A low breath escaped my lips. I was being stubborn, overly emotional maybe because of my strong feelings for Sarah. Maybe I needed to forgive and forget.
“Thank you,” I said. “I’m sorry too. For maybe getting a little too heated that day.”
She blinked, and her smile widened. “No need to apologize. I’m just glad the Briskens have another person in their lives who will always be in their corner.”
I smiled, giving a nod of acknowledgment, and then made my way back to the car. I had a list of things to do—mostly laundry and groceries. But I wanted those menial tasks done before tonight because we were having a Harry Potter marathon.
The sun was shining brightly overhead, and I inhaled the crisp fall air. I stepped into the car, mentally making a note, prioritizing where I needed to go first.Post office. Drugstore. Grocery store.
After I placed my key into the ignition, I screamed. My blood thrashed in my ears, and my whole body went on high alert, tensing and quivering and heating.
I see you live the cushy life now, huh? Does that mean you don’t need me?
I shoved the door open, ripping the Post-it Note from the dash. Outside, I searched the vicinity, looking past the cars, the school, doing a three-sixty to find him—Paul.
I knew he was here. Around this school, lurking in the shadows because I couldn’t see him anywhere. The only ones walking around were a few women congregated by their cars.
I hopped in the car and circled the school three times, but he was nowhere to be found, so I did what I knew I had to do to keep my girls safe—I drove to Brisken Printing Corporation.
I knew they’d be fine at the school. They had a security system and a guard on the premises and adults accompanying them to the pumpkin patch. They would not allow the girls to leave without a signed confirmation.
All these thoughts played in my mind as I tried not to panic but think straight. But the shock was too great.How the hell did he find me?I’d been so careful. And even though I thought I’d seen Paul on the street that one day, this was different. He knew where the girls went to school. He knew my car. He knew where we lived.
This was a nightmare. My literal nightmare come to life.
When I pulled into the parking garage, my brakes squealed to a stop. My feet could not move fast enough out of the car, into the high-rise, and toward the security desk, where I was stopped by a turnstile.
Shit, I didn’t have a badge to swipe.
I told one of the guards, “Hi, I’m Becky Summers, Charles Brisken’s children’s nanny. I need to see Charles.”
The stocky over-six-foot male with the burly beard towered over me. “Do you have an appointment?”
My arms crossed over my chest, and I peered up at him, straight on, unblinking and agitated. “I don’t, but it’s an emergency.”
Before he tried to deny me entry again, I plucked out my phone from my purse and called Charles.
He picked up on the second ring. “Hey, Becky.”
“Charles, I’m down here at security, but they won’t let me up.” I tried to keep the panic out, but I couldn’t.
There was a note of worry in his voice. “I’ll come get you.”
And then he hung up.
“He’s coming to get me.”
The security guard’s tough-looking demeanor wavered. Minutes later, Charles was down at the security desk.
He swiped his card to let me pass through the turnstile. Then, he turned to the stocky male. “Becky Summers. She gets a permanent all-access pass. Make sure she has it before she leaves today.”
Charles surprised me by taking my hand and leading us toward the elevators.
A few bystanders paused to gawk at us. If there was any doubt that we were together, it was squashed by Charles’s proximity to me.
We entered the far elevators, where it was less busy.
As soon as the doors shut, his face clouded with concern. “What brings you to the office?”