Page 5 of Take Me Slowly: part 2
I sat down beside him. "I believe you."
He snorted softly. "Why would you? Maybe I'm making it all up. Has it crossed your mind I might have thrown her into thecreek? You know what they say about us loners. We're probably serial killers or some shit. For all you know, I murdered my parents and you're next." He raised his stubbled chin, as if daring me to deny the suggestion.
"You're not going to murder me," I said. "Believe it or not, sitting there with a rainbow teddy bear in your lap says to me you're not as unhinged as you want me to think."
"I might bemoreunhinged." He glanced over at me and hesitated before offering me the teddy bear. "Ring any bells?"
His expression was tentative, like he wasn't sure if he should even let me touch the bear, much less hold her. Like somehow the plush animal was a sacred object that shouldn't be defiled by a mere mortal like me. But there was more to it than that. He hadn't had anyone to share any of this with for far too long. He wasn't sure if he could trust me, but he needed someone to confide in. To finally have someone understand what he'd been going through all this time. To really listen instead of yelling at him to go away.
In some ways, this was important to both of us. Even if the truth was painful, he needed to be talked about. To finally be aired and put to rest.
I took the bear and ran a hand over the top of her head and her soft ears. Brought her to my nose and inhaled the faded rose scent that lingered on her. Something about that scent smelled like home. Like a comfortable place I hadn't been in so long. Somewhere I was loved and cherished. Not ignored and treated like a burden, or the clichéd redheaded stepchild. I wasn't even a redhead.
"When I first got up here, I thought…" I wasn't sure if I could put my thoughts into coherent words.
"You thought you'd get down on your knees and suck me off?" he said lightly.
I elbowed him. "I'm sorry to say that wasn't what crossed my mind."
"There's still time." He cocked his head at me. "Okay, I shouldn't ask, but what did you think?"
"You'll think I'm losing my mind," I said. "You'll probably ring up…whoever it is that takes away crazy people around here." I flapped a hand vaguely towards the door. As if a flood of people was going to come and drag me away for my own safety and that of the rest of the world.
"If there was such a person, they would have taken me away a long time ago," he said with a smirk. "Serial killer, remember?"
"You're not a serial killer," I told him. A loner, yes, but not a murderer. I was safe here with him. For some reason I couldn't put my finger on, I trusted Josiah Lachance. It wasn't only because pretty much everyone in town told me to stay away from him. I was drawn to him the same way as I was drawn to Aurora Hollow. He had secrets I want to uncover.
Secrets I might be a part of.
I took a long, slow breath, inhaling more of the scent of Ms Sparkle. Something about her made me feel brave. Like one small teddy bear could comfort me enough to get through the next few minutes.
Finally I said, "I believe what you said about Coral. That someone took her.” I let the words sink into his mind and into my own. Allowing the implications to become thoughts. “That means there's a chance she's still alive."
"Depending on what they wanted with her," he said, his voice a low whisper. "They might have…" He swallowed hard, like he was trying to stop himself from being sick. That thought must have crossed his mind too many times in the last twenty years. In some ways, thinking she was dead might have been more merciful.
"Right," I said quickly. "They might have. But the possibility is there. What if she is alive? What if she returned to Aurora Hollow because the place was calling to her?"
He squinted at me. Froze with his expression like that. "What are you saying?"
"When I first got up here and got out of my car, it hit me," I whispered. "I've been here before. Because I used to live here. My early years are a blank, but I know this place."
"Fuck." He stood and paced to the door and back again. "You think you're…"
"I don't think… I don'tknow…" I shook my head. "Do you think it's possible that I could be her? Could I be Coral Clarke?"
3
JOSIAH
I staredat the stunning woman who sat on Coral's bed, her dark hair tucked behind her ear. With the teddy bear in her arms, she looked almost vulnerable. That was an illusion. I knew better. She stood up to me without flinching. The woman had backbone.
She also had some wild fucking ideas.
I snatched the bear from her and placed it back against Coral's pillow.
"You need to leave." I shattered the rapport I let myself start to feel and slammed my walls back up hard. I shouldn't have let her in here. I should have taken my nails and insisted she leave. She was trespassing on private property as it was. And trespassing on privatematters.
I ignored her wince as she pushed herself to her feet. Whatever was going on, it was none of my business, just like Coral Clarke was not hers. Fucking city girl coming up here, to my home. Trying to get under my skin. I didn't know what agendas she had and I didn't give a shit. She needed to do what everyone else did, leave me the fuck alone.
