Sawyer leans back in his chair. “And what do you think?”
“I think Lance had plenty of chances, and he wasted every one of them.” My voice is steadier now, more certain. “Some people don’t deserve forgiveness.”
“Sounds like you made up your mind.”
“I did.” I give him what I hope is a reassuring smile, even though my hands are still shaking slightly around my mug.
We sit quietly for a moment. Finally, Sawyer speaks.
“For what it’s worth, your mom’s wrong about the timing thing. There’s no rule about when you’re allowed to move on with your life.”
“Thanks. You don’t realize how good it is to hear someone say that. Someone who doesn’t think I’m being crazy or dramatic.”
“Anytime.” He glances at his watch. “I should probably get back to work. Don’t let other people’s opinions make you second-guess yourself. You know what’s right for you.”
As I drive back to the bank, his words stick with me. He’s right. I do know what’s right for me. And what’s right for me definitely doesn’t include Lance Carlston, no matter what my mother thinks or what strings he pulls through his family’s business connections.
But as I settle back into my teller station, I can’t shake the feeling that this conversation with my mom was just the beginning. If Lance is telling people he misses me, if he’s planning to spend more time in Pine Hollows, then last night wasn’t a one-time thing.
He’s not going away. And neither is my mother’s interference.
The thought makes me want to call Sawyer back and tell him everything—about the texts, about the black SUV I sometimes think I see, about how Lance used to make me feel like I was losing my mind. About how he’d apologize and bring flowers and promise to change, then do the same things all over again until I started questioning my own reality.
But every time I think about having that conversation, something stops me.
Maybe it's pride. Maybe it's shame—shame that I stayed as long as I did, that I believed his promises. That I believed him when he said I walked into the door, tripped on the stairs, was just clumsy. That part of me still wonders if he was right. Or maybe I’m just not ready to drag someone else into my mess. Sawyer seems so put-together, so stable. What if telling him the truth changes how he sees me?
Either way, I have a feeling I won’t have a choice for much longer.
The phone on my desk rings, and I answer with my professional voice. “Pine Hollows Community Bank, this is Alice.”
But as I help the customer with their account balance, I keep thinking about Lance’s message to my mother. He misses me. He’s planning to spend more time here.
The texts about the green sweater. The SUV following me. Lance at the library. My mother showing up here.
These aren't coincidences.
This is a pattern.
Chapter 20
Sawyer
Fridayafternoon,dispatchcallsabout a suspicious vehicle parked outside the bank. Black SUV, been sitting there for over an hour with the driver just watching the street. The caller says it’s making people nervous.
I recognize the address immediately. Alice’s bank.
This can’t be a coincidence.
I pull up and spot the SUV right away. My hands tighten on the steering wheel. I know that SUV. It’s parked in a no-parking zone with a clear view of the bank entrance. Dark tinted windows, but I can see someone in the driver’s seat. Looks like the same SUV that ran Alice off the road.
I get out and approach the vehicle. The window rolls down slowly.
Lance Carlston.
Of course it’s him.
“Good afternoon,” I say, keeping my voice professional even though my jaw is tight. “This is a no-parking zone, sir.”
