“Get out.”
Jamie’s expression shifted from what looked like smug self-satisfaction to disapproval. Stephanie could only assume no one had ever said no to her before, or if they had, they hadn’t lived long enough to ever do it a second time.
I almost forgot what was behind door number two. Death.
Jamie stood and smoothed her tropical patterned skirt. “I’ve got some things in town I need to take care of. You think on it. I’ll get back to you after the hurricane.”
“You have things to do in Charity? Is it part of your court-ordered community service?”
Jamie unclipped the sunglasses hanging from her chest, slipped them on, and turned on her heel. “I’ll give you a week. I think you’ll feel differently then.”
Stephanie watched her mother leave, hearing the front door open and click shut before she found her voice and jumped to her feet.
“No, I won’t!” she screamed.
Bolting to the window in her office facing the front parking lot, she watched her mother get into a blue Ford Taurus.
She’s definitely on the lam.
The Queen Jamie she knew wouldn’t be caught dead in a Ford Taurus.
Jamie’s words bounced around her brain.
I’m not a loser.
She glanced at her watch. She had a meeting at ten and it was already eight-twenty. She needed to get a shower and—
Wait.
What did Mom mean about the hurricane? Why would she stay in town for a storm?
Maybe the next place she needed to go to was an island? A beach house? Someone might stay in Podunk Charity during a hurricane if their next stop was the coast.
Was she lying low? No, again, dumbest place for her to be was in the same location as her daughter. No way the cops let her go.
Stephanie grabbed her coffee with agitation, sloshing the hot liquid on her chest. She cursed and slapped at the stain, spinning to look out the window again.
Her mother was still in her car, fiddling with her sunglasses.
Business to attend to. Business…
The mug in her fingers slipped. Liquid poured onto her naked toes.
No.
She, her ex, Declan, and his stupid girlfriend were the ones responsible for Jamie’s capture.
Mom is here for revenge.
Against all of them?
Declan? Me?
What was the last thing she’d said?
You’ll feel differently then.
That was it.
She knows I stay in Charity for Declan.
If he’s dead I have no ties.
Stephanie made an attempt to set the coffee cup on the window sill, only to hear it shatter behind her as she bolted to her front door and flung it open.
“Stop!”
The Taurus sat idling at the edge of the parking lot now, pointed toward the street.
Stephanie couldn’t tell if she’d been heard or if Jamie was waiting for the right moment to pull out. She ran across the parking lot gravel, rocks biting into the bottom of her bare feet. Throwing herself against the side of the car, she pounded on the glass.
The driver-side window slid down.
Jamie’s eyebrows sat arched high on her forehead. “Problem?”
“Don’t kill Declan.” Leaning against the car, Stephanie winced and shifted, trying to find a comfortable way to stand on the stones.
“Hm?”
“Don’t kill Declan. That has to be what you’re planning. You’re going to kill him and send me spinning back into your orbit.”
Jamie tucked in her chin, a smirk sliding across her lips. “My. That was almost poetic.”
“Promise me.”
“Fine. I won’t kill Declan.”
Stephanie pushed herself off the car to stand straight. She was about to head back to her office and thought better of it.
That was too easy.
She leaned in again. “Or his girlfriend.”
Jamie huffed. “Oh come on.”
“I’m serious. Not him or Charlotte or any of their friends. He’d never forgive me. If you kill his friends, you might as well kill him.”
“Fine.”
“Good—wait. Fine, you won’t kill anyone he knows? Or fine, you might as well kill him?”
Jamie pursed her lips.
“You mean which one did I mean just now?”
“Mom...”
“Technically, the second one.”
“No.”
“I’m kidding. I’m kidding.” Jamie rested her head against the headrest and closed her eyes. “I really thought hanging out with you would be more fun.”
“Promise me, Mom.”
Jamie smiled and opened her eyes. “Have I told you I love it when you call me Mom?”
“It’s the irony, not the affection you appreciate. Promise me.”
Jamie raised her right hand and pinched together her thumb and pinky, leaving three fingers erect, saluting like a Girl Scout. “I swear.”
Stephanie shook her head. “Not good enough. Say all the words.”
“Fine. I swear I won’t kill Declan or any of his friends.”
Stephanie wiped her brow, the early morning sun already squeezing the moisture from her body.
“Good. Goodbye.”
Her mother dropped her Girl Scout salute to cover the hand Stephanie had resting on the window’s edge. She applied pressure to hold her there, waiting a second to ensure Stephanie met her eyes. “And you promise to really think about my invitation.”
Stephanie pulled her hand away and headed toward her door, muttering. “I will.”
“Promise,” called her mother.
Stephanie raised a hand to flash the same three-fingered salute. “I promise.”
The stones crunched behind her as the car pulled out of the parking lot.
Witch.
Picking up her pace, Stephanie entered the office and shut the door behind her.
She locked it.
Jogging to her bedroom, she found her phone charging on the floor beside her cot. Jerking it free from the cord, she dialed Declan.
“Hello?”
It made her smile to hear his voice. After all, he had to have caller I.D. and he still picked up, after everything she’d put him through.
I don’t deserve him.
Of course, that’s pretty much what he
