Quinn.
Still asleep.I need it to stay that way.When I first left Clint, I would rent one bedroom hotels and then one bedroom apartments.It has taken me months since moving to Freedom Falls to get her sleeping in her own bed alone.If this noise wakes her I’ll have to read the book in bed with her all over again and even with that she may not sleep easily again.
I step out of the bedroom quietly, my bare feet silent against the floor as I move toward the front of the house.
The bell rings a third time.
Impatient.Demanding.My stomach drops.Did he find my house?
I don’t need to look through the peephole to know who it is.But I do anyway.
And there he is.
Not Clint.
Shock sets in as I see Roger in front of my door.Leaning slightly to one side, his eyes glassy, his expression already irritated.Drunk.Of course he’s drunk.
I close my eyes briefly.“Go away,” I whisper to myself.
The bell rings again.I unlock the door before I can talk myself out of it.And open it just enough to stand in the frame.“What do you want?”
“Finally,” he slurs.“You gonna ignore me all night?”
“You need to leave.”
“I’m trying to talk to you.”
“Not like this.”
He steps closer.Too close.
“I said we were going to talk, Lucy.”His breath permeates stale beer.“You got a kid.She’s home.I saw her at school today.Cute kid.”
“She’s asleep.”I explain as fear creeps up my spine at the thought of him watching my daughter at school.
“Wake her up.”
“No.”
His face darkens.“You don’t get to keep avoiding me.”
“I’m not,” I say, forcing my voice to stay steady.“I’m busy and yes, I have a daughter and I don’t want to confuse her Roger.”
“About me?”he scoffs.“That’s rich.”
“Roger—”
“No,” he snaps.“You don’t get to act like I’m the bad guy here.I know you got an ex, a baby daddy.But you won’t even give me a chance and I’ll be the best thing that ever happened to you.”
My fingers tighten against the edge of the door.“Please leave.”
“Make me.”
The words hit like a slap.My chest tightens.
Don’t freeze.
Don’t freeze.
