Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Kinley opened her eyes and blinked against the soft glow of morning light streaming through her bedroom window. She stretched, wincing slightly as a faint, dull ache pulsed through her head. The headaches had been less frequent lately—a sign, she hoped, that she was finally beginning to heal.

Throwing back the covers, Kinley swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. She slipped on her robe and padded down the hallway, the old wooden floors creaking under her bare feet. As she descended the staircase, a cool draft washed over her bare arms, sending apprehension skittering down her spine.

She froze on the steps, her gaze drifting over the living room. A blanket had been draped haphazardly over the arm of the couch, and a book she'd left unfinished rested with pages spread face down rested on the coffee table. Everything appeared to be in its place. So why did it feel… off?

Pulse thrumming wildly in her veins, the hairs on the back of her neck lifted in warning, and she crept cautiously toward the kitchen. When she reached the threshold, she stopped dead. The back door stood wide open, the morning air drifting in, carrying with it the sounds of chirping birds and distant traffic. A wave of confusion and fear washed over her. She was certain she had locked it last night. She always did.

Heart pounding in her chest, she slowly approached the door, half-expecting to see someone hovering just outside. Memories from the previous week swamped her, intensifying the already-pounding headache that plagued her. She pushed them away, swallowing down the bile that had risen in her throat.

Moving closer, she kept close to the wall as she approached quietly, then peeked around the doorjamb. A relieved breath rushed from her lungs as her gaze swept over the lush green grass, sparkling with dew. The yard was empty, the world outside seemingly undisturbed.

She stepped forward and cautiously closed the door, turning the lock with a decisive click. For a moment, she stood there, staring at the lock, her mind racing.

She had locked the door last night… Right?

It was late when she'd gotten home from Cam's house, and she'd entered through the back door as she always did, since it was closest to the driveway. Then… Then what?

Her gaze slid toward the kitchen. Her purse lay on the counter next to her keys where she'd dropped them the night before. She was almost certain she'd closed and locked the door behind her, but she couldn't be sure.

She thought about calling Cam but almost immediately, she dismissed the idea. He was already over protective as it was. And she refused to tell her family. Her parents and sisters were worried about her head injury already. The last thing she needed was their pity—or worse, the subtle hints that maybe she should stay with them for now, like she couldn't take care of herself.

Maybe that was why Cam had offered to let her move in. Was he worried that she wasn't thinking clearly? If she told him about this, he would insist on taking her back to the hospital to have more tests run.

No. She'd had enough of hospitals to last her a lifetime. This was one problem she would handle on her own.

She took a deep breath in an attempt to steady her nerves. Pushing away from the door, she wound her way through the bottom floor of the house, checking to make sure everything was secure. Nothing appeared to be out of place and, aside from the door standing wide open, there was no sign of anyone having been inside the house.

She moved toward the stairs, keeping to the edge of the living room. The dark spot on the floor near the door stood out in the bright morning light, and her stomach twisted. She ripped her gaze away, like if she ignored it, all the memories would disappear. Though Cam had ripped up the carpet, the blood had penetrated all the way down to the subfloor, leaving a large brown spot where she'd been attacked.

Kinley swallowed hard, hands shaking as she grasped the banister and climbed the stairs to the second floor. She checked both bedrooms and the bathroom, but everything was exactly as she had left it. She paused, leaning against the vanity, and closed her eyes as she tried to draw back on the events of the previous night.

She remembered leaving Cam's house, remembered pulling into the driveway, coming inside and getting ready for bed. But the small details eluded her.

Kinley shook her head, trying to dispel the unsettling thoughts. She'd checked every inch of the house; no one was inside. Everything was fine. She couldn't afford to let her imagination run wild. From now on she would just have to be more careful and make sure to double-check the locks before she went to bed.

She could admit that she'd been on edge ever since the incident with Joel last week. Maybe she was just overthinking things, seeing trouble where there was none. The house was old; maybe the door hadn't latched properly, and a breeze had blown it open. That made her feel better. A small laugh escaped as she pushed away from the vanity and headed for the stairs. Of course there was a rational explanation.

Back downstairs, Kinley moved toward the coffee pot, losing herself in the familiar morning routine. She leaned against the counter and sipped the warm liquid, pushing the unsettling thoughts from her mind.

Her gaze strayed toward the living room—to the place where she'd been attacked. The coffee turned to ash in her mouth as bile filled her throat. Her heart raced as memories washed over her, and tremors worked their way through her body. She quickly set the cup down and wiped her clammy hands on her robe.

Closing her eyes, she drew in a deep breath and willed her pulse to slow. It still felt so fresh, like it had happened just yesterday.

She swallowed hard. How did Ainsley do it? How did she just go on like nothing had ever happened? She seemed so happy, so excited for the future. Every time Kinley closed her eyes, all she could see was Joel forcing his way through the door, wrapping his palms around her throat and squeezing…

She dragged in a shuddering breath and shook her head. Ainsley had gotten good at hiding her true feelings; maybe she chose to focus on the good rather than the bad. She had nothing to worry about anymore. The man who'd hurt her was never coming back.

Kinley straightened away from the counter. Enough was enough. Cam was right; it was time to take charge and move on.

An hour later, she stood in the home improvement store, surrounded by rows of carpet samples. She ran her fingers over various textures, contemplating her choices. She needed something nice but inexpensive.

After making her selection, she headed to the counter to pay for the carpet. After the snafu with Hayes, she was still a little strapped for cash, but thankfully she had a credit card she kept in case of emergencies. This definitely counted as an emergency.

She swiped the card through the machine, then scheduled the installation for the following day. As she walked back to her car, she thought about what Cam had said about needing a fresh start. He was right. She did deserve this. She needed to move on from the memories tied to her home, both good and bad.

The idea of moving in with him had crossed her mind more than once over the past twenty-four hours, but she wasn't ready to make that decision just yet. Regardless of where she ended up, she knew she needed to put the past behind her. This was her chance to wipe the slate clean and start fresh, to create a future unburdened by the past. She was ready to move on—and this was the first step.

* * *

Brynlee leaned in close. "So what happened with Ted?"

"He's an asshole." She didn't know why they were whispering. Maybe because the beautiful bridal salon seemed like a sanctuary in its own right.

"Language," their mother quietly admonished.

"Sorry," she automatically responded.

Kinley dipped her head next to her sister's. "Ted wasn't really interested in me." She fiddled with the swatch of material in her lap. "What he really wanted was a built-in nanny for Addie, not a girlfriend or a wife."

For the two years Kinley and Ted had been together, she'd loved Addie like she was her own. Addie had attended Kinley's Kindergarten class several years ago, and she'd first met Ted at parent-teacher conferences. At the time, he'd seemed like an amazing father—caring and concerned, loving and trustworthy. Those qualities had quickly disappeared.

The shift had been gradual, so much so that she didn't notice until it was almost too late. He'd begun leaving Addie in her care more and more often, relying on Kinley to transport Addie to and from school. From there it only got worse. Kinley ended up staying at their house more often than not, tucking her into bed while Ted "worked late." She'd been such a fool.

"Don't you worry, sweetheart." Her mother gently patted her knee. "You'll find the right man."

Tears pricked her eyes as the mirrored door swung open and Ainsley stepped out in a cloud of tulle. The soft material draped beautifully over her sister's slender form, making her look like an angel.

Ainsley stepped up on the small, round dais and gazed in the mirror before turning toward them. "What do you think?"

Kinley's throat clogged as she stared up at her sister. For the past hour, Ainsley had tried on dress after dress, all of them beautiful—but none like this.

"Honey, it's beautiful," their mother said, happy tears glistening in her eyes.

"Agreed," Brynlee spoke up. "You look gorgeous."

"You think so?" Ainsley bit her lip and glanced back in the mirror. "It's not too much, is it?"

"It's… perfect." Kinley swallowed hard and shook her head. Seeing her sister now, looking like a bride, made things seem so much more… final.

Logically, she knew Ainsley wasn't going anywhere. She and Dare would still live right outside of town, and she be able to see her whenever she wanted. But the knowledge didn't stem the rush of emotion that streamed through her, squeezing her chest. Kinley couldn't help the tears that slipped down her cheeks.

Ainsley deserved every bit of happiness this world had to offer. Kinley had seen firsthand how much Dare adored her, and she knew he would never take her for granted.

"Are those sad tears or happy tears?" Ainsley's voice cracked as her gaze slid over them, not a dry eye present.

Kinley launched herself out of her seat and threw her arms around her in a tight hug. "I'm so happy for you."

"Could've fooled me." Ainsley laughed brokenly against her shoulder. "Do you think it's crazy, what we're doing? Is it too soon?"

Kinley pulled back to look at her sister. "I think everything is working out exactly the way it's supposed to."

"Really?"

"Really. You two are perfect for each other. I'm so glad to see you happy," she whispered.

"Thanks."

Ainsley pulled her into another hug, and Kinley closed her eyes as she held on tight. Despite what her mother and Brynlee said, she had to wonder if her true love was actually out there somewhere. Ted was only one in a long line of failed relationships.

Pushing the thought aside, Kinley leaned away from her sister. "So is this it? Is this the gown?"

A huge smile spread over Ainsley's face as she turned toward the mirror. "I think so."

"Good." Kinley returned the smile.

It felt so good to see Ainsley smile again, and hope expanded through Kinley's chest. Everything happened for a reason. She just needed to be patient and hope that good things would come her way.