by HR Mason
Tears of relief ran down her cheeks as her body shook with sobs. She hadn’t anticipated Hank believing her. A part of her hoped he would just tell her she was crazy and get it over with. That would have been the most logical explanation. That’s what she’d expected. But Hank didn’t do that. He listened to her, tried to understand. He believed her, with no proof and no reason.
“I don’t want to mess this up, and I know I’m about to, but there are so many things I want to say to you, Aubrey. I want… to hold you and tell you everything is going to be okay, that we’re going to figure this all out together. I want to… be so much more than just your friend.”
“You do?”
“Yes. But I don’t want to scare you.”
“I’m not afraid of you, Hank.”
The words fell out before she could stop them, but she realized she didn’t want to take them back. She meant what she’d said. Aubrey felt safe when she was with Hank, and at that moment, she would give anything for him to stay.
Slowly, Hank scooted closer to Aubrey. She inched nearer to him until they were side by side. She was still buried beneath the blankets, and he was on top of them, but that didn’t matter. Hank angled his body next to hers and wrapped his arms around her.
She turned toward him, tentatively placing her head on his chest. Hank’s heart pounded wildly, and Aubrey’s matched it beat for beat.
“Thank you for believing me, Hank. Even though none of this makes sense.”
“I told you we would figure it out, and we will.”
“I’m afraid. I almost died tonight.”
“Just rest now. I’m not going anywhere. No one is going to hurt you on my watch.”
Aubrey closed her eyes and leaned in to Hank. She was weary to the bone. It had been weeks since she’d slept well, never able to let her guard down for a moment.
The fire flickered across the room. Between the hypnotic warmth of the blaze and the comfort of Hank’s presence, she drifted off into a much-needed sleep.
27
Aubrey’s eyes fluttered open as morning sunlight filtered through the lace curtains in her bedroom. It took a moment to get her bearings, and more than a few seconds to remember why Hank Metzger was lying next to her, his body wrapped around hers.
He’d promised not to leave her. Those were the last words she remembered hearing before falling into the deepest, most peaceful sleep she’d had in months. She’d heard his words, but she hadn’t expected him to follow through. She’d imagined he would stay long enough for her to fall asleep, and then he would go.
In Aubrey’s experience, people said what you wanted to hear, but when it came right down to the wire, they didn’t actually follow through. But Hank had. He hadn’t left her. He’d stayed with her all night long, allowing her exhausted mind and body to finally rest.
She shifted in bed as she watched him sleep. He was unlike any human being she’d ever known. He was kind, gentle, considerate, and protective. He was true to his word, and he had never pushed her for more than she was willing to give.
Aubrey hadn’t set out to fall for the man; in fact, she’d tried to do the exact opposite. But the truth of the matter was that, in spite of herself, she had fallen for him. Aubrey had feelings for Hank, and no idea what to do about it.
She’d never actually cared for another person before. She’d steeled herself against human connections, and for twenty-five years, she’d done just fine. Then Hank came along and sent her reeling, floundering in waters where she didn’t know how to swim. Something told Aubrey that Hank was just as unsure, and somehow that prospect made the unknown a little easier to navigate.
Hank moved his body and opened his eyes, looking around the room as if trying to remember where he was. He turned his head toward Aubrey, and a look of confusion and concern covered his face. He pulled his arm out from under her head and sat up quickly, then jumped out of bed and walked across the room.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
“You must have been tired.”
“I only meant to lie there until you fell asleep. I was going to sit in the chair….”
Aubrey understood immediately that Hank was worried he’d spooked her by sleeping next to her. He was trying to justify the fact that they’d spent the night holding one another.
“Hank, it’s all right. I didn’t mind.”
She allowed her eyes to linger on his for a moment, hoping they might somehow convey what she felt, since words so often failed her.
“You don’t mind? I didn’t overstep… or push?”
“No, you didn’t. In fact, it’s been weeks since I’ve slept through the night, so thank you.”
“I just don’t want to scare you. I know your life has been… well, hard. And what I think is okay might not be okay, and I just… I—”
“Hank, I know you’re trying to do everything right, and you can’t imagine how much I appreciate that. No one has ever worked so hard to understand me.”
“I do want to understand you. I really care about you, Aubrey.”
“I know. I finally get it. I see it in everything you do. That’s why I feel like I can trust you, Hank.”
“You trust me?”
“I’ve never said those words to another person, but I’m saying them to you. I care about you. So please, don’t walk on eggshells around me. Not anymore.”
Hank stared at Aubrey, trying to process the words she’d spoken. He hadn’t even realized the depth of his feelings for her until that moment, but they had been growing, tugging at him since the first night he’d seen her.
There was a connection between them, powerful, innate, and seemingly predestined. It was something neither of them expected, but it was ostensibly written long before either of them knew.
“Your destiny is entwined with his.”
The words Marie had spoken reverberated in Aubrey’s mind, swirling around, finally taking root. Without a doubt, she understood the ghost was talking about Hank.
Aubrey scooted out of bed and walked slowly across the room to where he was standing. Tentatively, she reached out and stroked his cheek, feeling the stubble of his whiskers beneath her fingertips.
“I don’t understand why, but I need you, Hank. It’s like everything in my life up to this moment has been leading me to you,” she whispered.
“I know,” he replied.
Aubrey stood on her tiptoes and pulled Hank’s head toward hers, touching her mouth lightly to his. When their lips met, something inside her heart shifted, as if it were a puzzle piece that had been waiting for that precise second to slide into place.
She pulled Hank’s body closer to hers, the kiss gaining in intensity. Whatever reservations she may have had about getting involved with him vanished like a whisper in a sea of raised voices. Trusting him didn’t make sense and went against everything she’d ever believed, but her future was somehow linked to Hank’s. She needed him, and he needed her. Nothing else mattered.
She kissed him as if her very life depended upon it, because she had the sneaking suspicion that it did.
Marie’s words grew louder in her brain until Aubrey was sure Hank could hear them too.
“Your destiny is entwined with his.”
28
Several hours later, Hank and Aubrey were seated in the corner booth at Rebecca’s Place. Neither had felt like making dinner, and they were both starving. Rebecca had raised an eyebrow when the couple walked in, but she didn’t comment. Aubrey had a feeling her friend’s silence wouldn’t last long. She was right.
“Fancy seeing the two of you here. Together.” Rebecca smirked.
“Rebecca,” Hank warned.
“You have totally made my day.” With a large grin, she placed menus in front of her brother and her friend.
“Easy, sis.” Hank smiled.
“You guys were meant for each other. I could see it from a mile away.”
Rebecca giggled, practically giddy, then grabbed her phone from the pocke
t of her apron. She snapped a quick photo of Hank and Aubrey.
“What are you doing?” Hank asked.
“You just look so cute together. I couldn’t resist.”
“Rebecca—” Hank began.
“Sorry, little brother, but when you’re right, you’re right. And I am always right. I knew this was going to happen all along,” Rebecca interrupted.
“We haven’t set a wedding date yet,” Aubrey teased her friend good-naturedly.
“But you’ll be the first to know when we do,” Hank chimed in.
“You’re perfect for each other. It won’t be long,” Rebecca predicted.
She kissed her brother on the cheek and told them she would be back to take their orders in a few minutes.
“I’m sorry about all that. You know she was just joking, right? My sister tends to get a bit ahead of herself,” Hank apologized. “She means well.”
“Hank, it’s all right. Remember, no walking on eggshells.”
“I’m trying.”
“Rebecca’s my friend. I know she was just joking.” Aubrey reached across the table and took Hank’s hand in hers.
“I don’t want you to feel pressured by anyone.”
“I don’t.” Aubrey smiled at him to reaffirm her words. Neither knew how to successfully navigate being together, but they had both decided they were willing to give it a try.
They perused their menus and made their decisions as Rebecca returned to the table.
“What would you like to order?”
“I’m going to have a repeat of that delicious french toast. I’ve been thinking about it ever since the last time I ate it,” Aubrey answered.
“I’ll have the cheese omelet and toast,” Hank answered.
“Don’t you ever try anything new? You order the same thing every time,” Rebecca scolded her brother.
“Sometimes he tries new things,” Aubrey chimed in with a grin.
“Point taken. I’ll get your orders in,” Rebecca laughed.
Aubrey and Hank handed their menus back to Rebecca. Aubrey was just about to say something to Hank when she had the unmistakable feeling that something was about to go wrong. She felt a prickling sensation on the back of her neck, and her eye began to twitch.
Glancing around the room, it didn’t take long for her to spot the trouble—it was walking right toward their table. Cooper Lawson, the mouthy teenager who had given her a hard time in Lawson’s General Store on her first day in Rossdale, stalked toward them with an angry look on his face. His frazzled sister, Cammie, the cashier, followed closely behind, presumably in an effort to keep him from getting into mischief. Aubrey felt sorry for the girl, always having to clean up her brother’s messes.
“Sheriff Metzger, what are you doing with this woman?” Cooper spoke loud enough for everyone in the diner to hear.
“Cooper, are you out causing trouble again?” Hank gripped Aubrey’s hand tightly.
“I’m trying to save you from trouble. Don’t you know who this woman is? She’s one of those crazy Rosses from Murder Ridge.”
“Cooper, stop it.” Cammie placed her hand on her brother’s arm. He quickly shrugged it off.
“You should listen to your sister, Cooper,” Hank warned.
“What is wrong with you, Sheriff Metzger? You can’t get involved with her.” Cooper pointed toward Aubrey accusingly.
Aubrey watched Hank closely, gauging his reaction. He clenched and unclenched his jaw, and his chest rose and fell quickly. Cooper was making him angry, and she knew Hank wasn’t going to keep his cool for much longer.
“Just let it go, Hank,” Aubrey said quietly as she squeezed his hand. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Aubrey’s right, Cooper. Let’s go.” Cammie tugged on her brother’s arm.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Cooper said defiantly.
“You need to turn around and walk out of this diner if you know what’s good for you, Cooper Lawson,” Hank gritted out through clenched teeth.
“You’re going to defend a crazy woman who will probably murder you in your own bed? What kind of sheriff are you?” Cooper laughed derisively.
“The kind of sheriff who is going to haul your butt off to jail if you aren’t careful.”
“Look at this, everyone. Sheriff Metzger is dating the crazy Ross woman from Murder Ridge.” Cooper directed his statement to the other customers in the diner while pointing at Aubrey.
Hank jumped up from the table, knocking over his water glass in the process. He stood in front of Cooper, towering over the defiant teenager. Hank leaned down to Cooper’s level, placing his face directly in front of the boy’s.
“You need to learn some respect. Aubrey has done nothing to deserve this. Do you want me to tell your parents about that little incident you had a few weeks ago? I agreed to let it slide, but don’t push me, Cooper, or you’re in for a world of problems.”
Cooper’s eyes grew large, and he took a step away from Hank. Just as the situation began to de-escalate, others in the room began to yell.
“Cooper’s right, Hank.”
“Everyone knows the Rosses are crazy.”
“Why are you getting yourself mixed up with one of them?”
“Yeah, they’re not like the rest of us, Hank.”
Loud voices chimed in from all across the diner, one after another, weighing in on the craziness of the Ross family and the horrors of Desolate Ridge.
“Enough!” Rebecca stormed out of the kitchen and yelled over the chaos in her diner. The room grew silent, and every head in the room turned toward her.
“How dare all of you gang up on Aubrey? Aren’t you better than that? You know nothing about her, nothing at all about the life she’s had to live. Aubrey Ross is my friend, and if any of you have a problem with her, you can get out of my restaurant and never come back.”
“Aubrey isn’t going anywhere, so you might as well get used to it. And if I hear of her having any problems with any of you, that person is going to have to answer to me,” Hank added.
Murmurs of shame and whispers of apology trickled like a dripping faucet throughout the room.
“Come on, Cooper,” Cammie said quickly as she pushed her brother toward the front door. Surprisingly, the boy followed.
Once everyone had gone back to eating, Hank let out a large breath and sank into the booth. Rebecca came over and joined them. Their eyes met Aubrey’s, and she could see the redress coming before either of them spoke.
“Don’t apologize,” Aubrey warned the Metzger siblings.
“But, Aubrey—” Rebecca began.
“Don’t apologize,” Aubrey repeated.
“I can’t believe you had to sit through that. It’s not right,” Rebecca insisted.
“I wanted to ram my fist down Cooper Lawson’s throat,” Hank fumed.
“Then you would’ve had to arrest yourself,” Aubrey chuckled.
“How can you laugh about this? I can’t even remember the last time something made me that angry,” Hank replied.
“I’m ashamed to know those people,” Rebecca sighed.
“Listen, you two, what just happened was nothing. Absolutely nothing at all. I’ve dealt with things a million times worse my whole life. Those people are afraid of what they don’t understand, terrified of what they can’t explain, that’s all. That just happens to be me,” Aubrey stated matter-of-factly.
“You’re telling me you’re not upset by what they said about your family?” Rebecca asked.
“Listen, from what I can tell, the Rosses have always been a little strange, and Desolate Ridge is a weird, creepy house. That part is true. And Hank, they’re worried about you being murdered in your bed by crazy Aubrey Ross. That part isn’t true, but they don’t know that. There’s no harm done, really,” Aubrey explained.
“Well, we’re angry for you, even if you’re not,” Rebecca interjected.
“I swear I’m going to punch the next person who says anything bad about you,” Hank added.
> “That’s the best part of the whole thing. I’ve been ridiculed and made fun of my whole life, but today was the first time anyone cared enough to stand up for me,” Aubrey told them with a smile.
“Well, I hope it doesn’t happen again, but if it does, you can count on us,” Rebecca assured her.
“Thank you,” Aubrey replied.
Hank and Aubrey finished their meal in peace, receiving a few curious and apologetic glances from the other customers in the diner. After paying their bill, they walked around town as Hank showed Aubrey some of the local sights. It was the first time she’d seen more of Rossdale than Main Street, and in spite of herself, she had to admit it was a quaint little town. The thought of leaving was pushed further into the back of her mind every day.
It was getting dark when they headed out of town toward Desolate Ridge. All the frightening, unexplainable things that had happened swirled in Aubrey’s brain. She didn’t want to be needy, but the thought of spending the night alone in the house had her on edge.
Hank pulled into the driveway and turned off the car. He sighed deeply, and Aubrey could tell he wanted to say something but wasn’t sure how to proceed.
“Just spill it,” Aubrey said with a smile.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean I can tell you have something to say, Hank, so say it.”
“How do you know I wanted to say something?”
“I can read you like a book.”
“That’s scary.”
“You have no idea.”
Hank sighed. “Okay, here it is. After what happened last night, I don’t want to leave you alone. But I also don’t want to tell you that, because I don’t want to seem overprotective.”
“Hank, I hate to say it, but you just told me.”
“I know.”
“Lucky for you, I’m terrified of being alone in that house. So I guess that lets you off the hook.”
“You mean you want me to stay?”
“Yeah, I want you to stay.”
“Okay. I’m glad we agree on that.”
“Besides, there are six other bedrooms in the house. What are you worried about?”