Cute, but they won’t stop Todd.
Damn it. I’m here to discuss how she’s going to announce that we aren’t dating, but there’s more cost than benefit to doing that at the moment. I like to keep things clear, simple and truthful. But Todd’s been humiliated on campus, and he’s furious. He must think he still has a chance with her, or he wouldn’t have tried to do the case yesterday or shown up here today.
When a no-longer-significant other becomes this obsessed, they start doing stupid things. Like stalking. Making threats. Sending roadkill. I’ve seen how things escalated with Mom and various ex-boyfriends who just couldn’t accept that it was really over. There’s a reason that when a woman is murdered, police look at her former romantic partners first. Some men just can’t deal with getting dumped. The research I did on the economics of domestic violence was harrowing.
Todd might not be one of those extreme cases. But that doesn’t mean he’s harmless. He might’ve needed some liquid courage today, but might not the next time. People assume that alcohol changes a person. But it doesn’t. It just takes away your inhibitions. Linda’s promise to keep him under control doesn’t lessen my apprehension. Based on the way she’s been fawning over him and making excuses for his behavior, she’d probably call stalking “a friendly attempt to get to know you better” if it was done by her precious Todd.
“Why don’t I stay here for a few weeks?” The offer drops from my lips before I can think it through. But once I’ve said it, I don’t want to take it back.
Why can’t I just walk away, like I normally do?No idea. But I know in my bones that I’ll never forgive myself if anything happens to Sierra.
“What?” she says, startled.
“Just until Todd really does give up.”
“Oh, thanks so much for the offer. But I think Linda will keep him under control from now on.”
I scoff. “I doubt that. If he were the type to be kept under control, he wouldn’t have shown up here drunk.”
Sierra frowns, then nibbles her lip. It’s distracting.
“Unless you have a friend who looks like a linebacker,” I say.
She laughs softly. “I don’t think any of my friends fit that description.”
“As useful as attack hamsters, then.”
“I guess.” Sierra laughs harder. It’s a lovely sound, and I don’t like it. She shouldn’t find the situation funny enough to laugh. She should be…
Crying?a sardonic voice in my head suggests.
God no. No crying. I have enough of that with Mom. But Sierra shouldn’t be laughing, either. She should stay…thoughtful. Serious.
On cue, she sobers. “I don’t know about you staying here. We barely know each other.”
“I won’t be in your way, if that’s what you’re concerned about.”
“Thanks, but that isn’t all. If Todd is having issues at Wollstonecraft, aren’t you having some, too? So you moving in with me, even to discourage Todd from showing up, could get awkward… No?”
“There isn’t anything I can’t handle. I’m not like him.” It’s the truth. I don’t like drama or having Charles annoy me by gazing at me with those beady, greed-filled eyes. But those are inconveniences I can bear. Sierra getting harassed or hurt by Todd? That I can’t tolerate.
“Well, I’m not really sure it’s necessary. I think I’ll be fine—”
“Do you know anything about crime statistics? Do you know how many women are harassed—or worse—by their ex-husbands?”
She considers that for a moment. “No, but I can imagine.” She clears her throat. “So…what? We pretend like we’re dating for a bit, then just quietly pretend we broke up?”
“Yes. And we won’t have to explain the video from yesterday. Just shrug it off. The less we talk, the less material people have to speculate about. There’ll be something more exciting for people to talk about tomorrow or the day after. Econ professors don’t make the most interesting subjects.”
“That’s true. Although I do run a sex toy company,” she says wryly.
“Next time, that tree might not be able to keep you safe. If Todd had shown up sober, or at least sober enough to move well, things might have ended very differently.” I don’t want to scare her, but she needs to see the reality of what could happen.
She worries her lip for a moment.
“If he gives up after a few weeks, great,” I add. “If he escalates, at least you won’t be alone and you can get a restraining order or a guard dog or something. I’ll be out of your hair either way.”
Finally, she nods. “Makes sense. And I have a guest bedroom. Okay, just for a few weeks, then.”