Love's Paradox

Chapter 10: Leaping from Speeding Cars

I'm running around the apartment like a crazy person when my phone rings. "Hey, Mom," I answer.

"You're using that voice again," she says.

"What voice?" I squeak.

"The one that says you're too busy to talk, but you're too sweet to tell me that."

Too busy planning on trashing beakers and other ambiguous lab equipment. "Guilty," I say.

"Does this mean you've got plans tonight?" she asks, sounding the tiniest bit disappointed. "Because I had hopes, you know, of us going to the movies or stopping by the bookstore."

I sigh. "Sounds tempting, and if I didn't have a really hot date tonight, I'd totally say yes."

There's a brief pause as my words sink in. "Like a date-date?" she asks.

Someone knocks on my door. I glance at the clock. "Yes. And Parker's here now. Fifteen minutes early, actually."

"Parker, eh? Doesn't he know women need every last second of those fifteen minutes to get ready for a date? Especially a first date?" my mom says in a cynical tone.

"I know. And now I need to let you go."

"Use protection," she adds quickly.

"Mom!" I admonish, then call out toward the door, "Just a second."

"What? Just doing my motherly duty of protecting and embarrassing you." She chuckles. "Go have fun. Love you."

"You too." I hang up and toss my phone into my purse before she has the chance to give me advice on sex positions. And I'm not even kidding about that. She once told me she needed to go find my father after she read a romance novel I recommended to her. Lesson learned; I'll never do that again.

Another knock resonates through the apartment.

"Coming!" I shout.

Frazzled, I throw on my skirt and top, pat my hair, and rush down the stairs. I fling open the door, then immediately slam it shut. Ian throws out his hand and catches the door before it closes. I push against it, but he's stronger than me and sends me sliding across the entryway tile.

"You're not welcome here," I shout.

"Where is he?" Ian snarls. He glances around the apartment, sees a pair of Hunter's cowboy boots, and heads toward the stairs.

Fading sunlight streams in from the open door, and I don't even hesitate as I run outside. My keys are in my purse upstairs, along with my phone. I knock on my neighbor's door, but no one answers. I try another, but the cranky woman slams the door in my face when I ask to use her phone. Across the parking lot are four more apartments, but they're vacant due to renovations.

I'm barefoot, but I don't dare go back inside my apartment while Ian's there. There's a gas station less than a mile up the road. Surely they'll let me use their phone. My body shakes, but my mind is strangely calm and logical.

The side of the road is a mixture of gravel and broken glass, so I walk on the grass, careful where I step. Cars whiz by, their drivers oblivious to my turmoil.

Then I hear him. "Rae! Get back here you little slut."

My pounding heart jolts at his voice, and I instinctually run, though I don't hear Ian pursuing me. When I glance over my shoulder, I see his truck's reverse lights come on. For a moment, I think he's going to leave, but then his truck flies down the road and screeches to a halt next to me, blocking traffic. Horns blare, but Ian ignores them.

"Where is he?" Ian jumps down from his truck.

I back away, my throat constricting with fear. "Hunter's out of town," I say. "Now leave."