julian. Too tired to get up and shut off her lamp, she fell asleep, phone in hand.
Several hours later, she woke up and got out of bed to use the bathroom. Oddly, the kitchen lights were on. She heard the front door creak open. She hesitated in the hallway, her heart quickening. Had someone broken in?
Peter rushed around the corner.
Annie jumped backward, clutching her chest. “Woah!”
Peter was out of breath. “Sorry. I'm scrambling. I'm taking Molly to the hospital,” he panted. “Excuse me.” He eased Annie aside.
Annie’s jaw dropped. “What! Why?” She followed Peter to Molly’s bedroom, bracing herself.
Molly sat on the edge of the bed, her chin tucked into her chest, a pained look across her face.
Peter took his wife by the elbow and stroked her back. “Breathe, Molly.”
“Shoes,” Molly said, her voice thin with a slight background whisper of fear.
Annie froze in the doorway. “Is she okay?”
“She doesn’t feel well,” Peter explained. He put his wife’s slippers on her feet.
“Like how?”
“Dizzy, some cramping.”
While Peter helped Molly shuffle from the bedroom to the front door, Annie dashed to her room and threw on sweatpants and a jacket. Grabbed her phone. Keys. She caught Peter right as he was helping Molly to the car.
Peter started, “Annie, you can stay here—"
“I’m coming, too. Are you done inside?” After a nod from Peter, Annie locked the door behind her. “Plus, my car is blocking you guys.”
Peter strapped Molly in. He sprinted around the car to the driver’s side.
Was it appendicitis? A blockage? Annie’s mind raced, her heart in her throat as she sped after her friends, desperately praying everything would be okay.