A Life Without Water
Page 26
Someone was watching her.
Someone was waiting for her.
This wasn’t the first time Julia had suspected she was being followed. Actually, this sensation was becoming much too familiar. She couldn’t explain the feeling or pinpoint exactly why she felt so vulnerable. But she knew it. Someone was watching her.
She wanted to turn around. Go back inside the security of the store where the staff knew her by name. Maybe she would have if she hadn’t spent so much time sorting through the pile of organic tomatoes that the manager had come to see if she needed assistance. She had smiled and selected two bright red Romas that were not on her list. Her husband didn’t eat tomatoes. She would likely throw them away before Eric could ask why she’d wasted money on them.
She didn’t tell the manager that picking the produce had been an excuse to linger in the store. Being surrounded by shoppers and staff was better than being alone. No. Not alone. She was never alone anymore.
Eric said she was becoming paranoid and suggested she go to the doctor. He said maybe her hormones were out of balance. Ever since she’d had a bout of baby blues after their second child was born, he attributed everything to her hormones. Never mind that was over twenty-five years ago. Other than that one brief postpartum spell, she had never been prone to anxiety or blowing things out of proportion. She’d been a stay-at-home mom and hoarder of bandages for scraped knees and bike accidents. But she’d never been paranoid.
Julia faced her parking spot—eight spots down the far-left row. She’d made it inside the store in less than a minute. But that was before she had a cart of groceries. She counted the reusable bags she’d filled. Six. She could carry six bags.
She again scanned what she could see of the parking lot from where she stood inside the store. After finding no immediate danger, she hefted the bags onto her forearms and then forced herself into the sunlight.
Damn it.
She’d been so preoccupied with checking her surroundings, she hadn’t dug her sunglasses out of her purse. The midday sun was blinding as it filled the sky and reflected off windshields. She also realized she hadn’t pulled her keys from the outside pocket of her purse. They were within easy reach there, but the handles of the overfilled market bags pressed hard into her forearms, limiting her movements. She would have to put them down to free her hand enough to secure her keys.
Quickening her steps, Julia rushed toward her car. The bumper sticker boasting that she was a proud volunteer at the local dog shelter was like a beacon. She was almost there. Almost safe. The soft soles of her tennis shoes didn’t make a sound as she rushed, but she was certain anyone close enough would hear her labored breathing. Sweat broke on her brow as she stopped at her trunk. Dropping the bags from her left arm without a care for the contents inside, Julia dug in her purse pocket and snagged the loop of her keyring with a finger. The relief she felt at having the keys in her hand was immeasurable. And ridiculous. She was a grown woman terrified of being alone in a parking lot. In broad daylight.
Maybe Eric was right. Maybe she was becoming paranoid.
Using the button on the fob, she released her trunk and then set her groceries inside. Taking a moment to exhale a long breath, Julia made the decision to call her doctor. Something was off with her. Having this kind of fear every day without reason was not normal.
Julia rested her fingertips on the trunk lid hovering above her head. Before she could pull it down, the lid slammed, startling her. Jumping back, she held her breath. A tall man stood between her and the sun. With his face silhouetted by the light, she needed a moment to recognize him.
She smiled when she did. She really was being paranoid.
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Also by Marci Bolden
Stonehill Series:
The Road Leads Back
Friends Without Benefits
The Forgotten Path
Jessica’s Wish
This Old Cafe
Forever Yours
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The Women of HEARTS Series:
Hidden Hearts
Burning Hearts
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Standalone Titles:
California Can Wait
Seducing Kate
A Life Without Water
Unforgettable You (coming soon)
Acknowledgments
A huge thank you to Shelly Stinchcomb for your endless encouragement and to Shelley Denman for letting me "borrow" your name. I hope this book has made you both proud of your involvement in making it a reality.
About the Author
As a teen, Marci Bolden skipped over young adult books and jumped right into reading romance novels. She never left.
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Marci lives in the Midwest with her husband, kiddos, and numerous rescue pets. If she had an ounce of willpower, Marci would embrace healthy living, but until cupcakes and wine are no longer available at the local market, she will appease her guilt by reading self-help books and promising to join a gym “soon.”
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Visit her here:
www.marcibolden.com