The Fall (Colorado Coyotes #6)

Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Cam

“I see cutting down on sugar is going well,” Tess says wryly as she grabs a box of Lemonheads from my kitchen counter and opens it.

Tate is better today but not well enough to go back to school, so I took half a day off. Tess is here to take over for me so I can go in to work.

“Oh, I didn’t--”

She cuts me off. “I get it. When they’re on sale, it’s just wrong not to buy them.”

I bend down to tie my left snow boot. “Rowan sent them. He sent the chicken noodle soup and the pasta in the fridge, too.”

“Aw. What about Harrison? Did he send you a single packet of Ramen noodles?”

I laugh as I switch to tying my other boot. “No. And speaking of him, I’m canceling on coffee tonight.”

“Why?”

I pinch my brows together, sitting back up and looking at her. “Um, so you don’t have to babysit for eight hours?”

“Don’t cancel. You know I love hanging out with the boys. I’ll pick Sam up from the after-school thing and if Tate is feeling well enough, we’ll go to my house for the evening.”

I hesitate, because I was looking forward to not dealing with the Harrison thing tonight. But I need to at least give him a fair chance.

“Come on,” she continues. “Aren’t you guys meeting up at that McDonald’s by your office so he can get the coffee with the senior discount?”

“You’re the fucking worst.” I can’t keep from smiling. “We’re supposed to meet up at Rocky Mountain Brews, which is close to my office.”

“Just go. And have an open mind.”

I glare at her. “Oh, really? Like, don’t assume he’s cheap just because he sent me one rose and Rowan sent two dozen?”

“Don’t forget the Post-It.”

I sigh heavily and get my coat from the back of a kitchen chair. “I really do hate you. When Tate wakes up, try to get him to eat some soup. Don’t let him go crazy on the Sweet Tarts, and tell him I love him and I’ll see him tonight.”

Tess gives me a serious look and nods. “Got it. And as always, the boys can stay the night if needed. I’ll tell them it’s an impromptu sleepover and we’ll come grab some clothes for school tomorrow.”

“No way that’s happening. This is just coffee.”

“But what if Harrison found a sale on condoms?” Her eyes widen and she points at me. “No, no, I’ve got it. He goes to Planned Parenthood so he can snag the free ones.”

“Eat shit and die, Tess. This dating thing is killing me, and you’re like a stand-up comedian testing out jokes.”

She hugs me. “I love you. I know it’s hard, but try to relax. You don’t think you can trust your intuition, but you can.”

“Just because the year of not dating is up, that doesn’t mean I have to date, you know?”

“Right. Only do it if you want to.”

“I’ll see how tonight goes.”

“Good luck.”

I hug her again and leave through the kitchen door that’s attached to my garage. It snowed yesterday and I was too exhausted from being up with Tate to shovel the driveway, so I hit the gas extra hard to back out of my garage.

Snow crunches beneath the tires of my car as I do a mental run-through of what I need to get done at work this afternoon. If I stay focused, I can get through it all before meeting up with Harrison at 5:30 p.m.

By the time I get to the office, lunch hour is over for most everyone and the normal hum of office activity has resumed. I nod at people as I walk by but don’t stop for any conversations, closing my office door behind me.

On my tightened schedule, I don’t have time to think about Rowan. I fell asleep thinking about our text conversation last night and had a dream that he was taking a shower in my bathroom.

I’ll have to pick up on those thoughts later, though. This afternoon, I’m all business.

“Hi, Cam.” Harrison stands up to greet me when I approach his table at the coffee shop.

He’s still wearing the dark suit he probably wore to work today, his face clean-shaven and his smile wide. Harrison is handsome. Most women would get butterflies sitting down across from him.

But what I notice most is his eyes. They didn’t change when he saw me. Every single time since Rowan and I met, when he sees me, his eyes brighten with...happiness? I think it’s happiness. I never really thought about it until realizing that Harrison’s eyes don’t change at all when he sees me.

“Hi, how are you?”

I hang my bag and coat over the back of the chair, scolding myself. Bright eyes don’t mean a lifetime of happiness. They don’t mean stability for me and my boys.

“Can’t complain.” He looks sheepish. “Sorry I couldn’t work this in during the day, it’s a crazy busy week at the office.”

“It’s no problem.”

I sit down and grab a drink menu. “Definitely decaf for me at this hour.”

“Same.” He chuckles lightly. “I’d have to run a few laps around my house later tonight and I still wouldn’t be able to sleep if I had caffeine right now.”

I set my menu down and meet his gaze across the table. “Thanks for the rose. That was really sweet of you.”

He smiles, leaning back in his chair. “I like you, Cam. You’re beautiful and you have this...energy that I like being around. I know you’re younger than me, still in your child-raising days. Those days are over for me, but I definitely have room in my life for a girlfriend.”

I look down at the table, my inner voice sounding an alarm. If Harrison wasn’t an important client of the firm, I’d get up and leave. Any man who is done raising children is not the man for me. I have two energetic boys and I love them more than anything in the world.

“Well,” I start, planning to diplomatically tell him I’m not right for him. “I--”

“Harrison!” a barista calls out from the counter.

“Excuse me,” Harrison says, getting up from his seat.

He ordered before I got here. Is this what dating has come to these days? I take out my phone, hoping to see a text from Tess telling me I need to come home immediately.

Maybe Tate’s feeling bad again. Maybe she had plans tonight she forgot about. Hell, I’ll come over and take out her trash if she needs me to. Anything to escape this asshole who just dismissed my kids before even having the privilege of meeting them.

There’s nothing from Tess, but I do have a voicemail from the Denver County State’s Attorney’s Office. I furrow my brow, wondering why they’d be calling me. My phone says the call came into my phone at 2:34 p.m. today, but the voicemail just came through.

I listen to it, not caring if Harrison finds it rude.

“Hi Cam, it’s Nate from Amara Morris’s office. I wanted to let you know that Jacob Dunley is being released from prison early. There’s an overcrowding situation and since he’s had good behavior, he qualified to get out early. Looks like he’s getting out on...let’s see...this Friday. I know this is upsetting. We argued against it but were unsuccessful. Please call me back if you have any questions on this or if we can connect you with any resources. Thanks.”

I sit in stunned silence for a few seconds, feeling dizzy. I put my hand on the table to steady myself and force a deep inhale.

My stalker is being released from prison three years early. Three fucking years. I knew there was a possibility of early release for good behavior, but not this early.

“Everything okay?” Harrison sits down across from me, a mug in hand.

“No.” I put my phone in my bag, willing myself not to cry until I get out of here. “I’m sorry, I have to go.”

My throat is tight and suddenly it’s so hot in here I can’t stand it. I mumble another apology to Harrison, not looking at him. Then I grab my coat and bag and run for the door, running into a chair that someone’s sliding back to get out of.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” the woman says.

“It’s okay.”

I can’t look at her, either. I keep my eyes focused on the door, still unsteady from the dizziness.

If I can just get out that door, I’ll be able to breathe again. I race for it, the man coming through it giving me a polite nod and holding on to it until I get there.

“Thanks,” I say under my breath, practically stumbling outside.

The icy air hits my face and I gulp in a deep breath of it, grateful. I’m breathing so hard that the air stings my throat. I see an empty bench and start walking toward it, a hand on my arm making me stop.

“Cam--”

“No!” I yell, instinct taking over as I tear my arm away even though the person isn’t holding on to it.

It’s Rowan, wearing jeans, a blue-and-gray flannel, a black wool coat, and a dark baseball cap pulled down low. He steps back, his eyes darkening as he narrows them. “What the fuck did he say to you? I’m gonna drag his ass out of there right now.”

I’m still processing that Jake could be back in Denver by this weekend. It takes me a second to go after Rowan.

“No, Rowan. Stop!”

He turns, the fury in his gaze taking me aback. He’s always easygoing, rarely even in a bad mood. I’ve never seen him like this.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

It can’t be a coincidence that he’s at the coffee shop where I met Harrison. I didn’t even tell anyone I was coming here. My stomach rolls with a sick sensation. Is he following me?

“Tess told me where you were going. Don’t be mad at her. You were never supposed to know I was here. I just wanted to make sure you were safe.”

I give him an incredulous look.

“It’s the truth,” he says earnestly. “I couldn’t just sit at home while you went out with the guy who lied his way into a first date pretending it was a work thing.”

I shake my head, overwhelmed.

“I’m man enough to admit it was five percent curiosity, ninety-five percent concern.” He glares at the door to the coffee shop. “Now, what did that asshole say to you?”

I take a deep breath and put up my hand. “It wasn’t him. That’s not why I’m upset.”

“Is Tate okay?” He steps forward, his brow furrowed with concern.

“Yeah, he’s with Tess.” I swallow hard, still in disbelief. “I just found out the guy who stalked me is being released from prison early.”

“What the fuck? Why?”

I wave a hand, my voice thick with unshed tears. “Overcrowding, I guess? He’s getting out on Friday.”

“Oh, Cam. Fuck, I’m so sorry.”

A sob comes from my throat as I step closer to him. He wraps his arms around me, holding me close and putting his chin on top of my head.

I don’t want to cry over Jake. I’ve shed so many tears and lost so much sleep over that bastard. But I can’t help it. I’m afraid of him. Afraid he’ll do something to one of my sons.

“What do you need?” Rowan murmurs. “Comfort food? A walk to clear your head? A trip to a gun store to buy a weapon? Just tell me and it’s yours.”

I laugh, pulling away to wipe the tears from the corners of my eyes. “The last thing I need right now is a gun. I just want to go home.”

He nods, his arm still around me. “I’ll drive you.”

“I’ve got my car here.”

He shakes his head. “I’ll drive your car back to your place and Dom can give me a ride later.”

I nod, grateful I don’t have to think about driving right now. “I’m parked in the next block.”

We start walking, his arm still securely around my shoulder. I’ll text Tess on the drive home and ask her to keep the boys tonight. I need a little time to have a meltdown and I don’t want my kids knowing I’m upset.

I’m not even going to tell Tess until tomorrow. She’ll lose her shit and start calling every county, state, and federal politician whose contact information she can find, trying to get the decision to release Jake reversed. I love her for it, but that’s not the energy I need right now.

“We’ll get through this,” Rowan says as we approach my car. “You’re not alone.”

That’s exactly what I need right now. I’m questioning myself more than ever because the man I’ve convinced myself is all wrong for me is the only one who seems to do everything just right.