3. Rachel

3

RACHEL

M y car felt different driving with a donut on. It felt fragile and unstable, even though I knew it wasn’t. Still, my hands gripped the steering wheel tighter than necessary as we bounced along the gravel road through the rain. Serenity crunched on the apple chips I’d given her in the backseat, blissfully unaware of the worry still swirling through my chest.

Is this what parenting would always be—pretending to be okay while feeling like a nervous wreck inside?

As the road ahead stretched endlessly, winding deeper into the woods, my attention kept flickering to my rearview mirror.

Ellis’s truck was still behind us.

At first, I thought it was a coincidence. After all, there was only one road that led in and out of this part of the woods. However, the longer his truck stayed behind us, the more my nerves hummed with panic.

Was he following us?

I brushed the thought away with a shake of my head. Nope, I wasn’t going to overthink this. Maybe I’d forgotten something when he helped change my tire. Or maybe he was making sure Serenity and I got home safely on the donut.

He’d seemed like a nice guy, and that was something a nice guy would do.

Still, every time I glanced in the rearview mirror, he was there, driving a steady distance behind me.

The rain picked up a little more, causing my stomach to twist with unease and my palms to grow sweaty.

Almost there. Almost there.

“Is Mr. Ellis still behind us, Mommy?” Serenity asked.

“He is.” I tried to keep my voice steady, but my heart raced, making it waver.

Serenity twisted around in her booster seat to look behind us. “Is he coming to our house?”

“No, baby. He’s just going in the same direction we are.”

Maybe.

I wasn’t sure.

What if he was following us home? What if he wasn’t a nice guy after all?

My imagination took over, filling my head with all kinds of horrible scenarios. I shook them away, reminding myself that not everyone was out to get us.

There were still good people in this world.

But what if …Nope. That was it—no more true crime shows for me. They were making me paranoid.

I focused on the road ahead, refusing to glance in the mirror again. When Aunt Maribel’s driveway came into view, I turned down it and gave my little car more gas. Once I saw the cottage, looking all warm and inviting, relief flooded me.

Until I realized Ellis was still behind us.

I parked my car and turned off the engine. My mind whirled as I watched his truck pull in behind my car and come to a stop.

“He is coming to dinner, isn’t he?” Serenity asked, having noticed him behind us too.

“No. He’s not coming to dinner,” I said. “Grab one of those bags and head inside to Aunt Maribel.”

“Okay,” she whined, sounding more dramatic than she should given her age.

Panic flared in my chest as I slid out of my car. I couldn’t let him see it, though. Neither could Serenity. I forced a smile and turned to her.

“I’ll be in soon,” I said. “Let me see what Mr. Ellis wants.”

Serenity frowned. “Maybe he’s lost.”

“Maybe. Save some of those apple chips for me,” I said with a grin while I shooed her inside and out of the rain.

Once she’d disappeared inside, I felt every ounce of panic rush back in. I needed to figure out why Ellis had followed me home.

Closing my car door, I walked over to his truck as he stepped out.

“Are you following me?” I asked, my voice steady but guarded.

A slow, lopsided grin spread across his face, and despite myself, I felt the tendrils of panic fade away.

There was something disarming about his smile.

“No. I’m not following you. At least, I didn’t intend to.” He smoothed a hand along the back of his neck. “I might not be in the right place, though. I’m looking for an elderly woman named Maribel?”

“She’s my aunt,” I said, my tone cautious. “Why are you looking for her?”

“I need her help.”

This wasn’t surprising. People came to see Aunt Maribel for all sorts of things. However, I was curious as to why he had.

“Come inside out of the rain,” I said. “I’ll introduce you, but you have to help carry groceries in.”

“Not a problem,” he said with a chuckle. “Thanks.”

I grabbed a bag from the backseat and left the rest for him to carry. Starting up the stone steps, I glanced back at him. Worry clouded his eyes. Whatever he was here to speak with Aunt Maribel about, it was clear it was something serious.