A chill ran through my veins as I watched Hoss stroll through the door the next day when I was on shift at The Daily Grind. Every nerve in my body jolted with fear.
Ava had run to the pharmacy to pick up her prescription during a slow period. I didn’t know what the hell he was doing in Briarville, but one thing was certain: He was up to no good. He’d been the source of so much pain and embarrassment for me back home, telling everyone I’d stalked him and begged him to have sex with me and acted out my vengeance when he refused, and now he was here in my new home.
It took all I had not to run away and hide, but I managed to keep it together long enough to force a smile and greet him like nothing was wrong.
“Welcome to The Daily Grind,” I said cheerfully. “What can I get you today?”
He smiled smugly as he stepped up to the counter, looking me up and down with a self-important expression.
“You didn’t think you could just move away and leave all this behind, did you?” he asked mockingly, grazing a hand over his body as if it were one of his prize bulls wearing a blue ribbon won at the fair.
I swallowed hard and refused to let my anger show on my face.
“To tell you the truth, I hadn’t thought of you at all since leaving Porterville,” I said through gritted teeth. “What can I get you?”
He stared at me for a few seconds before finally replying with his order. As he did so, he leaned forward and spoke quietly so no one else would hear him.
“You ruined my reputation,” he warned darkly, referring to the fake wanted posters I’d papered the town with in order to set the record straight—that Hoss was guilty of attempted assault, and his pecker had gotten exactly what he deserved. That was a little fact he’d left out whenever attempting to set my home town against me. “But don’t think for a second that it’s going to work.”
He stepped back from the counter, leaving me feeling shaken and scared as he walked away without another word.
My hands shook uncontrollably as my mind raced with scenarios in which Hoss could make good on his threat. How was I supposed to get around town knowing Hoss was out there somewhere waiting for me? I already knew he didn’t play fair, so how was I supposed to protect myself?
When Ava returned from her errand, she found me standing frozen behind the counter like a deer caught in headlights. She rushed over immediately; concern etched across her face as she sensed how visibly terrified I was.
Her voice barely above a whisper, she asked so the customers wouldn’t overhear. “Hey, what happened while I was gone? Was Duke here?”
I blew the air out of my lungs in a gust. “I wish. Why don’t we talk about it over drinks tonight? It’s not really something I can discuss here.”
My friend’s face clouded with unease, but she didn’t force it. A fact for which I was eternally grateful.
* * *
My head throbbed relentlessly as I dragged myself into The Daily Grind the next morning. A thick fog had settled in my head, and felt like my brain was vibrating in pain, only adding to the overwhelming sense of exhaustion that consumed me. I really can’t handle my liquor, I thought, as I set about getting ready.
It was odd that Ava hadn’t shown yet, but I suspected she felt worse than me after three cosmos and a long night of getting to know each other better. It was such a relief to tell her about Hoss and everything that happened back in Porterville. She said she’d help me file a police report today. It was both frightening and reassuring to have her take his arrival here so seriously. If she were suffering a hangover, I could handle the shop for a day by myself, and I certainly wouldn’t report her for not showing up.
The coffee brewing smelled like heaven, a perfect remedy for the headache I was suffering. My stomach rumbled in protest at the absence of food, but I ignored it.
The faint creak of the storage door in the back reverberated through me, sending chills cascading down my spine. I’d gone in there once to grab beans and shut it behind me, and the room appeared empty. But that door didn’t open itself.
With a quavering voice, I called out, “Who’s there?”
Hoss stepped into sight, and I shook my head in denial, my elbow knocking over a stack of paper cups on the counter.
“Don’t be nervous,” he said, his expression dark with anger.
I already knew from experience he didn’t care whether he hurt me or not.
“I’m here to set things straight. After all, you ruined my life. It was so easy to find you. Your parents left a big trail.”
I backed away from him, my steps jerky on the nonstick mat between the coffee machines and the display counter.
He glared at me with such intensity it felt like he was trying to sear his way into my hungover head.
“Are you proud of yourself?” He seethed with anger and not an ounce of remorse for his part in what happened.
I shook my head in denial. I had only wanted to get away from him, but now here he was again, ready to torture me for something that wasn’t my fault.
My heart beat wildly as he stepped closer, trapping me in place with nowhere to run. I forced myself to remain still despite the urge to bolt. He stopped several feet away from me, fists clenched at his sides as if he were holding himself back from doing something terrible. It was a familiar stance. One I’d seen too many times coming from him. His dark eyes looked straight through me, not recognizing me as a human.
“Don’t do it,” I warned.
My warning came too late. Hoss lunged, and I reacted instinctually, picking up a nearby coffee pot and smashing it into his face.
The sound of shattering glass echoed through the café as Hoss fell to the ground, shards of glass embedded around his cruel mouth. He screamed in pain as scalding hot coffee seeped into his clothes, searing his skin like hot irons branding flesh.
Grabbing the keys from underneath the register before he got up, I leapt over his body and ran towards the front door. Frantically, I fumbled with the door lock, trembling as cold droplets of sweat traveled down my back, and managed to turn the key. Hoss’s voice behind me growled a wicked promise, “If you go through that door, no one in your family will ever be safe.”
Spinning around to face him, I was surprised again by the sound of someone shoving open the entrance behind me.
I turned quickly to see none other than Duke standing there and wondered for a moment if I was losing my mind.
He was so tall and proud, with his hair neatly combed. He wore a faded flannel shirt and 501’s that were faded and worn, instead of being pressed to perfection. His boots bore scuff marks and his Carhart jacket had clearly kept him warm for years. He was a sight for sore eyes.
I didn’t need a knight in shining armor. Instead, this unpolished one was mine, wearing a worn battle suit that proved he knew how to fight and would keep me safe.
“Whoa there,” he said holding his hands up in mock surrender. “Ava called in sick. Thought you might need some help today.”
His examination of me grew cold with calculation as my terror became clear.
All I could do was point to the counter, where I’d left a guy burnt and bleeding on the floor.
He glanced behind the steel-encased glass, then back at me before stepping aside and motioning for me to go through the door. “Go on now.” He handed me the keys to his pickup, which was parked right out front. “Lock yourself inside.”
I nodded in thanks before dashing out onto the street to his truck.
It only took two minutes for the Briarville Police to arrive, and Duke came out to fetch me for my statement, after they’d cuffed Hoss and led him away. It might take them a while to prove a scary stalker case, but meanwhile, they held him for breaking and entering.
I felt safe in Duke’s arms as he carried me back out to his pickup and drove us to his ranch. All the chaotic events of that day were finally beginning to recede, like a wave ebbing away from the shore, and I realized I was exhausted.
His ranch and stables, gardens and pastures stretched into the horizon. I looked at the wraparound porch and felt a strange stirring beneath my breast.
Inside, the sturdy furniture welcomed me, and there was an inviting warmth which felt like home.