Chapter 21 - Stranger Danger

After Cora and Shiloh left, Goldie poured a glass of sweet tea and tucked herself into the Adirondack chair on the front porch to watch the sunset light the clouds and autumn trees with golden light. It was so different here than her native New Orleans, but in spite of her worries Goldie was truly coming to love it. The forest, especially, called to her.

While she watched the showy sky Goldie thought, when was the last time that she had felt as vital and excited as she had this afternoon with Cora, working on their magic together?

When she’d been kissing Flint.

Okay, yes, but that didn’t count. Did it?

She worked it all over in her mind, trying to get closer to making a choice about this switch mess. A once and for all, final choice, that would include being honest about who she was and who her sister was, and might move her into that big mansion. Where Flint lived. And where Cora lived.

As much as Goldie loved her sister, it wasn’t like she and Darby had that much in common. Or anything, really. Goldie frowned when she realized that, when Cora had called her “sis”, it had seemed as true as when Darby did the same.

Thudding drums and screeching guitars got louder, their source obvious when Flint’s black SUV pulled into the driveway next door. Goldie’s heart started to pound and she had to resist the urge to jump up and show Flint what she’d learned with Cora that day. He would take it the wrong way.

But Flint jumped out of his ride and jogged up the steps to the duplex’s other door, never once even looking in her direction. Not one look? She knew she had overreacted the other night, had come across harsher than she meant to in her defensiveness, and really she should be glad that he’d apparently given up, but… she wasn’t. She felt completely miserable.

It sounded like Flint wasn’t doing any better in the mood department. She could hear him now, stomping around, yelling to his brother to help him find something, maybe even shouting at him. Seconds later Bryce slammed out the front door and stomped to the mailbox, muttering to himself along the way. Goldie looked away. She knew what it was like to be at odds with your sibling.

She hoped Flint not telling her secret didn’t have anything to do with it. She sank into daydreams about thanking him.

A blue envelope waved in front of her face just as Goldie tuned into the voice by her side. “Hey, you awake? Jeez, you’re as deaf as my brother. I’ve been calling and calling you. Here, this letter was addressed to our side by mistake.”

Goldie reached for it absent-mindedly, her thoughts still half on Flint and how kind he’d truly been, but as soon as her hand touched the cool paper everything changed. The hairs on Goldie’s neck stood straight up, her stomach heaving with nausea. She stared at the carefully-printed block letters on the front of the envelope and a cold sweat broke out over her brow. Oh, no.

She broke the seal on the envelope and pulled out a sheet of expensive cream-colored paper, her hands shaking only slightly. Some part of her was aware that Bryce was watching, but she couldn’t stop. She had to know.

Just like every time before, the letter wasn’t handwritten, but made up of letters and words cut from magazines and newspapers and pasted onto the fine stationery in neat rows. As always, the sender declared his adoration: I am yours to command. You are mine to adore. Soon there will be nothing left to hide.

Goldie pushed out of her seat, forgetting about her glass of tea until it crashed to the cement and shattered. She gasped as she lunged for the door, catching a glimpse of Bryce’s confused face. “I’ll clean it up later. I’ve got to go get Darby.”

She ran to her bedroom knowing every word was a lie. There was no later. They were leaving. He’d found them. Goldie snatched her bag from the closet, cursing herself for having unpacked it in the first place, for having gotten cozy in this little home. Three days. Three freaking days had been all it took for him to find them.

Her mind spun as she shoved clothes, wallet, jewelry case, her tiny book of her most precious photos all into the go-bag, then started for Darby’s room. Her sister was going to have a fit at all they’d have to leave behind, but there was no time. Maybe if she left a note Flint would hold onto it for them, ship it to them when they settled somewhere. Oh, who was she kidding? She’d never do it because she could never be sure that he wasn’t watching. Her sister’s stalker. The man Goldie wasn’t going to let take what was left of her family.

The front door slamming made Goldie’s heart seize, but when she looked into the hallway it was just Flint, eyebrows jammed together as he scoured the house for her. “What’s going on? What’s wrong? Bryce said you got a letter and freaked out.”

He came into Darby’s room where Goldie was still furiously packing, put his hand on her shoulder. “Pumpkin, what happened?”

Goldie shook him off, storming into the bathroom for their toothbrushes, hairbrushes, and Darby’s favorite makeup case that she would absolutely insist Goldie go back for if she forgot it. Flint blocked the door as she made to exit. “Let me go, I’ve got to get my sister.”

His brown eyes sought to connect with hers, but Goldie wouldn’t meet his gaze. There were too many plans she had to make, too much weight she had to juggle. She slipped under his arm and resumed packing.

Flint made an impatient noise. “Bryce just left to get her, and he’s on the phone with Hernando to make sure they keep eyes on her until he gets there, and then he’ll bring her right back here. She’s safe, I promise. Dammit, Goldie, what’s this about?”

But Goldie couldn’t speak. Her lip trembled and her eyes filled with tears, and she couldn’t make her mouth form words. He had done all that, without her even having to ask? Made sure her sister was safe and sent Bryce to bring her home, and then come over here to check on Goldie himself?

Flint reached out, pulling Goldie into his arms. He was so strong and steady, and she wanted so badly to be rescued from the disaster her life had become. Goldie buried her face in his chest and tried to breathe, but all she could smell was his clean, woodsy scent that was more like home than anything she’d ever known.

One arm spanned her back, the hand cradling her shoulder, as Flint used his other hand to stroke her hair back from her face. “It’ll be okay. Let me help you.”

Goldie felt the muscles in her shoulders tighten and her spine straighten. What could he even do that would help? If she stayed and let Flint take her into his orbit as part of The Cause she’d end up in an even more bizarre and unstable situation, one that left her sister completely out in the cold. And no way could she do that to Darby. Goldie knew where her responsibilities lay.

She pushed away from Flint’s solid warmth. No man was going to save them, not even this one. Especially not this one, with his one hand already on the metaphorical doorknob. Goldie would do for herself and for Darby, just like she always had. She avoided Flint’s eyes as she resumed her packing, but as he sank back against the wall Goldie felt them on her.

Flint’s voice was a low, sad growl. “You’re leaving?”

Goldie winced at the pain she heard. “We have to. He found us.”

With a snarl Flint pushed himself off the wall and took two steps closer. “Stay. We can protect both of you.”

The contempt in her laughter surprised even Goldie as she glared daggers at a face she didn’t want to say goodbye to. “Why? Because I’m a switch?” She took aim again. “Anyway, you're leaving, too.”

She turned away from the hurt in his eyes as he replied, but only to her first query. “Because it’s the right thing to do. Because you shouldn’t have to run away from people who care about you.”

Tears clogged Goldie’s throat as she scoffed. “You don’t even know what you’re offering. I would die for her, do you get that?”

Flint’s words were soft, but clear. “Better than you know.”