by Alison Stone
The confrontation with Jenny had left her anxious, but now that she had time to relax, she realized that yes, she was hungry. Very hungry.
“Let me put the salad in a bowl,” Violet said.
Theo smiled, then crouched down and pulled an oversized bowl from a lower cabinet. “Here you go.”
"Pepperoni pizza?" Liam flipped open the top box, ready to dig in.
"Let me give you a hand." Theo put a piece of pizza on his son's plate, then served some to Violet.
"Sit next to me, Miss Violet."
Violet glanced over her shoulder at Theo and smiled, then took her place next to Liam. She took a bite of the pizza. "Mmmm. Best pizza ever."
Liam pulled off a piece of pepperoni and dangled it above his mouth.
Theo sat across from them and offered first his son, then Violet, a napkin. An electricity charged the air between them.
Something about this domestic situation felt good.
No stress. No pretense. No pressure.
Violet dabbed at her mouth, keenly aware of Theo's eyes on her. "Thank you."
Half of Theo's mouth quirked up. "Any time."
A little part of her wondered if she had misread his silence after their brief romantic interlude the other night. Maybe it wasn't because he had changed his mind and wanted to keep things platonic.
Maybe it was because he wasn't the kind of man to kiss and tell.
Theo felt cozy with Liam’s head resting on his shoulder. The little guy had fallen asleep on the couch.
Violet suddenly stood as if she had just remembered that she had to be somewhere else. "I should go."
Disappointment sliced through him. "Are you sure?" He gently put Liam’s head on a couch pillow and covered him with a blanket. Theo stood and pulled back the curtain. A few inches of snow had accumulated in the driveway. "It is getting bad out there. I should drive you home."
She touched his arm. "No, no, I'll be fine. Besides, you'd have to wake Liam and he looks so peaceful."
"I know, but—"
"Please, I'll be fine."
Theo grabbed her coat from off the chair and held it out for her. She slipped her arms in and he smiled when her soft hair flowed over his hands. "Thanks for coming. Liam really appreciated it."
"Liam, huh?" Subtle lines of sadness creased her eyes, even as she joked.
"I did, too. You know that, right?" Theo dragged a cold finger across her cheek and hooked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry you have to leave so soon." He leaned forward and brushed a chaste kiss across her lips. He feared starting something they couldn't finish.
She lifted a hand to her lips and touched them. "What are we doing here?"
"I thought that was obvious." A smile pulled at the corners of his mouth even as her question tossed a bucket of cold water over him.
"I know, but after the other night, we never talked about it. I had this whole conversation playing out in my head that you just wanted to keep things platonic."
"Gosh no. How did you get that?"
Pink blossomed in her cheeks. "We went right back to all business. I wanted to make sure you had an easy out. We both were emotional after the fire."
"You're good for me. You're good for Liam."
Her warm brown eyes drifted to where Liam slept on the couch. "He's a great kid."
"So it's not just me. You think we might have something here?" He studied her face. Something flashed in the depths of her eyes, something he couldn't quite read. Something he was afraid to ask about.
She lifted her gaze to meet his. “We both know I'm not staying in Hunters Ridge. As soon as I finish this job, I'm going back to work with my mom. It might be hard to believe, but despite all the crazy stuff going on, I've been feeling better every day. I guess when you face the worst, you get a lot of practice with handling anxiety. I’m not over it, but I’m dealing."She dipped her head shyly. “I finally scheduled an appointment with a physician. It’s been a long time. There’s no shame in getting help if the doctor feels it’s in my best interest for long-term recovery.” She shrugged. “Or maybe he’ll suggest more therapy. But I’m done thinking I have to white knuckle it alone.”
“That’s great. You don’t have to do any of this alone. We can figure this—us—out."
She pushed up on her tippy toes and kissed him on the jaw. It felt too much like goodbye. "You're a great guy, but you and Liam need stability in your life. You know that. I know that."
"So that's a no?" He laughed to hide the hurt.
"How would this be fair to Liam? He'd get attached and then I'd leave."
"What did Jenny say to you out front?"
"Her delivery was rough, but she had a point. A lot of people could get hurt if this doesn't work out."
"I'm willing to take that chance."
"What about Liam? He's had so much upheaval in his life already." Violet ran her hand down his forearm. "I don't want to hurt him. I don't want to hurt you."
Is she right?
Theo knew firsthand the pain of having his mom walk out on her family.
He took Violet’s hand and squeezed it. "Let's not make any decisions right now."
Violet looked up at him sadly. "I don't plan on living in Hunters Ridge. I don't see how we could possibly have a future." Theo thought he noticed a hitch in her voice, but she squared her shoulders and opened the door and said goodnight without a backward glance.
Theo watched her climb into her SUV, turn on the wipers and roll down the windows to clear the layer of snow. She gave him a quick wave, then backed out of the driveway. As the taillights disappeared, he wondered what just happened.
Chapter 18
Violet muttered to herself that she should have gotten on the road an hour earlier. With all this snow in November, it promised to be a long winter. A really long winter.
"I can do this," she whispered to herself in a cheery note of confidence she absolutely didn't feel. She was driving her mom's huge SUV. It could handle a little snow and so could she.
Deep breath.
Ignore the knot hardening in your stomach. Force out the crazy thoughts of crashing, passing out, losing control of the vehicle, and every other possible thing that could possibly go wrong. And most of all, forget about the disastrous note the evening ended on.
“You did the right thing,” she spoke to the empty vehicle as a diversion. She had to cool things off with Theo.
Her cell phone rang and she glanced down at the fancy display on the dash. Hmm? Betty. She was probably wondering where she was.
"I'm on my way home," she said without saying hello.
"Pull right into the garage and close the door down behind you."
"Okay, I'm entering town now. Did you need anything at the grocery store?"
"No," Betty said emphatically, "come right home. The snow’s really coming down."
"I just need some cream for my coffee in the morning. I'll be in and out."
"Violet…"
"I'm just running into the store. I'll park near the door."
"I'm waiting for you."
"Thank you. I'm going to go. Love you."
"I'd love you more if you'd listened to me."
"I'll be fine." Violet smiled. She loved that their relationship was more like mother/daughter than employer/employee.
Violet pulled into a space in front of the grocery store and ran in. She grabbed the half and half and was back in the car in less than five minutes.
She started the car and looked into the rear-view mirror and her heart stopped. An older model car had pulled up and blocked hers. Through the rear-view mirror, she studied the paint patches on its doors and side panels from where someone had probably tried to repair rust damage. Patience wearing thin, she tapped the horn. It was a polite tap even though she felt far from polite. A weight settled on her chest. “Move already,” she muttered. The beginning of an all-out panic attack made her twitchy. Made her question her safety. Made her want to jam the SUV into reverse and ram the vehicle. Her SUV to his s
edan. No competition. But what if she was overreacting? Surely she was overreacting. Some punk had probably stopped there for no reason, and now that she'd beeped he’d never move, out of principle.
Why park there when the rest of the parking lot is empty?
The slow march of panic that had started in her extremities had made its move up her arms to settle in her lungs. Her vision narrowed as her mind flicked through all her options.
She beeped again, watching the car in her backup camera.
A pounding at her window made her jump.
Elmer.
"Leave me alone."
"I need to talk to you."
Violet shook her head. "Leave me alone."
He pounded the window again. This time something loud clattered against the window, the sound slicing through her.
Violet scanned her surroundings, jammed the gear into drive, and pulled up over the empty storefront sidewalk to make her escape.
She pressed the accelerator to the floor and tore out onto the main road. Her heart pounded in her chest and made her queasy. She squinted against headlights reflecting in her rear-view and side mirrors. She couldn't make out the vehicle, but it was definitely advancing. Pinpricks of awareness tingled the back of her neck. Instinctively, she tugged on her seatbelt to make sure it was secure.
The vehicle grew closer. Violet slowed a fraction on the snow-slicked roads. Her stomach dropped. Definitely Elmer’s old car. He rode her bumper now. She kept her speed consistent, praying the oversized SUV would stay on the road.
In the rear-view mirror, she watched his vehicle shoot out and make like he was going to pass her. She glanced over as he pulled up alongside her. He stared ahead at the road in front of him. She eased off the accelerator, praying that he'd just go on by. Maybe his anger hadn't turned to all-out recklessness.
As his tires spit snow and salt on the side of her vehicle, he finally turned to look at her, his expression blurred by the slush sluicing down her window. Holding on to the steering wheel in a death grip, she turned her attention back to the road. A curve fast approached.
Terror seized her lungs. She lifted her foot from the accelerator and Elmer’s car shot past hers. Holding her breath, she resisted the instinct to brake. Braking fast on snowy roads was a recipe for disaster.
Elmer swerved at the last minute. Ice and slush slammed into her windshield with a loud thud. She was amazed her windshield didn't shatter. Her wipers smeared the slushy mess, making it momentarily impossible to see.
Through the grace of God, she successfully navigated the curve, and the straightaway opened up in front of her.
"Where did he go?" she whispered on a shaky breath, glancing out all her windows and mirrors.
A flash of light swept across her rear-view mirror. She tapped on her brakes and pulled over. Trying to catch her breath and calm her rioting emotions, she shifted around in her seat to get a better view.
Elmer had smashed into a tree, and smoke poured from the front of the vehicle. Her raspy breath was the only sound. The stillness was more unsettling than the frantic moments before the crash.
With trembling hands, she slid her cell phone out of her purse and dialed 9-1-1.
"Yes, this is Violet Jackson. There's been a accident on Route 31 about two miles outside of town."
"Is anyone hurt?"
"I'm not…sure. A vehicle hit a tree."
"Okay, we'll send a patrol car and an ambulance. Can you see if there are any injuries?"
"I don't know."
"Can you check?"
"Um…"
"Only if it's safe. Don't jeopardize your own safety."
"Okay." Her mouth grew dry as indecision rioted within her.
"Please stay on the scene. We have help en route."
Violet ended the call. The blackness of the country road settled in around her and made her realize how truly isolated she was out here. She twisted around in her seat to get a better view but the rapidly falling snow had obscured her back window. She pressed the down control on her window and the motor hummed as it lowered.
The scene was eerily silent.
With a shaky hand, she pulled the lever and opened the door. Through the crack, she studied the crash scene.
The red taillights on the old car turned the snow a faint pink. A brisk wind hit her cheeks and slid through her open collar. She sensed no motion. It was doubtful Elmer would emerge from that mess and attack her. Suddenly a loud popping sound rent the night air. Orange flames shot out of the engine compartment.
"Oh no…" She closed her eyes briefly and whispered, "Dear Lord, please help me do the right thing."
With all her senses on heightened alert, she climbed out of her car, ready to retreat if Elmer appeared out of the wreck. Her stomach twisted as a little voice told her to jump back into the SUV and drive away. Let the sheriff's department and ambulance take care of him.
You owe him nothing.
The flames shot higher and the horrid smell of burning oil and rubber reached her nose on a gust of wind. Could she leave Elmer to die?
Holding her breath and her coat closed, she stared down the road, straining to listen for sirens, but she knew that even if they had been dispatched immediately, it would take a few more minutes until they arrived.
Adrenaline surged through her veins. She jogged toward the truck, her flat shoes slipping on the icy road, making her feel like a video of her might appear online under "World's Bravest" or, depending how this all unfolded, "World's Dumbest."
Violet's pulse whooshed in her ears as she got closer to the driver's side, half expecting Elmer to spring out from behind a tree and tackle her in the snow.
The heat from the fire made her cautious. As she approached the driver's side, she noticed Elmer's face had smashed into the steering wheel. Blood trickled down his forehead. There were no signs of an airbag deployment. The vehicle was too old for such safety features.
The fire would consume the vehicle—and Elmer—in moments.
She froze with indecision. Then she remembered Abby. The Graber family had been through so much already. Regardless of what he might have done, she couldn't stand by and watch him burn.
"Elmer! Elmer!"
No movement. No sign of life.
Dear Lord, help me do the right thing.
She plowed her frozen fingers through her mussed hair. Nerves tangled in her stomach as flames shot toward the passenger compartment.
Acting on instinct, Violet grabbed the handle and yelped, jumping back. The metal was hot. She stuffed a corner of her coat around the handle to protect her hand. The door didn't budge. She tried again, digging her heels into the snow for leverage and finally peeling it back. The hinges groaned in protest. The heat from the flames singed her face.
"Elmer!" Still no response.
Holding her breath against the acrid smell, she felt for a pulse. She was no doctor, but she did feel a trace of one, unless it was her own. The flames shot up higher. She sucked in a breath and coughed violently. The heat burned her cheeks.
Working quickly and without giving it much more thought, she reached across and undid his seatbelt. Bracing herself as best she could, she slid her arm around his back and lugged his heavy body toward the door. Unable to support his weight, she let him tumble out of the vehicle. If it had been any other day, under different circumstances, she would have thought it served him right. But out of compassion for another human being, Violet kept Elmer's head from hitting the ground.
Once he was on the ground, adrenaline gave her a strength she didn't know she had. She slid her hands under his armpits and dragged him away from his burning vehicle. She fell, exhausted, his weight pressing down on her legs as a loud pop and an explosion of flames shot out of the front end of the vehicle.
Just then, she heard a siren in the distance. She braced her feet against the ice-packed road and scrambled out from under the man who had tried to run her off the road.
Has Elmer been behind all the recent attacks
?
As the patrol car rolled up and a sheriff's deputy got out, she suddenly started to shake, from fear. From the cold.
From doing something she never in a million years thought she could do.
Violet took a shower immediately upon getting home. Then she wandered downstairs and found Betty in the kitchen. The older woman wrapped a blanket around Violet's shoulders and rubbed her arms to warm her up.
"I told you to come straight home." Even though Betty was admonishing Violet, there wasn't a hint of anger in her tone, only concern. And love.
The sheriff's department had allowed her to leave the scene of the accident and promised to contact her with an update regarding Elmer.
"He was so angry." A constant buzz of anxiety rippled through her. "I don't know how to make it better for him. I can't bring Abby back."
"You can't control how others feel or how they act." Betty bustled around the kitchen, putting on the kettle for tea. "He needs to remember his Amish upbringing and find forgiveness in his heart."
"At this point in his life, I don’t think Elmer is worried about keeping the Amish rules. If he was, he wouldn’t be driving a car. And trying to run me off the road,” she quickly added. “So, I doubt finding forgiveness is high on his list."
The doorbell made Violet startle. Betty held up her hand. "I'll get it."
Violet followed Betty to the door. She found herself holding her breath until she saw Deputy Olivia Cooper and Theo. She almost cried with relief, but held herself back. It wasn’t fair to Theo to hold him at arm’s length one moment, then pull him close the next when it suited her.
"Come in," Betty said. "I'm making tea." She took charge and led the threesome into the kitchen.
Olivia opened her mouth to protest, but Violet said, "Come on in for tea. It's easier to just agree."
A small curve quirked the corners of Olivia’s lips. Violet saw the resemblance to Theo in that expression and couldn't help but smile.
"Are you okay?" Theo whispered in her ear. "I should have never let you drive alone."
"You can't always be with me. And I'm fine. Really."
He searched her face as if looking for the truth. "I'm glad."
