And just like that, the warm, contented feeling started ebbing away, from just the sound of his name. Wade. Like a mottled grey blanket had been thrown over the sun.
She grimaced lightly and shrugged. “We were together a long time. I knew he had a problem. I knew it way before my wedding day, you know? It just took that day for me to face it. I had to let him go. But, it still broke my heart a little bit.”
“I’ve never been…I mean, I’ve never had my heart broken. By a girl.”
“You’re lucky. It’s no picnic.”
“He’s the one with the problem.”
They were similar words to the ones he’d said at her apartment, but this time they didn’t comfort her. “You don’t even know me, Erik. Maybe it was partially my fault. Maybe I enabled him. Maybe I should have tried harder to get him help or…”
“Hey.” Erik’s voice was gentle. “He’s a grown-ass man. If he needed help, he should have gotten some. And anyway, the drinking aside…getting wasted on his wedding day? Stalking you? Breaking bottles and making threats? He’s not just a jerk; he’s dangerous. You were right to walk away.”
“I wish it felt that cut-and-dried.”
“Doesn’t it?”
“We were together for five years.” Her voice was soft, wistful.
Meeting Wade a few weeks after her seventeenth birthday had been a rush. He was the new kid in town, tall and handsome with twinkling eyes and a confidence that set him apart from the other high school guys. He quickly became the most popular boy in school. Football star, Homecoming king. How bewildering that he only had eyes for shy, studious Katrin Svenson.
At first, no one understood; she’d always been Bookworm Kat to her classmates—classmates who hadn’t noticed her physical transformation that summer.
Her chest had filled out, her waist had tightened, and her blonde hair flowed down her back in a golden ripple. Having no preconception of her personality, Wade had pursued the pretty senior doggedly until she agreed to go to homecoming with him, until she’d even agreed to be his girlfriend. She’d been carried away by so much attention from the handsome, popular newcomer.
“I was about to marry him,” she continued. “I didn’t want it to end like that. I hate to see what he’s become.”
“You loved him? I guess you loved him.”
“I was with him for a long time. High school sweethearts. It’s hard to know when I stopped loving him. I knew for sure the day I couldn’t be with him anymore. But, the day I stopped loving him? I don’t know. Maybe there’s a part of me that still loves Wade, that’ll always love Wade, even though we can’t be together.”
It had been easy to love cool, confident, fun, high school Wade. It was easy to believe that he loved her back. Her mind fast-forwarded to the pitiful man raging on her doorstep a few nights ago, and she sighed. It hurt her heart to see the changes in him. It hurt her heart that the same man who held her after her father died had changed into the monster on her doorstep screaming obscenities in the middle of the night.
She trembled, drawing her legs up and resting her feet on the seat. Would she be safe? Would she ever be safe? This morning she’d woken up at her brother’s house and tomorrow she would wake up in a new town, far, far away from home. She wrapped her arms around her knees, hugging her body into a little ball, tuning her ears back into Erik’s words.
“…sure you’ll be okay. The worst of it’s behind you. You just have to find your footing again.”
“What if he finds me? Or what if he makes trouble for my mom? Or Kris?”
“Hey. No, don’t worry about that. Kristian has everything under control. He’s ex-military. He’s big and he’s smart. Come on. Don’t worry about them.”
“What about me?” she whimpered, her fears circling her like wolves.
“We’re getting you far away from him. He’s not going to find you. And I’m not going to let anything happen to you. We’re going to check out this new job, make sure everything looks okay, and I’m going to come check on you…every Sunday if you want me to. And you’re going to let me know if you’re scared or if something doesn’t feel right…or if you need me. For anything. That’s the plan, okay?”
She sniffled, and her eyes filled with tears, out of self-pity, but also from his kindness. He didn’t know her at all, but he was offering his protection to her. It made her feel a little better. No, a lot better.
“Thanks, Erik.”
“Yeah, of course. You think I want to face Ing and your brother if something happens to you? Think again! You’re not alone, okay? You’re safe now.”
“Safe,” she whispered. “O-okay.”
She nodded, trying to smile for him. Then turning away, she rolled down her window, and the car was suddenly full of clean, fresh mountain air. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs, holding herself tightly, trying to convince herself that he was right and the day would come when she would finally feel safe again.
***
Her voice had cracked just before she turned away to open the window, and it bothered him to see her upset.
Great job making her feel better, Erik. Change the subject, distract her and do not mention the fiancé again. Make it better. Make some conversation. Say something. Say anything.
“So. Umm…Kat, um, what’s it like having Ingrid for a sister-in-law?”
Katrin turned away from the window and glanced at him. “Probably not so different from having her as an extra sister. I mean, assuming that’s how you think
