Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

Ainsley pulled into the parking lot of the bar shortly before nightfall and drove around back, parking next to the stairs that led up to her apartment. She sat in her car for a moment and stared at the dilapidated old building. The bar was a staple in the small town, first opened by Marv’s grandparents after Prohibition. The red brick building was crumbling in places, but the bar and Marv had been a Godsend when she’d first left Minneapolis.

Over the first few days she’d constantly been watching over her shoulder, expecting Joel to appear at any moment, but he never had. Ainsley was surprised and a little wary. It was unlike him to let go of something so easily, but she wasn’t going to take the reprieve for granted.

She climbed out of the car and slowly made her way up the stairs to her apartment. A chill snaked down her spine, and she paused in front of her door. Something felt off. She turned in a slow circle and glanced around, but everything remained quiet. She listened harder and examined her surroundings once again but still couldn’t find anything out of place in the dim light.

Shaking off the eerie feeling, she let herself into the apartment and locked the door behind her. Ainsley let out a shaky breath and touched her hand to her forehead. She had to get her imagination under control. Joel wasn’t here.

She moved around the small apartment, taking it all in, thinking what she would need to pack when she left. It was amazing what her life had been reduced to. She had so few belongings, bringing only what she absolutely needed when she’d fled Minneapolis.

Moving from the small kitchen into the living room, Ainsley curled into the corner of the couch and picked up a book one of the bartenders had loaned her.

Though she tried to focus, her attention continued to drift away from the story. As she stared sightlessly at the pages, her thoughts turned almost inevitably to Dare. She’d almost passed out on the porch when the door opened and she found those intense hazel eyes boring into hers.

Ainsley had expected the sheriff to be older—and not nearly as intimidating. Dare towered over her by almost a foot, and his shoulders had filled the doorway. He was big and broad, and her heart had nearly stopped at the sight of him. She didn’t trust men—especially not men who looked like him. He might be the sheriff, but that didn’t mean he was a good man.

She still wasn’t entirely sure that renting his suite was a good idea. It put her far too close to him. And as much as she would love to be close to her family, she needed to be certain she would be safe. She’d just escaped one man; she wouldn’t put herself in that situation ever again.

She’d dated a few guys when she was younger, but Joel had been her first serious relationship. She thought she’d loved him and it hadn’t been all bad—at least, not in the beginning. Joel had been charming and sweet, and she had admired his ambition. He was determined to make a name for himself. She hadn’t realized at the time how swiftly he’d alienated her from her family and friends.

He had kept her busy, first with school, then by moving her into his home. While she had thought it romantic and the logical next step in their future together, Joel’s motivations were purely selfish. He’d wanted her under his control at all times and what better way to do that than keep her close to him? Joel had been all-encompassing, and Ainsley had decided she was better off alone. She might be lonely, but it was better than feeling powerless and subservient.

Ainsley did a walk-through of the small apartment, checking the locks on both windows and the door, then climbed into bed. Her body was exhausted but her mind whirled with anxiety.

It seemed like her heart hadn’t slowed down for a single second ever since she’d left Joel. She was terrified she’d look over her shoulder one day and find him watching her, waiting to draw her back into his web.

Ainsley blew out a long, shaky breath and strove for reason. Even if he did show up, there was nothing he could do to make her come back. Marv would support her. And if she moved into Dare’s suite… Well, Joel was no match for the sheriff.

She couldn’t keep running. She needed to be strong, needed to put Joel where he belonged—in the past.

* * *

“Last call.”

Ainsley bit back a yawn as she cleared the sticky, empty glasses from the table, then wiped it down before heading back to the bar. Dunking the glassware into the tub of sudsy water, she threw a look down the bar to the handful of men still seated on the stools.

From his spot in front of the tap, Marv glanced over his shoulder at me. “Can you get the trash together?”

“Sure. If you want, you can finish up and I’ll take it out.”

One grizzled brow arched toward his hairline. “You sure?”

She nodded, deeply appreciative of his concern. He knew how much she hated being alone outside in the dark. “I’ll be fine.”

“All right.”

Marv had welcomed her in with open arms, watching over her like a surrogate grandfather. He’d offered a her a job as waitress and allowed her use of the small apartment situated above the bar.

She stayed mostly behind the bar, away from the patrons, where she could avoid the flirtatious remarks occasionally flung in her direction. If anyone ever came on too strong, Marv stepped in. He had deemed himself her protector, and she appreciated it immensely. She owed him so much for helping her to get back on her feet.

She finished drying the glasses, then wiped her hands on the stained apron before untying it and setting it aside to toss in the laundry later. Making her way through the bar and kitchen areas, she collected the bags of trash, then glanced at the clock. Marv had yelled last call fifteen minutes ago, and now only two men lingered at the bar. As she twisted up the bags, the men downed their drinks then pushed the empty glasses toward Marv, who collected them and dumped them into the soapy water.

Once she’d gathered all the trash bags together, she pushed out the back door into the alley. A security light to the left illuminated the dumpster, and she used a brick to prop the door open before carrying the bags over and tossing them in, one by one. The lid shut with a bang, and she dusted her hands on her jeans before drawing in a deep breath of the muggy early summer air.

A soft scuffle behind her made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, and she whirled around, already looking for him. Her eyes scanned the dark alley but found nothing. It had sounded almost like… a footstep. She slowly edged her way toward the door, scanning her surroundings.

Suddenly, a steel trashcan from the insurance agency next door tipped over, landing with a crash. A scream caught in her throat, and she slapped one hand over her heart as an opossum waddled out of the wreckage. His beady eyes met hers for a moment before he turned and headed in the opposite direction. Breathing heavily, she collapsed against the jagged brick wall and blinked back the tears that had sprung to her eyes.

He wasn’t here. She was safe.

Shaking off her wayward thoughts, she strode back into the bar then closed up, making sure that the door was securely locked. By the time she made it back to the bar, Marv had already washed the remaining dishes and set them aside to dry.

Ainsley quickly spoke up. “If you have a minute, I’d like to run something by you.”

Marv’s sharp eyes landed on her, quickly assessing her words. An excellent judge of character, the older man could read people like a book. “You leavin’?”

She bit her lip and fidgeted with the hem of her shirt for a moment before speaking. “Maybe. I wanted to talk to you about that.”

Marv raised his eyebrows. “Did something happen?” He let his arms drop to his sides and ambled over to a stool at the bar, gesturing for her to join him.

“No. Not exactly.” She wound her way around the bar and sat with a sigh. “Every once in a while, I feel like someone’s watching me, but there’s never anyone there. Maybe I’m just being paranoid.”

“You think he found you?”

Ainsley lifted one hand in question. “I honestly don’t know.”

Marv pondered her statement for a moment. “Maybe you need a fresh start. Find a place to clear your head.”

Ainsley drummed her fingers on the bar top. “Actually, that’s kind of what I wanted to talk to you about. I was visiting my parents yesterday and noticed an apartment for rent.”

Marv studied her for a moment. “Is it safe?”

“I hope so,” she said slowly. “The sheriff would be my landlord.”

Marv nodded appreciatively. “I think I like this guy already. Just make sure you leave me his address, so I can track him down if you don’t return my calls.”

Ainsley smiled. Although Marv’s tone was teasing, she knew he was deadly serious. “Deal. We should probably get to bed. It’s been a long day.”

He slid from the stool. “You and me both, missy.”

“I feel bad leaving you short a waitress,” Ainsley said as she followed suit and climbed to her feet.

“Don’t you worry about that. I’ve been takin’ care of this bar more years than you’ve been alive.” He threw a grin her way. “You just take care of yourself.”

Her heart warmed at his support. “Thanks.”

Marv reached over and flipped a switch that turned off the neon lights in the windows displaying the names of various brands of beer, then held the door for her. “Any idea when you’d be moving?”

“I’m not entirely sure. I’ll need to get a job lined up first.” She stepped onto the sidewalk and glanced up at the stars dotting the dark sky. It was just after three in the morning, and within a few hours the velvety black night would fade away into the dawn.

She was excited for tomorrow; she planned to start looking for a job—something close to Brookhaven, but far enough away that Joel wouldn’t immediately be able to track her down.

“Well, let me know if you need anything. Have a good night.”

“You, too.” Ainsley paused near the base of the stairs and waved as he climbed into his car.

The now familiar feeling of being watched crept over her and she scanned the area. She turned in a circle, examining every car, person, and object she could see, but nothing stood out.

Damn it. This was driving her crazy.

She remained there for several for moments, until Marv’s car disappeared down the street, then blew out a hard breath and sprinted up the stairs to the apartment.

Ainsley unlocked the door and stepped inside, simultaneously reaching over to flip the light switch. The fluorescent fixture overhead flashed twice, then flickered to life. Her heart stalled in her chest as the bright light fell over the kitchen counter and a huge bouquet of red roses.

He’d found her.