The Heart's Quite Beginning

Chapter 23: Stormy Roads, Stormy Hearts

The rain pounded relentlessly against the windows of Ink & Espresso, each drop falling harder than the last. It was one of those days where the sky seemed to have no end, a constant gray smear that blurred everything in sight. The world outside was lost to the storm, as if swallowed whole by the dark clouds rolling over Seabrook. Inside the cafe, the air was warm, cozy even, but I couldn't shake the chill running through me.

As the last few customers trickled out, I began the tedious process of closing up. The quiet hum of the espresso machine provided a soft backdrop to my racing thoughts. Today had been... a lot. The confrontation with James still had me shaken. His voice, cold and slick with malice, echoed in my mind. Even though he'd run off when Nova called the police, I could feel his presence lingering, a dark shadow creeping around the edges of my life. It was like he was taunting me, reminding me that no matter how far I tried to escape, he could still reach me.

But despite everything, I felt a small flicker of hope. Seabrook, with its charming little shops and welcoming people, had begun to feel like home. There was something comforting in the routine of the cafe. Maybe, just maybe, I could carve out a life here—a safe one, far from James and all the chaos he brought.

The chime of my phone broke the stillness, yanking me from my thoughts. I glanced at the screen—Iris. I quickly answered, bracing myself.

"Hey, Iris," I said, trying to inject some cheerfulness into my voice despite the tension that still clung to me.

"Lia, there's a storm hitting the village soon," Iris's voice crackled over the line, carrying an edge of urgency. "You need to get home quickly. It's going to get really bad out there."

I glanced outside. The rain was no longer a drizzle—it had turned into a relentless downpour, hammering the streets and sidewalks, making it hard to see anything beyond the front window. "Okay, I'm wrapping up here. I'll head home now."

After hanging up, I hurried to finish closing the cafe, locking the doors and switching off the lights. I stared out at the storm for a moment, mentally preparing myself for the wet walk home. The rain was coming down in heavy sheets, and the wind howled, rattling the windows like an angry spirit. The streets were eerily empty, only the occasional flicker of headlights cutting through the curtain of rain.

I stepped outside, immediately hit by the icy blast of wind and water. My umbrella, cheap and flimsy, was no match for the storm. Within seconds, it flipped inside out, snapping in the wind like a broken wing. Great. Just great.

I trudged forward, feeling the rain soak through my clothes, the cold seeping into my skin. My house was still a good walk away, and with the weather getting worse by the second, I wondered if I'd even make it. I was already drenched, shivering uncontrollably, my thoughts spiraling into a mess of irritation, exhaustion, and a bit of panic.

Then, through the haze of rain, I saw a pair of headlights cutting through the storm. A car was approaching slowly, and I squinted through the water streaming down my face, trying to make out who it was. As the vehicle got closer, my heart did an odd little leap. It was Ethan's car.

What is he doing here? His house is on the other side of town. Why would he be driving in this storm?

The car pulled up beside me, and the window rolled down, revealing Ethan's concerned face. His usual calm expression was replaced with something I didn't often see—anxiety.

"Lia, you're soaked!" he exclaimed, his voice barely audible over the roar of the wind. "The road ahead is blocked. A tree fell across it. You won't be able to get through."

I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself. "Thanks for letting me know. I'll figure something out." I didn't know what, but I wasn't about to admit that.