“I’m actually in a hurry?—”
“Just one quick selfie.” He stepped closer, already holding his phone up. “This is so cool. Are you filming here? Is that why you’re in town? My mom said she thought she saw camera crews at the old Wilson place last week, but I told her no way.”
Each question hammered another nail of panic into her chest. Her breathing shortened, spots dancing at the edges of her vision. If this kid posted a photo online, how long before Landry saw it? Before he confirmed she was here?
“Maggie, there you are.” Johanna appeared at her side and tugged her away before Evan could snap the picture. “We need to get going if we’re going to beat that storm front.”
“But—” Evan protested, phone still raised.
“Sorry, no photos today,” Johanna said. “Celebrity rules.”
She guided Maggie toward the front of the store with a firm hand at her elbow.
“Can I at least get an autograph?” Evan called after them. “Or your Instagram handle?”
Johanna didn’t break stride, steering Maggie to the checkout lane, keeping herself between Maggie and Evan as they paid. Thankfully, the older man called Evan away, but Maggie still couldn’t draw a full breath until they stepped outside into the cold.
“I didn’t even get the gloves,” she said numbly.
“We can order them online.” Johanna unlocked the truck and helped her inside.
Once the doors closed and the engine roared to life, her composure cracked. Her hands shook so badly she had to clench them between her knees. “That wasn’t normal, was it? He was too interested. Too excited.”
“Breathe, Maggie.” Johanna cranked the heat, her movements calm and measured. “In through your nose, out through your mouth.”
“He wanted a picture. If he posts it online with a location tag...”
“I know. That’s why I got you out of there.”
She sucked in a ragged breath, then another. “Did he seem normal to you? Just a fan? Or should I be worried?” She hated how small her voice sounded, how the questions tumbled out with desperate urgency.
Johanna pulled out of the parking lot before answering. “He seemed like an excited kid who watches too much TV and doesn’t understand boundaries. Not threatening, just overeager.”
“Are you sure? Because I don’t trust my judgment anymore.” The admission hurt, but it was true. “I can’t tell the difference between normal interaction and danger.”
“Sweetheart, that’s hypervigilance talking. It’s a normal response to trauma. And, for what it’s worth, I’ve known Evan Miller since he was in kindergarten. He’s about as dangerous as a golden retriever puppy.”
Relief washed through her, leaving her limp against the seat. “So I’m overreacting.”
“You’re having a normal reaction to an abnormal situation. After what you’ve been through, your brain is programmed to see threats everywhere. Doesn’t mean they’re not theresometimes, but it also doesn’t mean every friendly face is hiding something sinister.”
Maggie stared out past the storefronts to the snow-covered mountains rising beyond. “When does it stop? This constant fear?”
“When you feel safe again. Really safe, not just physically, but emotionally.” Johanna glanced over. “For now, we’ll tell the guys about Evan. Ghost can monitor if anything gets posted online, and we’ll deal with it if it does.”
“I hate this.” She pressed her shaky hands flat against her thighs, steadying them by force of will. “Feeling like this. Being afraid of a kid in a hardware store. Having to analyze every interaction for hidden threats.”
“I know.” Johanna’s voice softened slightly. “But you’re not doing it alone anymore. That’s the difference.”
The truck climbed the winding road back toward Valor Ridge. Each mile brought a fraction more calm. She could breathe a little deeper the closer they got to the ranch. To Anson.
“Thank you,” she said finally. “For getting me out of there. For not making me feel crazy.”
“Nothing to thank me for.” Johanna’s eyes stayed fixed on the road. “I’ve known a few dangerous men in my time. You’re not crazy to be afraid of this Landry character. But you’re also stronger than you think.”
“I don’t feel strong.”
“I know. One day at a time,” Johanna said, turning onto the ranch road. “That’s how you get through it.”
