Page 66 of Break Away
With another sip of tea to fortify her, Zoeyrelated the details of the incident that was already taking on asurreal quality. She concluded with Levi’s response at the policestation.
“Oh, I love hot and bothered boyfriendkisses,” Eva sighed.
“Levi is not exactly my boyfriend. I’m notsure what we are, but boyfriend and girlfriend scares me, so we’renot using that.”
Maddy pushed a small plate with apple tart infront of each of them. “I get what you’re saying, but be honestwith him. Levi has had a rough time since the shooting in Oakland,and he deserves that you be up front with him if you can’t returnhis feelings.”
“He hasn’t told me about the shooting inOakland.”
“You might have heard about it in the news.That’s what led to him coming back home.”
Zoey stared at Maddy, a sinking sensation inher stomach. “I’ve asked what led him to leave the Oakland PD, andeven mentioned I’d heard about a shooting, but he deflected andtold me he wanted to come home to be close to family.”
Maddy shrugged. “Family was a big part of hisdecision, but the rest is his story to tell, so ask him about it.He’s still dealing with what happened and I worry about him.”
Zoey nodded, her mind spinning.
Eva set down her tea mug. “I’m so glad you’resafe. It sounds like Levi and Brad are following all leads. They’llfigure out who’s been threatening you.”
“I hope so. This whole thing scares the pantsoff me.”
Twenty minutes later, Zoey returned home,carrying the cute paper bag from the café. She didn’t like feelingwary as she approached the cottage. None of her porch furniture hadbeen overturned, there was no disgusting meat dumped in front ofher door, and while it would have made her feel more secure ifLevi’s motorcycle were parked in front of his cabin, she shouldn’tbank her safety on him.
She took a bracing breath and told herselfshe was holding it together. Except for when thoughts of what couldhave happened on that mountainside slipped through. She closed thedoor and keyed in the disarm code on the new alarm system, anotherunhappy reminder of the danger she faced.
Lucy greeted her with a tail wag. “So gladyou’re safe, big girl,” she told Lucy as she gave her a rub. Thedog followed her into the kitchen where the soup went into therefrigerator to be heated later. Zoey pulled out a bottle ofChablis, uncorked it, went to pour, but had to set down the bottlewhen her hand shook so badly it rattled against the wineglass.
She gripped the countertop. Delayed reaction,that’s all. Who wouldn’t be frazzled after what had happened? Itwasn’t every day that she got shot at, and then on top of that tolearn the guy she was kind of in a relationship with had beeninvolved in a serious police shooting and he hadn’t told her.
Her iPad was on the counter. Curiosityoverrode her good sense and had her typing out search parameters. Along list of articles came up. She tapped on one, read it to theend, then the next. After two articles, she was sick to herstomach, and clicked off the tablet.
Mind reeling, she dug out her softest flannelpajamas, found her fuzzy socks, and took them to the bathroom.She’d planned to take a quick shower, but instead opted forsomething she rarely did, twisting the taps to fill the tub withhot water.
After dumping in lavender bath salts she’dhad for years and had used only once, she caught her hair up in amessy bun, undressed, and stepped into the tub. She slid into thefrothy water, and with her head tipped back against the edge of thetub, closed her eyes as the heat and fragrance engulfed her.
Images and sounds echoed through her mind.The crack of gunfire, the realization the bullets were meant forher, racing for cover while waiting for the shot that would findits target and rip through her body or Lucy’s.
She wondered how the young black man Levi hadshot had felt. She should have known better than to get involvedwith someone in law enforcement. Her chest felt constricted and herbreath started coming in gulps.
Zoey brought her trembling hands to her face.Her throat tightened and the tears she hated refused to be heldback, so she let them come. She was safe now. She needed toremember that. When someone had shot at her, she’d gotten herselfout of the situation, and despite what Levi had said, had beensmart about it.
Getting out of a relationship with Levi withher heart intact was an entirely different matter. Her shouldersshook and she pressed a washcloth to her eyes. When the sobsfinally petered out, she splashed water over her face, then leanedher head back against the rim of the tub again.
The crying jag had exhausted her, but maybeletting go for even those few minutes was cathartic, because by thetime the water had cooled and she’d drained the tub, then took aquick shower to rinse, she felt calmer and better able to cope withwhatever came next.
She was scooping dog food into Lucy’s dishwhen she heard a knock on the door. Levi. Dread formed a knot oftension in the middle of her chest. She had no idea how to dealwith the chaotic emotions he dragged from her.
She’d been worried she might be falling inlove with him, but now heaped on top of that was the keendisappointment he’d been involved in a shooting he’d told hernothing about, even after she’d asked.
Love hurt, and she wanted nothing to do withit.
A loud rapping sounded again. She set the dogdish on the floor, said “crickets” to the expectant Lucy, and,despite her confidence that it was Levi, peeked through thecurtains over the front windows before unlatching the deadbolt andopening the door.
He stood in the glow of the porch lightwearing a dark flannel shirt open over a white t-shirt. He had thebrooding scowl down perfect.
“Hey.”
His gaze searched her face and his brows camedown in a frown. “You’ve been crying.”
