“Then it gets dark . . .” Sara’s face twisted, her expression vulnerable.
“And the bogeyman comes out.” Ezreal kissed her temple. “I think I understand. Just when I think I’ve overcome the stutter, I’m introduced to a woman I don’t know and find myself tripping over my tongue again.”
“But what if your bogeyman is looking for you?”
“What?” Ezreal took a step back so he could see her face, the ominous tone in her voice making his hair stand on end.
“Let’s not talk about it here.” Sara waved to her daughter. “Janna, you can come out now. Brand, you too, but no more hitting.” Both of the children skipped over to them as though nothing had happened, their grievances forgotten.
“I’ll check with Francie,” Ezreal said, typing in the text. There was something much more serious going on with Sara, and he had to know what it was.
I want to take Sara out to dinner. Can you watch the kids?
Francie responded quickly.
Bring them over. I’ll give them dinner too. You two have fun. ;)
“She even said she’ll feed them.” Ezreal pointed to the music room door and asked the children, “How would you guys like to eat at the Diederiks’?”
“Yes. Yes.” Brand skipped outside but tripped on a paving stone. Ezreal had to stretch to catch him before the little boy skinned his knees.
“I’ll need to change,” Sara said.
“No. Let’s go to the Daniel Boone Lodge,” he said. “It’s nice but you don’t have to dress up.”
“All right.” Her expression was resigned. Not exactly how he’d imagined she’d look when he took her out to dinner.
The children talked excitedly as they drove the short distance to the Diederiks’. When they arrived, Francie greeted them with a huge grin.
“Don’t you two worry about these little ones. Just go and have some fun.” She shooed them off and guided the children inside.
Sara was quiet on the ride to the restaurant. Ezreal thought she must be gathering her thoughts and probably deciding how much to tell him, so he didn’t push her. He found the silence between them comfortable in spite of the underlying tension. She’d become integral to his waking thoughts and dominated his dreams. Even when she wasn’t with him, he was anticipating the time when she would be.
Usually it took months before he felt comfortable enough to speak around a woman. Sara had broken through that barrier faster than any woman he knew. Now he wanted to spend all his free time with her. Was it too much for her? It wasn’t like he had anything to compare it to.
They were early enough to beat the dinner rush and were seated right away. Sara waited until after they’d ordered and were alone.
“My bogeyman is my ex-husband,” Sara said softly.
“I thought that might be the problem, but why are you letting something from the past trouble you now? Is he giving you custody problems or behind in child support?”
“I have sole custody. He doesn’t pay child support because he doesn’t know where we’re at—but he’s trying to find us.” Her complexion had gone pale, her expression bleak.
Once again, the hair on the back of Ezreal’s neck stood up, and he found himself glancing around the room to see if anyone was looking at them.
“How do you know he’s looking for you?” he finally asked.
“I have one friend I’ve stayed in contact with, and she told me he’s been asking about me. Then my mother, who I have nothing to do with, asked my friend about me.”
“Do you think your mother is talking to him?”
“She’s been abused and brainwashed by my father for years. I’m not sure she’d know if she was being manipulated.”
“How long since you left him?” Ezreal wondered for the first time if Sara was still married to the man.
“A little over two years ago,” she said, her words a little strangled, like it was difficult for her to get them out. “He’d been hurting me for years, but I left when he hurt my children.”
Anger such as Ezreal had never experienced before rushed into him, and he had to grit his teeth to keep from speaking. He didn’t want to hijack the conversation. He was sure she had more to tell him.
