Home to Stay (The Long Road Home #2) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,74
that our friendship wasn’t based on a true togetherness.”
The silence filled the space of Paula’s small entryway, threatening to choke off the oxygen. She refused to look away, and finally saw evidence of some remorse when moisture gathered in Paula’s eyes and she blinked rapidly.
Scrunching her mouth to the side as her chin wobbled, Paula nodded slowly. “I was nervous to move to a new area, start a new job, not know anybody. When the principal first mentioned that I was going to get a mentor, I was sure she was going to give me to some old teacher who’d been around for decades. When she gave me to you, I thought I’d hit the jackpot. You’re well-liked by the other staff and kids and parents. You’re fun and energetic. And on top of that, you’re just really nice. But I wasn’t ready to settle down, still loving the life I had in college, and I looked at you like any other college friend I’d had. Someone to go to bars with. A wingman. Someone to talk about our sexcapades with.” She shook her head. “I was stupid. I should have realized a long time ago that that just wasn’t you. And that you were waiting for me to grow the fuck up.”
Those words were not what she expected to come out of Paula’s mouth. Pressing her lips together, she finally sighed. “My mother used to tell me that there were people who came into our lives at different times for different reasons. Some to stay for a long time and others more briefly. But they all had the potential to touch my life, help me learn, help me grow. I don’t regret the times we had together, Paula. And I’d really like to help you because I feel like you’re in trouble. If you’re not and don’t need me, then I’ll walk away and we can remain good, professional coworkers. But I’ve seen you change over the last month, and it doesn’t seem like a good change. Who you’re hanging out with, the dark circles under your eyes, and what I just saw outside.”
Paula lifted a hand and swiped under her nose, sniffing. “I just got myself in a bit of a mess, that’s all. But I’m taking care of it and will be fine. And while I appreciate your offer, what I’m dealing with needs to be handled by me and me alone. I don’t want you to get involved.”
“If you’re in trouble or danger, let’s get help,” Lucy pleaded.
Before Paula had a chance to respond, the rumble of a motorcycle was heard coming closer. Paula’s eyes widened, her head jerking toward the back of her townhouse. “Shit! He must’ve called Griz!”
“You’ve got to get out of here. You can’t be here when he comes. You’ve got to go!” Paula’s hand twisted the doorknob, but she peeked out the slender window first, a gasp fleeing her mouth. “Shit!”
Unable to see what Paula was looking at, Lucy cried out, “What?”
Paula grabbed Lucy’s hand and dragged her to a door under the staircase leading to the second floor. “Get into the basement! Whatever you do, whatever you hear, stay quiet! You can’t be found here!”
“Paula—”
“No, there’s no time! Listen, I didn’t have all the money to pay the guy at the storage facility so he called Griz to see what’s going on. It’s fine, I’ll take care of it. But if you’re found here, things could get ugly. And by ugly, I mean for both of us! So go down there, stay quiet, and let me deal with this!”
Lucy looked down into the dark basement, the stairs illuminated by a single bulb halfway down.
“Go! It’s the only way to keep you safe!” Paula’s eyes were filled with panic, that emotion finally kicking in with Lucy.
She heard the door shut behind her as she raced down the wooden stairs, her heartbeat pounding to the rhythm of her footsteps. Just as she neared the bottom, the light went out and she stumbled, barely managing to right herself before she splattered onto the concrete floor.
Dim daylight was still coming in through two small, dirty windows at the back of the basement wall near the ceiling, and she hurried over toward them. As her eyes acclimated to the light, she looked around. A few boxes sat in a corner, appearing to have been here for a long time, probably before Paula moved in. Movement shot along