“Friday is good, I don’t see any point in waiting, and if you’re worried about a schedule, any two nights during the week will work, and it can even vary if you need it to. I’m not picky, really. I do most of my work during the day since I work from home. I can pay fifty dollars per session. It seems to be the average rate for someone with experience.”
“Excellent. Well, I’ll see you then.”
Chance wrote his address on an order ticket and we agreed on a time for me to come over. I walked back over to the counter to where Liza was standing with a grin on her face. “What?” I asked.
“Oh, nothing,” she said, looking at me sideways.
“No, seriously, what?” I asked again.
“You really don’t see how he looks at you? Like he wants to lick you like he’s licking that fork over there?”
I watched his tongue dance over his fork before he placed it on his plate, and I was instantly wet. It had been way too long since a man had paid any attention to my needs. Nick had always been about his own pleasure, and that had usually included causing me pain. I allowed myself a brief moment to wonder what it might be like to be spread out underneath a man like Chance, and I had to stifle a groan.
I shook my head and picked up the coffee pot, stepping around the counter to refill the few customers in the place. “You’re ridiculous,” I said to Liza as I turned, and heard her chuckle behind me.
Chance finished his dessert and paid his check, offering a smile and a nod as he walked out. “See you Friday,” he called back before the door closed behind him.
I felt a sudden rush of nerves. I was more than qualified to tutor Star in reading, and yet for some reason I was questioning my decision to do it. Why was that?
The bells on the door sounded, and I turned to greet my new guests and caught something out of the corner of my eye. It was a black car with a light on the front, just like my ex owned through the force. He had been a cop for fifteen years and had more connections than a mob member. I froze in panic. Had he found me?
“Dream?” Liza stepped around in front of me and then turned her head as if to see what I was staring at. “Dream, are you okay? What is it?”
“Do you see that black car?”
“The one with the extra light?”
“Yes, that one. Do you know who that is?” I hoped that it was some local I’d never seen, but I wasn’t sure I’d get that lucky. My ex had found me time and time again, and each time, the abuse had been worse.
“Read the door, Dream. It’s just one of those boys over from the next county. He’s probably just passing through. They do that about once a month to take people over to the penitentiary.”
“I thought it was Nick’s people for a moment. I’m so sorry.”
She turned me toward the ladies’ room. “You go in there and wash your face and take a few deep breaths. You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I feel like I’ve seen one.” I walked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. I did look pale, but I couldn’t help it. I would rather die than face that man again. I took a paper towel from the dispenser and wet it, then I slapped it on the back of my neck.
I had to pull myself together. I couldn’t fear him the rest of my life, and that’s why I’d come to a place he’d never find me to start over. I’d make damned sure I had a good life here and was lucky I’d found people willing to help me. Even if I had to live on the streets, I’d promised myself that I’d survive. Once a little time had passed, he’d forget all about me, and I’d be able to stop looking over my shoulder. I just prayed that time would come sooner than later.
CHAPTER FIVE - CHANCE
Star’s teacher helped her into the car as I pulled to a stop in the circle. “Have a good weekend, sweetie,” she said before she shut the door.
I drove us away as she hooked her seatbelt around her and Jackie. I’d remembered to bring the doll every day since she’d asked, but for one, and after the look of disappointment on her face, I’d make damned sure not to do that again.
“Can we get pizza?”
“Do you remember I told you how that nice lady from the diner was going to come over and help you with your reading?” She looked over at me with a solemn expression.
“I thought we’d wait and see if she would like to have pizza with us. Would you be okay with that?
“She doesn’t like pizza,” Star said, very matter of fact.
“Now, how do you know that? It might be her very favorite, and besides, we don’t want to be rude and start without her. She’s going out of her way to help us both.”
“I don’t want to read.” Star poked out her bottom lip and crossed her arms.
“I know you don’t like the way you read, Star, but Dream is not going to laugh at you. She’s really excited to help you a better reader. Think of this as having your own special teacher; one the other kids don’t get to have.”