Page 49 of Spotted at Lighthouse Bay
She dropped the window. “No, I’m fine. My brakes aren’t working!” She pushed the pedal down, the sound hollow and sharp.
Of course, Phil wouldn’t check her car to make sure it hadn’t been tampered with. He was out there looking at the clouds.
Addy turned around, then back to him. “Do you think the tree is hurt?”
He shut his eyes. “Do I think the tree is hurt. I don’t care about the tree, Addy. I care about you. I’m not going to lose you too.”
She stared at him, her eyes wide.
He looked away, pretending to study the back tires.
Eighteen
It was too much information to take at once. The car, the brakes, the tree.
Rick.
She thought he’d be impressed she’d found the guys. Yes, maybe a bit annoyed that she’d done it without him, but to act like that? And the car…
Addy sat in the driver’s seat, her hands frozen on the wheel.
“What was that noise?” Patty shouted, walking out of the tea shop. She shrieked when she saw the car. “Adelaide! Are you okay?”
Sheila ran out, beating Patty to the car. “What happened?”
“I hit the tree,” she stammered.
Rick opened the door and reached over her to pull up the emergency brake.
“It’s okay,” he said softly.
He unbuckled her seat belt and lifted her hands from the steering wheel. “It’s okay. Come on out.”
Pain shot through her shoulder. She winced, falling into Rick as she put one leg on the ground, then the other.
Her car hadn’t randomly broken. The brakes hadn’t melted away on their own. They’dfoundher, and they’d cut her brakes, hadn’t they?
She released her grip on Rick and looked down, away from his gaze, away from his righteous anger.
Eliza came running, her apron still tied around her waist. “Aunt Addy! What happened?”
“I’m fine,” Addy said, nodding. “Everything’s fine.”
She found herself back in the tea shop, sitting at a table.
Patty carried in a pot of tea. “She’s had a shock,” she murmured, setting the tea down.
“You forgot how to stop a car?” Marilyn called from across the room, a half-smile on her face.
Sheila poured a cup of tea and pushed it toward Addy. “Mom, that’s not funny.”
Addy looked up. Eliza had disappeared into the kitchen.
“They cut my brakes,” Addy said quietly.
“What? Who cut your breaks?” Sheila asked, leaning in.
Marilyn sighed. “I hope you didn’t cause any damage to the car. That’s a nice car. You should take care of what you have.”
