and filled them in. “They don’t have anything to arrest Clint.”
“That doesn’t mean he didn’t do it.”
“I believe he did. Which is why I’m taking the detective’s advice.” She picked up the sack lunch she packed before making breakfast for her, Tate, and Declan. “I won’t go anywhere alone. I’ll eat at work. I’ll vary my schedule. I’ve already spoken to my boss. It’s all arranged.”
“Quit. Stay here. You don’t need to work. I’ll take care of you.”
She understood his desire to keep her close and protect her. She appreciated it. It reinforced how much he cared about her. But . . . “Tate, honey, I’m not quitting my job and hiding here for the rest of my life. If I do, he wins.”
“I’m pretty sure I win if you’re here with me all the time.” He tried to tease, but he was also serious. “Go to work at Almost Homemade.”
She shook her head. “You can’t hand out jobs at Trinity and Adria’s shop.”
“They won’t mind. You’re family.”
She placed her hand on her melting heart. “Thank you for that. It means a lot that you think that.”
“It’s true,” Declan added. “You’ve been a part of this family forever, Liz.”
Tears filled her eyes. She always knew her friendship with Tate made her close to him and his siblings and parents, but she never imagined Declan and the others thought of her as family.
Tate set down the coffee mug and cupped her face. “This is where you belong.”
She hooked her hands on his wrists. “But I still need a life that’s mine.” She hoped he understood.
“You won’t have a life if Clint gets his hands on you.” Declan pointed out the horrible truth.
Tate gave her a see-my-point face.
She got it. She felt the same way they did. But she couldn’t quit her life and hide forever. She couldn’t let Clint take everything away from her and get away with it.
She’d taken Thursday, Friday, and Saturday off work and stayed at the ranch all that time, not going back to her condo and giving Clint a chance to . . . do whatever he planned to do next.
How long was she supposed to put her life on hold because Clint couldn’t take no for an answer?
She wasn’t stupid. She had a plan, even if it wasn’t foolproof.
“I have a new phone.”
Tate bought her one when he replaced his. With a new phone number. Clint couldn’t call or text her now. She’d cut him off just like the detective said she should do. Hopefully, Clint would get bored and sever his obsession with her. She hated to think of him turning his sights on some other unsuspecting woman. Aubrey must have felt the same when she delivered the warning to her on that fateful day last week. Liz hoped she had the guts to help someone else if needed.
“The phone means nothing if he takes you and kills you like he did Aubrey.”
Frustrated and angry, she pushed away from Tate. “I’m going to work. I’ll be careful. I promise. But I won’t sit here on my ass doing nothing anymore. If I see Clint, or even think he’s following me, I’ll call the police. I’ll text you throughout the day to let you know I’m okay.”
“Damnit, Liz, I want you more than okay. I want you safe. Here. With me.”
“I know.” She sucked in a breath and let it out to calm down. “But you can’t babysit me the rest of our lives.”
“Just until the cops arrest him.”
“For what? They have no evidence he did anything. No prints on your truck that he stole your phone. None left in Aubrey’s car. No sign that she struggled or tried to fight him off if he was in her car. Nothing at the lake puts him there. He’s going to get away with killing her. I won’t let him get away with ruining my life.”
Tate stared at her for what seemed like a full minute. “Fine.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll drive you to work and pick you up.”
“Tate, Declan needs you here. You’re already shorthanded. Spending three hours every day driving me back and forth to work is not a good use of your time.”
“I’m going to spend the entire day worried about you,” Tate bit out, his frustration etched in the lines around his frown.
“Try it Tate’s way for a little while.” Declan stood from the table to take his plate to the sink. “Clint hasn’t been able to get to you here on the ranch. Let Tate