She probably couldn’t put off the necessary apology any longer, as it appeared Clay wasn’t going away.
“I do.” She set the pencils in her lap and shifted her weight a little so she’d be face-to-face with Clay, who stood near the couch, just on the edge of the room. “Are you going to sit?”
“Didn’t know if you wanted company.”
“Does what I want matter at this point?”
“You’re still here at the lodge instead of in that safe house your brother picked out, aren’t you?” His voice gave away what he thought about that.
Hadn’t Clay backed her up earlier on the fact that a safe house wasn’t necessary? His tone now seemed to indicate something had changed. What had that conversation between him and her brother been about?
“For now. And look, I’m sorry that messes up what you thought you’d be doing.” Noah had informed her that Clay would basically be her bodyguard for the foreseeable future. She knew it wasn’t Clay’s fault, that he was just doing this because her brothers had asked him to, but the resentment was hard to repress. “It’s not what I was expecting, either—I don’t want my life arranged for me.” She’d spent too much time and energy crafting five-year plans to have them yanked away because of an attack that could have just been random. So far there was no proof anyone would come after her a second time. Summer was hoping, even thinking of praying, that it was a onetime thing.
“I don’t mind.”
Such a quiet, calm answer. Summer didn’t know what to do with that.
She exhaled. “Look, I’m sorry. About now and about earlier. You’re not seeing my best side at the moment.”
“Situations like this don’t tend to bring those out in people.”
“You’ve seen them before.”
He didn’t answer immediately. Just walked around the coffee table to the other end of the couch where she sat and took a seat. “I have.”
“Tyler trusts you. That makes sense, you’re his friend. But Noah trusts you too. You didn’t answer me before, but I was right with my guess, wasn’t I? You’re law enforcement, aren’t you?”
“No.”
“But you were.” His reaction to the question had made her even more sure, but it was more than that. It was the way he’d reacted when she’d first jumped in his truck—not overly riled but instantly understanding the seriousness of the situation. It was the way he’d listened as she told her story, the way he didn’t seem overly excited by anything but at the same time seemed like he never fully relaxed, was always aware of their surroundings and ready to do his part to neutralize any threat.
“I was.”
Summer liked that about him, the way he didn’t give more answer than he had to at first but didn’t attempt to dance around a direct question, either. A straight question deserved a straight answer. It seemed Clay agreed. A mark in his favor.
“I don’t suppose you’d tell me...”
“Not at the moment.”
The tone of his voice didn’t change a bit, his expression didn’t flinch. But the subject was clearly closed. Interesting. She was curious, not because she necessarily doubted his ability to protect her, although maybe there was a little of that. But she also just wanted to know.
“What do you think about the guy who’s after me?” Somehow Summer felt that if she was quiet, he’d be the one asking the questions and she wanted to avoid that for now. As long as she was asking the questions, she was the one in control.
“We don’t know enough yet to make any kind of guesses.” He took a sip from the mug she hadn’t noticed him carrying in with him. Coffee, she’d guess. Her siblings liked the stuff. Summer preferred tea—had gotten hooked on it one summer she’d spent in Europe mountain running and climbing.
“What do we know?”
“I’m not part of the investigation, Summer. I’m just looking out for you.”
“Surely they’ve talked to you about why that’s necessary.”
“They have.”
She let those words hang in the air for a minute while she considered them. “But you aren’t telling me.”
“Because right now, all we have are theories. They won’t help you. They’ll just drive you crazy thinking about the possibilities. I will tell you everything I know the second I think that’s what is best for you.”
Summer felt her shoulders tighten, the first hint of a frown on her face. He’d met her hours earlier. Who was he to decide what was best for her? She opened her mouth, ready to let him have it. Before she could say anything to him, she heard something. A doorknob being rattled? But everyone was inside already. They weren’t waiting for anyone.
She stopped and sat up straight. “What was that?”
Clay was already on his feet, reaching out for her hand, and she took it, the fight she’d been meaning to pick just seconds before mostly forgotten. The doorknob wasn’t making noise anymore, but in the seconds that had followed the initial rattling, there’d been a loud clatter, a small crash like one of the small tables on the porch had been knocked over.
Someone was outside.
“Go after him!” Summer urged.
“I can’t. I have to stay with you.” Clay had his phone out. “Noah, I think there’s an intruder on the deck. Okay. Yes. That’s what I thought.”
He hung up. “This way.” He pulled her toward the staircase that led to the upstairs guest rooms and some of the family’s bedrooms. Two of those were upstairs—Summer’s and Kate’s—and Noah’s and Tyler’s were in another hallway off the main floor.
“You have to go after him,” she protested even as she followed him. “He found me, he knows where I am. He’s come after me twice now and it’s just going to keep happening unless we face it and do something about it.”
Clay whirled to face her. “This is what needs to be done right now, Summer. You need to be kept safe and you need to stop questioning the people trying to make that happen.”
She didn’t say anything else. Just continued up the stairs and entered her own room when he motioned her inside. It was more of a suite than a room, and the door opened into an area with a small couch, a coffee table and a drawing desk. Off that was the bedroom and bathroom.
She stopped just inside the door. “What now?”
“Sit down and wait.”
Summer did it, fighting frustration. And maybe...
Was that fear?
Out of all her siblings, Summer considered herself one of the most fearless. Noah and Tyler weren’t overly afraid by any means, but they didn’t seek out danger the way she and Kate always had. Noah becoming the police chief had actually surprised the rest of them, but he’d explained that he’d rather face danger every day if it meant he was doing something to protect the rest of the town from it. Kate was an adventurer like Summer, but she acknowledged danger, didn’t mind staring it in the face. Summer? Summer didn’t usually notice danger. Her favorite place in the world was up on top of a ridgeline, running on it as her heart pounded, adrenaline rushing through her body, and dancing over rocks at what always felt like the tippy-top of the world.
There was no room for fear.
So this wasn’t a feeling she was used to. Then again, she also wasn’t used to losing her sense of control. Sure, there was a point in the run downhill when you had to lose a bit