Page 66 of The Library of Second Chances
‘It’s none of your business,’ Chloe snapped back. She considered abandoning the trolley and making a run for it, but instead she said, ‘Can’t you just try and move on?’
Jason scowled. ‘Harry gets to live on, while my sister . . .’ He let out a shuddering breath, and Chloe almost felt sorry for him. ‘Why should he get to be happy?’
Chloe didn’t have the time nor the energy for this. She turned with her trolley and walked off, hoping Jason would give up. She found more shoppers, feeling safer around other people, but still Jason pestered her, his trainers squeaking on the floor as he followed her trolley.
‘Just promise me you’ll stay away from him,’ he said. ‘He only looks out for himself.’
‘I don’t have to promise you anything.’ Sweat poured down her back now; there was a long line of people waiting in the check out queue. Finally, she half-jogged down an aisle of cereal brands, where a male member of staff was coming along with a pallet of goods to put on shelves, and headed for the toilets.
Jason was loitering at the other end of the aisle, probably aware of how uncomfortable he was making her but still not going away. Chloe felt breathless and anxious; she didn’t want him near her. Would the staff member take her seriously if she said anything?
The staff member passed her, not noticing anything was amiss. Sighing, Chloe put her trolley beside a nearby shelf and went into the bathroom.
She wondered if it would be melodramatic to call the police. Jason hadn’t touched her, just followed her. But you could never be too careful.
She pulled out her phone, but instead of ringing the police, she found herself calling Harry. She double-checked that the toilet door was locked and leaned against it, her breathing heavy and fast as she wondered if Jason was still out there, waitingfor her. Didn’t he know it was rude and intimidating to do that to someone? How long had he been following her? He could be harmless, but she didn’t want to take that chance.
Harry picked up the phone. ‘Hello? Chloe?’
‘Hi, Harry.’ She might sound paranoid, but she said it anyway. ‘Um, Jason is here. I think he followed me into Aldi.’
A pause. ‘What?’
‘Jason. You know, Julie’s brother.’ Her pulse raced as she felt guilty for disturbing Harry when he was probably at work. ‘I don’t know what to do. Should I call the police, or . . .?’
‘Has he touched you? Hurt you?’ She had never heard Harry’s voice go dark and dangerous like this before.
‘N-no. He just kept asking me if I was going to break things off with you. I tried walking away, but he followed me. I’m in the bathroom.’
‘Right. In Aldi, you said?’ There was a rustling noise on the phone. ‘I’m on my way. Do you think you can alert a member of staff? I don’t know if the police will do anything. Absolutely call them, though, if things get worse.’
Chloe opened the toilet door, holding the phone to her ear. If Jason came near her, she decided, she would scream. But she couldn’t see him anywhere. ‘I think he’s gone.’
‘Well, stay near the tills anyway. I’ll be there in ten minutes, all right? Are you okay?’
‘I’m okay. See you.’
When she put the phone down, Chloe retrieved her trolley – it was where she had left it, and nothing appeared to be missing. A few more shoppers were milling around now. A woman with a toddler, a man and his daughter, a couple. Her heartbeat slowing, Chloe felt almost silly for her racing heart and sweating palms, but she hadn’t liked Jason coming up to her like that.
She loitered, scrutinising the faces of any man she saw who was alone. She was finishing up her shopping when Harryarrived, striding towards her. He’d thrown his coat over a knitted jumper and jogging pants. Chloe felt much safer now he was here, and she managed a smile.
‘You all right?’ he asked, putting a warm hand on her back. He helped her pack her things onto the conveyer belt at the checkout as she told him the rest of what had happened.
‘Jason’s harmless, as far as I know, but . . .’ Harry’s face was grim. ‘Shall I take you home?’
She reassured him she had come by car, but he walked her to her vehicle anyway, pushing the trolley for her and loading the bags into the boot. ‘Would you like me to come home with you?’
‘I’ll be all right.’ She couldn’t help glancing around the car park, half expecting to see Jason hanging around in the trolley area or behind a lamppost, but she couldn’t see him. ‘Thanks for coming out. Were you working?’
‘Hm? Oh, no. I was actually taking a nap. Late night at the office.’ He gave her a lopsided grin as she looked at him in dismay.
‘I woke you up? I’m sorry!’
‘Hey, don’t be.’ He opened his arms and she leaned into him, not realising until now how much she needed a hug. ‘I’d have come no matter what I was doing. Even fighting a dragon.’
‘That would’ve been hard to get away from,’ Chloe mumbled into his chest.
‘I’d have asked the dragon to reschedule while I went to help my girlfriend.’
