“So you want me to get dressed for dinner?” she asked, working hard to keep her voice from wavering. She just needed to stay calm and go along with what he said so he didn’t flip out and do something to hurt her before she could find a way to escape.
“Yes, you can use the guest bathroom to get changed.” He cut the ropes from her wrists.
“Okay.” Layla stood and picked up the dress and shoes.
“No fast moves, understood?” Chris had the gun pointed at her again.
She swallowed back her fear. “Understood.”
She went into the guest bathroom and gripped the countertop as she looked at her terrified reflection. She changed into the purple dress, taking as long as she possibly could. She hoped her mom would come looking for her and alert help. Her phone had a GPS tracker on it, and she hoped Chris hadn’t figured out how to disable it when he took it away from her. Her mom was always insisting on knowing her whereabouts, and for once, Layla was glad she’d given her mom that one indulgence. With a swipe of a finger, her mom could see exactly where she was.
“Hurry up, my love. Our dinner is getting cold,” Chris called through the door.
Layla fought to slow her rapid breaths. The man was clearly deranged. Just play along, she told herself. “Patience, dear, I only want to look perfect for you.”
Eventually, Chris began to grow impatient enough that Layla didn’t dare push him further for fear of what he might do. She twisted open the doorknob and saw him sitting at the table. The candles had burned down considerably, and Chris looked thoroughly irritated.
Layla had to find another way to stall. She didn’t know what horrors Chris had planned once they’d eaten dinner. The not knowing was the worst part. She had no idea what he was capable of. But given the fact that he’d kidnapped her and set up this creepy dinner, odds were, he had much worse things planned for her. She walked over to the bookshelf lined with leatherbound classics. “What lovely books you have here. Have you read them all?”
“Yes, several times each.”
She traced her fingers over the bindings. The logo of her flower shop caught her eye. Tucked into the end of the bookshelf, next to a copy of Treasure Island, was a VCR tape with one of her labels stuck to the end. She pulled it from the shelf. It was the surveillance tape from her store. That meant Chris must have broken into her store and taken the money from Ryan at Accounting Solutions. Why else would her tape be here?
“Put that back.”
Chris’ breath was on her bare shoulder now, and she shuddered. Her hand began shaking, and she pressed her sweaty palm against the satin dress. She had to think fast if she was going to survive this situation.
“I said, put it back.” The cold metal of the open barrel of the gun pressed into her back.
Layla’s breath caught in her throat. She was out of options. Why had she been stupid enough to pull the tape from the shelf? She should have just pretended she hadn’t seen anything. Her mind raced as she thought of ways to survive. She slowly placed the tape back on the shelf next to the copy of Treasure Island. She needed to get him to let his guard down, and then she could get the gun away from him somehow. Maybe the answer was to give him exactly what he wanted. If she was going to survive this, she was going to need to dust off her acting skills. She dug deep down and pulled out her inner flirt.
“Calm down, Chris.” She turned around to face him with a coy smile. “I won’t tell anyone your secret. Now, why don’t you show me what you’ve fixed us for dinner?”
He relaxed visibly and led her to the table. He tucked his gun back into his waistband.
“Aren’t you going to pull out my chair?” she asked.
“Of course.” He pulled out her chair, and she sat gracefully.
“Thank you, Chris.” She smiled at him, and he seemed dazzled. Good, he was buying it.
But then he frowned. “Why are you being so nice all of a sudden?” He eyed her suspiciously. “You think I’m that stupid? That I don’t know what you’re trying to do?”
Think fast. Think fast. “No. I don’t think that at all. I think you’re a very smart person. I mean, look what you’ve been able to do with your business. I have a lot of respect for someone who works hard and builds a business from the ground up.”
“Oh, but I’ve had some help along the way. Several loans, so to speak. I plan to pay them all back, of course. I don’t actually believe in stealing.”
So that was how he was able to own so many properties. “You mean the money from Accounting Solutions. You’re saying that was a loan?”
“Not in the traditional sense of the word. But yes.”
How many times had he stolen money? The way he was talking, it seemed like Ryan wasn’t the first person he’d stolen from.
“You see, I’m doing a good thing for the community. I provide housing at a much lower rate than my competitors. And because of the nature of how I get my money, I’m able to do that. In the long run, I’m bettering the world. I’m just doing it my way.”
Did he hear himself? He thought it was okay to rob people so he could invest in properties and then eventually offer cheaper rent to families? But what about the innocent people like Ryan who had money stolen?
It was like he’d read her mind, because he said, “I know you probably think it’s wrong, but I plan to pay back all my creditors, including Ryan. So you see? No harm done.”
No harm done? He couldn’t just make up rules like that. It was like the guy wasn’t grounded in reality. And who knew what he would do to her next. If he was confessing his crimes to her, that couldn’t be a good sign. She had to act fast to protect herself because the situation was about to spin out of control. She eyed the gun he’d laid on the table so he could butter a roll.
It was now or never. She reached forward and grabbed the bottle of champagne from the table. She swung it around and hit him hard, breaking the bottle against the side of his head. He dropped from his chair to the floor, out cold.
She tore the sash from her dress and used it as a rope to tie his hands together behind his back. Then she picked up the gun from the table, stepped back, and kept the gun pointed at him in case he began to stir.
The front door burst open, and Will shouted, “Police! Drop your weapon—wait. Layla?”
Layla dropped the gun, and it clattered to the floor.
Will rushed in the room, flanked by several other police officers.
“Are you okay?” Will asked her.
She collapsed into his arms, the room spinning. Relief surged through her. She held onto him like an anchor in a furious storm. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she said into the shirt of his police uniform. The terror of the situation she’d just experienced still hadn’t fully hit her. She recognized that. It would take time for that to sink in. But she wasn’t going to worry about that now. For now, she was safe, and that was what mattered. And she had Will right here for her when she needed him most.
The officers handcuffed Chris’ unconscious body, and paramedics rushed into the room to attend him. They asked Layla if she needed any treatment, but she shook her head. “I’m not hurt. Just a little freaked out.” Layla gathered her belongings, snatching her cell phone from the countertop where Chris had left it, and left the house. Her mother rushed to greet her on the street outside. “Thank goodness for that GPS app!” her mother said through her tears. “I’m so glad you’re okay. Why are you dressed like this?”
She scowled. “Chris made me wear this stupid dress.”
“Well, we’re going to go home and burn it in the firepit in the backyard.”
Will walked past them with Chris in handcuffs on a stretcher.
“Did you hear that?” Mrs. Bowen called to Chris who was beginning to wake up. “We’re going to burn your creepy dress.”
Onyx pulled up to the curb and rushed out of her car. “Layla!” Onyx ran to Layla’s side and threw her arms around her. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
Will came up to them. “Ar
e you feeling up to coming down to the police station to fill out a report?”
“We can go with you,” Onyx said to Layla.
“Yes, of course, we can,” Layla’s mom agreed.
Layla looked at Will. “Sure. I can give a report. By the way, you ought to check Chris’ bookshelf next to his copy of Treasure Island. There’s something that might help your other investigation. Something we’ve been looking for.”
Will gave her a quizzical look but sent an officer to go check it out.
“You take it easy,” he said to Layla. “I’ll see you at the station.” He walked back to his police cruiser and began speaking to the officers gathered there.
“Whatever happened between you two?” Onyx asked.
“I broke it off.”
“Why? Will’s the perfect guy for you. Anyone can see that.”
“I don’t do relationships,” Layla repeated. She was starting to feel like a broken record.
“You sure looked like you were doing a relationship up until you broke it off. And I would say you were pretty successful at it.”
“I second that,” Layla’s mother piped up.
Layla hadn’t even noticed her mother was close enough to hear what they were saying. In the chaos of the moment, she’d forgotten entirely that her mom was standing there. For once, her mom wasn’t hovering or trying to control the conversation.
“You and Will really were perfect together. Your father and I can’t understand why you wouldn’t want to be with him. Did he do something wrong?”
Layla thought about it for a moment. Had Will actually done anything wrong? “No. I can’t think of a single thing he’s done wrong. Even when we were butting heads, he was always in the right. I was the one breaking the law.” She knew he wasn’t perfect. Sometimes he was stubborn and a stickler for the rules, but that didn’t mean he was a bad guy. Her entire reasoning for staying single was that she tended to attract abusive men. But anyone could see that Will wasn’t abusive. He had a heart of gold.
“So what are you so afraid of?” Onyx asked.
“Nothing.” There was nothing to be concerned about. “I was just being stupid.” And she was missing out on something wonderful for no good reason. Layla Bowen was officially an idiot. She wouldn’t let herself enjoy the sweet things in life, and that was going to change. Starting with Will, if he still wanted her. Because he was the sweetest thing she’d ever tasted. Metaphorically and literally.
When they got to the police station, Layla spent the necessary time filling out a detailed police report to Will. It was difficult to relay the story in its entirety to Will. She shuddered as she thought about how scared she’d been. “I’m so glad that’s over,” she said to Will as he finished up the report.
Will took her hands, right in front of her mother and Onyx. “I was so worried about you, Layla. I don’t know what I would have done if anything had happened to you.” It warmed her heart more than she cared to admit to herself.
She stood up, and he stood up with her. “Can I give you a hug?” she asked.
Will’s face softened into an expression of pure tenderness. “Of course, you can.”
She fell into his arms, and he pulled her tightly against his chest. “Don’t you ever get yourself into a crazy situation like that again.”
“I told you I could take care of myself,” she said with a grin.
“I know you can.”
“But I’m really glad you’re here too. And I’m really glad you showed up when you did. I know I can count on you when I need you, and that means a lot to me.”
“It means a lot to me too,” Will said.
“Sometimes I just need someone to hold me, you know?” Layla said, snuggling deeper into his embrace.
“I know exactly what you mean,” Will said.
And she did need him. She didn’t want to live without him anymore. It was nice to have him there for her. She saw that tonight. How nice had it been when he showed up just at the moment she needed him most? He was a solid man she could rely on.
He wouldn’t take away from her strength. And she’d already established that Will wasn’t a bad guy. So what was holding her back at this point?
Nothing. She mulled over the word for a moment, allowing it to fully sink into her heart and what it meant for her.
It was time for her to decide that she could do a relationship.
Chapter 9
Will cast his fishing line into the river as the sun dipped below the horizon. Bud panted happily at his side. A terrible smell wafted up, burning his nose. “Aw, Bud. Not again.” He should have known better than to feed him that leftover pot roast that was spoiling in the fridge from last week. Bud was notorious for stinking it up after eating people food.
In the distance, the wheels of a car crunched on the entrance to his gravel driveway. Will looked up and squinted through the trees and caught a flash of red. If he didn’t know better, he’d say that was Layla’s Nana’s Corvette. He swallowed.
Sure enough, Layla pulled up in the Corvette. She stepped out of it, looking like a dream come true in a black V-neck sweater and jeans. He shoved down the hope that began creeping up inside of him. Just because he saved the day when Layla had been abducted didn’t mean she wanted him. The girl was too stubborn for that.
But the look on her face as she walked toward him made him think otherwise. Her features were all softness and hope.
“Hi, Will,” she said.
“Hi.”
“Is it okay if I talk to you for a minute?” She looked down at Bud, who was wagging his tail at her. “Oh, hey there, buddy.” She crouched down to his level to pet him. “Oh, wow. What is that smell?” She pinched her nose and took a step back.
“Sorry about that. I fed Bud people food again, and his stomach doesn’t handle it so well.”
“That is one stinky dog. But he sure looks happy about it. I bet he feels better after stinking it up,” Layla said.
“He’s been driving me nuts all day. You wouldn’t want to dogsit by chance, would you?” Will asked with a teasing grin.
“Nope. I’m good,” Layla said.
“What did you want to talk about?” Will asked.
“I’m here for a few reasons, but first I want to thank you for coming to save me from Chris.”
“It was my honor.” And he wished he could be there to watch over her for the rest of his life. But he didn’t dare speak that aloud.
“The other reason I’m here today is because I want to apologize to you.”
“You don’t have anything to apologize for,” Will insisted.
“Oh, but I do. You see, I was a hardhearted knucklehead. I was a complete fool, and I need to apologize to you for that. You shouldn’t have had to put up with me being so stupid. I know it’s caused you a lot of extra pain and heartbreak.”
“What are you talking about?” Will was genuinely confused.
“I’m saying I was stupid to be afraid of being in a real relationship. Especially when that relationship is with a great guy like you. I wouldn’t hesitate to match you up with my best friend, but I realized that I was hesitating to allow myself to enjoy something like the happiness that comes from a healthy relationship. Well, I’m tired of being dumb and scared. I’m ready to let my heart trust again. And I know you’re one of the good ones. I’ve known it all along. I just didn’t want to admit it to myself. I would have had to put myself out there again and trust that I wouldn’t end up hurt and alone. Well, too bad. It’s too late for that. Because I’m in love with you too. I realize that now. Being single just sounds like a miserable existence now that I recognize how I feel about you. I’ve missed our time together more than I can tell you.” She paused, pressing her lips together. A little crease formed between her eyebrows. “Please say that you still love me.”
Will pulled her into his arms and held her close to him, so close that their foreheads were touching. “I still love you, and I will until the day I die, Layla Bowen. Would you like to be
in a real relationship with me?” Will asked.
“I would love to be in a real relationship with you.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
Layla pulled back and wrinkled her nose. “Ew, Bud! Really? That’s gross.”
Will threw his head back and laughed, and in that moment, he knew that everything was going to turn out all right.
THE END
Epilogue
Six Months Later
Onyx led Layla to the platform in front of the mirrors in her wedding dress shop. A gorgeous vintage lace wedding gown clung to Layla’s curves, ornate beading draping over her shoulders. Onyx was determined to help Layla find the perfect dress for her big day. She was ecstatic that Layla and Will had worked things out and had decided on a June wedding.
“How do you feel about this one?” Niki asked. She and Josie were there to help Layla choose the perfect dress.
Layla turned and examined the generous train behind her. “I really love it,” Layla said, looking over her shoulder. “But I’m not sure about the open back on this one. It feels a bit too exposed.”
“The back does come down pretty low,” Onyx agreed. “I have another vintage lace dress. It’s like this one, with the same shoulders, but it doesn’t have the low-cut back and it’s a bit more flowy. Do you want to try that dress instead?”
“Sure,” Layla said, gathering the lace skirt and stepping off the platform.
“Okay,” Onyx said. “Change out of that one, and I’ll bring you the other dress to try on.”
“Layla, I’ll go with you to help you get it unzipped,” Niki offered. Josie crossed her legs and scrolled through her phone while she waited.
Layla headed to the dressing room with her sister, and Onyx went to the back of the store where she knew she’d left the other dress. She’d just had a customer try it on last week who hadn’t fit in it. She flipped through a few dresses before she found the one she was looking for. She hoped Layla would like it. She wanted so badly for her best friend to find the perfect dress.
Oops, I Kissed Him Again: A Maple Creek Romantic Comedy Page 6