Page 39 of Then Came You

“Sit tight. I’m on my way.”

He’d never dressed so quickly in his life. He’d been sleeping in a T-shirt and underwear, so he shoved on a pair of jeans and sneakers, grabbed his wallet and keys, and flew out the door.

Rocky had been sleeping in his favorite spot in the living room, and his ears had perked up at the interruption. Sam considered bringing him along, but he wasn’t sure how Gillian would feel about it. Earlier, she’d been reluctant to invite him into her house, and she might not appreciate him showing up with his dog.

He drove to her house as fast as he could without breaking any laws, even though there was hardly anyone on the road. When he pulled into her driveway, he picked up the phone and called to let her know he’d arrived.

“Sam?”

“I’m here, but I’m going to check around the house first, okay?”

“Okay. Just come in when you’re done.”

“I will.”

He retrieved a flashlight from the truck console and stepped out onto the dewy grass. If there had been an intruder, the person would have heard him coming up the driveway and left, but he still wanted to check for tracks.

His senses were magnified as he went around to the back of the house, sweeping the flashlight back and forth and shining it into the surrounding woods. At one point, a rabbit darted out from under a bush and startled him, and an owl hooted loudly from a nearby tree.

After searching for prints around the deck, he climbed the stairs and examined the sliding glass door again. No new marks. He rounded the house on the opposite side from where he’d started, and feeling satisfied nobody had been there, he climbed the porch steps.

He lifted his hand to knock, but the door swung open, and there was Gillian, with Cocoa standing guard at her side. Her hair was in disarray, and her face free of makeup. She wore a robe over her pajamas, and her feet were bare. She looked small and vulnerable, and he felt an overwhelming urge to hug her.

“Thank you for coming.”

“You’re shaking.”

She nodded and looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

That did it. He opened his arms to her, and to his relief, she folded right into them. He held her close and leaned his head against hers as she buried her face in his chest. Now that he was holding her, he never wanted to let her go.

He smoothed his hands down her back, and after a few passes, he felt her muscles relax.

“You’re okay. I’ve got you.”

After a while, she loosened her grip on him, but she didn’t let go.

“Let’s sit down,” he suggested.

She nodded, and he led her to the couch with one arm wrapped around her shoulders. She slumped down, and he remained standing for a moment, wondering where he should sit.

She took the decision away from him and patted the couch cushion beside her. Once he sat down, she immediately nestled into his side. Cocoa, seeming to sense something was amiss, came over and laid his head on Sam’s lap.

“You’re a good boy,” he said, petting Cocoa’s head.

While he was comforting both Gillian and her dog, he looked around the living room, and it hit him. He was in Owen’s house with Owen’s fiancée and Owen’s dog. He wondered how long it would take before Gillian thought the same thing and pulled away from him.

She didn’t seem in any hurry to move, though, and it eased some of his guilt. Why should he feel guilty, anyway? Owen had died over a year ago, and he was no longer there to protect her. If Sam wasn’t comforting her, it might be some other guy. He’d rather it be him, and maybe Owen would agree.

She looked up and gave him a tentative smile. “I imagined it, didn’t I?”

“I didn’t see anything outside, but who knows? I might have scared someone away when I came up the driveway.”

“I doubt it. I was having a nightmare, and in it, somebody was trying to break in. I was screaming and crying, but I couldn’t move. It felt so real, and then I woke up in a panic.”

“It’s okay.” He ran his hand down the back of her hair. “You’re safe now.”

“Promise me something.”