“Aubrey, Aubrey! It’s me, baby. It’s me.” Jake grips my wrists, making me look up at him. Oh, God. A soft cry escapes my lips, and I press my face into his chest. “Are you okay? What are you doing back here?”
I’m crying like a baby. I can’t make myself stop. It’s hysterical all of the sudden. Tears and snot. The whole she-bang. Jake’s arms wrap around my back, then he cradles my head in his hands. “What’s wrong? Talk to me.”
It’s a minute before I can stop my incoherent blabbering. “I was looking for a lamp. Someone has been using the extra cabin, and I saw someone.”
Jake’s jaw tightens on one side and his widen. “Just now?”
“Yes.”
He gestures for me to follow him inside. The back of Jake’s shirt is in my grip. I don’t even care that I’m supposed to be mad at him. I’m too scared to care. He stops at the bathroom and turns to look down at me. “You’re right. Someone is using this.”
I check over my shoulder before speaking. “Do you think we should tell Mrs. Jones?”
Jake grips my upper arm and slides his hand down to my wrist. “How about this. I’ll go get Tanner and we’ll go tell Mrs. Jones. You need to go back to your cabin. Here.” He walks over to the nightstand and grabs a lamp. “Take this. I’ll make sure Tanner comes over when we get back. Lock the doors and windows. Keep the blinds closed. You’ll be fine.”
Jake walks me to my cabin, and he checks the place before he stops at the door. He smiles. Something in his demeanor changes. He’s actually being nice for me and not for him.
He turns to leave. “Jake?” He glances over his shoulder. “Thank you for this. Thank you for accepting this.”
A sad expression crosses his face but he covers it with a smile. “Baby, I want you to be happy. And as much as I want to make you happy, I don’t anymore. He does. I can only hope I’ll have another chance at another time.” He winks. “Lock the door.” And with that he leaves. I lock the door and got to sit on my bed. Even though there is a possible stalker at the camp, I can’t help but feel a small relief. A weight lifts off my shoulder. I want Jake to be happy, too. The happiness is short lived.
Cassie’s gone. My back is against my headboard, my knees tucked underneath my chin. I’m not moving from this spot. I refuse.
The air around me doesn’t seem to be enough. I take large breaths, gasping at it like I’ll never take another breath. My phone vibrates against my bed, and I fumble through my covers to get to it.
The number on my screen makes my body heat. It was on my cell phone bill a thousand times one month. My parents had a hard time paying it off. Mrs. Powers. Michael’s Mom. I haven’t talked to her since the trial. I never had the heart. I sent her only son to prison. I was sure she’d never want to talk to me again. Not that it’s my fault. It’s not.
I answer. “Hello.”
“Aubrey? Is this Aubrey Depp’s phone?”
“Yes,” I mumble.
Silence. God, its torture. I want to scream at her. Say something! I want to tell her I’m sorry. I’m sorry her son went crazy. I’m sorry I didn’t save him in time. I’m sorry I didn’t see the signs and get him help. “It’s Mrs. Powers, Aubrey. How are you?”
“Um, fine. How are you?”
“Making it,” she says. Her voice is low. Down. Depressed. How could she not be? Her son is going to spend the next fifteen years of his life in jail. He’ll miss college. He’ll have a record. “Aubrey. I want to talk to you, sweetheart. I’m so sorry I haven’t called before now.”
“It’s okay.” No it’s not.
“Sweetie. I’m sorry this happened to you. I’ve had such a hard time accepting this. I—I’m sorry I was so angry at your for so long. But, it’s not your fault. It’s not. I know that, I always have.”
I feel the heat travel up to my neck. My fault? How could she have thought it was my fault? “Okay.”
She sighs and chuckles beneath her breath. It’s humorless. “I thought you two would get married. He loved you so much. He loved you too much. Do you understand?”
I shrug one shoulder. Then I remember she can’t see me. “I don’t know. It was the scariest thing that’s happened to me. Mrs. Powers, my parents made me break up with him. You know that, right?”
“Yes. And they were right to do that. He was becoming obsessed. I should have noticed the signs. He was so depressed after you two broke up. Then when he saw you with Jace, he went crazy. He tore his room to shreds.” She sniffles. “The reason I’m calling is because I know that you didn’t deserve this. I’m sorry he took what you loved away from you. I talked with your mother the other day. She says you’re not swimming anymore.”
She talked to my mom? “I’m—I’m learning again. My friend is helping me out. I’m trying to live again.”
A loud sob breaks from her throat. “There is nothing like a love for your child, Aubrey. I love Michael so much. He’s my son. Always will be. But, I know what he did was wrong. He scarred you, and I’m sorry. Please don’t let him control your life. He’s not worth giving your dream up, sweetheart. Don’t be scared because of him. He doesn’t have that control unless you give it to him.”
“It’s okay, Mrs. Powers. Everything happens for a reason. And I’m pretty sure I know that reason now. I appreciate your call.”
“Thank you for talking with me, Aubrey. We miss you. You should come down and visit soon. Your mother said you were working at a summer camp for the summer, right?”
“Yes.”
“Come and visit when you finish. I would love to see you again.”
“I will, Mrs. Powers.”
“Okay. I won’t hold you up any longer. Please, call me sometimes. I would love to keep up with you. You have a great day, sweetie.”
“You, too.”
Placing my phone on my bed, I stare at the comforter. I can’t imagine how hard that was for her. To call the woman that put her son behind bars. Even if he was wrong, a mother’s love is endless.
I take a shower and get ready for bed. Cassie’s back and talking about her kids today. I don’t tell her I think someone is using the cabin next door. I don’t even mention it. Tanner comes in an hour later, doesn’t say anything as he crawls into bed with me and holds me tight to his chest. Like he’ll never get to see me again.
“Any luck?” I whisper.
He shakes his head against mine. “The police came and looked. They say it was no forced entry. They couldn’t find anything so they left.”
Of course. Tanner tangles his legs with my own and cups my jaw with his palm. “Aubrey. You’re safe. I won’t let anybody hurt you.”
I nod into my pillow and shut my eyes. I believe him.
Chapter Seventeen
Tanner
“That’s it, darlin’. Come to me.”
The sunlight is setting behind the trees, leaving a bright beam cascading across the water. Aubrey’s wading in the shallow end. Her arms hover over the surface on each side. The excitement on her face is contagious. “I’m in the water,” she whispers to herself.
I take a step toward her. The water laps at her sides, covering her bellybutton. She’s made so much progress these last few weeks. We’ve actually had a great few weeks. We haven’t seen or heard anything from the creeper guy. Either he left or he’s staying low. I’m guessing the latter.