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  Jules moved to face Libby. “You need to focus on you and Noah, on healing, not about anything else. What you’re not seeing is that your ex-husband still has control over you, and he will continue to have it until you stop letting him. Do you understand that? You’re the one who has the power to call the shots now.”

  Libby thought about it, and realized that Jules knew a lot more about her and how she thought than even she did. “I hadn’t considered it that way,” she admitted.

  “Then it’s time you did.” Jules leaned forward. “I know someone in Oklahoma City who specializes with these types of cases. Would you be willing to talk to her and maybe let her help you?”

  Libby wasn’t sure she could trust herself, but if she didn’t try… “I suppose it’s worth seeing her, if you think so.”

  “I do.”

  When Jules stood, Libby’s fear returned and she reached for Jules’s hand, stopping her. Looking up, she tried to calm her racing heart. “I have one favor to ask.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I’d rather Garrett doesn’t know where Noah and I are.”

  Jules nodded slowly. “As long as you agree to stay here and get some counseling, until you’re ready to talk to him I’ll make sure your presence here remains a secret.”

  Knowing she had the chance to see if someone could help her sort out her past and give her some direction for her future, Libby felt better. But she wasn’t ready to tell Garrett anything about the abuse in her marriage yet. And she wasn’t sure when she would be.

  “ANY WORD YET?” PAIGE asked.

  Garrett’s hopes vanished again at the sound of his sister’s voice on the phone. “No. Nothing. Are you sure she didn’t mention something that might be some kind of clue?” he asked again.

  “I’m sorry,” she answered, “but I’ve gone over and over those few minutes, hoping there was something, but there wasn’t.”

  Garrett rested his forehead in his palm and squeezed his eyes shut. Everything else was going fine. Eric Cabrera had been before Judge Weller, who denied bail and ruled that the defendant would be transferred to Oklahoma City, where he would await a grand jury decision on whether he would be tried for attempted murder, among other things. Even Cabrera’s buddies in Arizona couldn’t get him released.

  “Why don’t you and Sophie have supper at my place tonight?” Paige suggested. “I can fix us something special—”

  “Thanks,” Garrett replied quickly, “but I promised Sophie we’d watch television together tonight. We always do on Friday, and I don’t want anything to change just because Libby isn’t here. Besides, you and Tucker need to go out and do something. Both of you work too hard.”

  Paige laughed. “Don’t worry about us. Neither one of us is all that crazy about the social scene, even in Desperation.”

  “There’s one of those in Desperation?” he asked, trying to make a joke. “I’ll be by to pick Sophie up later. You enjoy an evening with your fiancé.”

  Before she could argue, he said goodbye and hung up the phone. With a sigh, he glanced around his office. He hadn’t been able to concentrate on anything since Libby had disappeared, except making sure her ex-husband was behind bars where he couldn’t hurt her or Noah again. With that done, Garrett had tried to turn his attention to Desperation city business, but he was finding it difficult. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like if Libby didn’t return soon.

  Instead of forcing himself to work, he locked his office and headed for Lou’s Place. There was always a small shred of hope that Libby might contact her employer. He knew she was due a check and Lou would mail it to her anywhere, but so far even Lou hadn’t heard from her.

  The days were getting shorter and the sun had set when Garrett pulled into the parking lot of the tavern. With his head down against a brisk, cold wind, he headed inside, knowing he was a fool to get his hopes up that Libby might be there. And even though he’d told himself that she wouldn’t be there, waiting on customers and bringing him a cup of coffee the way she had not so long ago, it was still a shock to walk into the tavern and not see her.

  Before he had a chance to sit down at a table, Lou was there. “Still nothing,” he said, his mouth turned down in a sad frown.

  It hadn’t taken long for Garrett to realize that beneath Lou’s tough, bald-headed and cold-eyed exterior beat a caring heart. Lou was as worried about Libby as he was, yet neither of them had been able to do anything.

  “We’ll hear something,” Garrett said, easing onto the chair. “Soon.” But even he was beginning to give up hope.

  Lou nodded, and then cleared his throat. “Can I get you something?”

  Garrett hadn’t planned to stay more than a minute, but he still felt the chill from the wind. “A cup of coffee would be good,” he answered. “Black.”

  There was a hint of a smile on Lou’s face before he turned to walk away. Garrett only waited a few minutes before the tavern owner returned with his coffee. “On the house.”

  Watching the big man walk away, Garrett smiled, remembering the night Lou had told Libby he would have to let her go if she couldn’t work out her child care problems. Garrett still didn’t regret that he’d stepped in and suggested that they share child care. And he couldn’t believe it had only been less than six weeks ago. How could so much have happened in that short time? How could he have fallen in love, not only with his daughter, but with Libby and Noah, too?

  Fifteen minutes later, he stopped at his sister’s and picked up Sophie, then headed for home. Neither of them spoke on the short drive, and when they entered the house, Sophie went straight for the phone to see if the message light was blinking. Garrett could tell by her slumped shoulders that no one had called. Libby and Noah still weren’t back.

  Sitting on the sofa next to his daughter, while she watched her favorite cartoon, Garrett leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Usually she would be giggling at the antics on the screen, but lately her smiles and giggles had become few and far between.

  He felt her small hand slip into his, and he tried not to let her see how worried he was. Giving her hand a loving squeeze, he attempted a smile.

  Sophie rested her head on his shoulder and sighed. “I don’t think we’re ever going to see Libby and Noah again, Daddy.”

  Garrett was afraid she might be right, but his throat had closed, keeping him from answering her. How could he tell her that it was his fault Libby and Noah had gone away? Everything had happened so quickly that he’d never had the chance to talk to Libby and explain how wrong he’d been and how sorry he was for accusing her of being anything like Shana. For a short, crazy time, he’d actually believed she’d hidden herself and Noah to hurt him. He’d been such a fool not to trust her. He couldn’t blame her for leaving. He’d let her down, and now there was no way to tell her how much he wanted to make up for the wrong he’d done.

  Chapter Twelve

  Libby slipped on her jacket and gazed around the O’Brien living room. So much had changed in the past two weeks since she and Noah had been rescued during the storm, but the O’Brien home remained the same calm oasis it had been that night.

  Glancing from Nikki to Jules, she sighed but couldn’t hide her smile. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

  “For what?” Jules asked, stepping close to give Libby a hug.

  Libby squeezed her eyes shut against what promised to be an onslaught of tears if she didn’t put a stop to them. “Everything,” she answered, her throat clogged with emotion.

  When Jules moved away to give Nikki a chance for a hug, Libby counted the many ways in which everyone had helped. “If it hadn’t been for Mac, Noah and I might have spent the night in that ditch. And Nikki, you never hesitated to welcome us into your home and insist I talk to Jules.”

  “I’m so glad we could help,” Nikki replied. Stepping back, she released Libby, but held on to her hand. “You’re going to the Commune first?”

  Libby nodded. “I told Hettie I’d stop there before I did any
thing else. No matter what happens, Noah and I want to stay in Desperation. It’s home to us now.”

  Jules took Libby’s other hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze. “Hettie said she was expecting you. You won’t find anyone nicer than Hettie, and there’s not a better landlord around than Morgan’s uncle.”

  “Hettie said Ernie is eager to start moving in the furniture,” Libby said, laughing. “I can’t believe how kind everyone has been. If you hadn’t helped us—”

  “Don’t even think about it,” Jules said quickly. “Now, you have your appointments set up with Lynette, right?”

  “Three times a week, for now, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.” She thought of the work she had done with the counselor Jules had suggested and how far she’d come in only two weeks. Even in such a short time, she’d begun to feel stronger and less afraid. “She’s helped me so much already. I can’t thank you enough, Jules.”

  Jules shook her head. “It was nothing. I suspected she’d be a good fit for you, and I’m so glad she is. Don’t give up too early, though. Keep seeing her. And even after you finally feel safe again and are no longer seeing her regularly, she’ll be there if you should need her.”

  “I will, I promise,” Libby answered.

  “Then you’re all ready?”

  Although getting to know Nikki and Jules had been one of the best experiences she’d had, Libby was ready to get settled at the Commune. “All ready.”

  After hugs and goodbyes, she found Noah outside with Kirby. After the boys said their goodbyes, Libby and Noah climbed into the car, headed for Desperation. She’d called Lou about her job, hoping he hadn’t been furious with her and fired her, but she was surprised to find him eager to have her back. He even agreed that he wouldn’t mention her return to anyone, especially Garrett. She still felt uneasy about how Garrett would react when he saw her. It was always possible that he wouldn’t want her as a friend…or anything more.

  After telling Lynette what had happened the day Eric had shown up at Garrett’s house, Lynette assured her that she would help Libby find the courage and the way to explain the abuse she’d endured to Garrett. They’d worked on it for two weeks, but Libby still wasn’t sure she was ready. Just thinking about it had her heart pounding.

  As they drew nearer to Desperation, she turned her thoughts to their new home, instead of what she’d say to Garrett when she saw him. At the edge of town, she turned to take the back streets, avoiding Main Street.

  “I thought we were going to the Commune,” Noah said from the backseat.

  “We are,” she assured him. “This is a shortcut.”

  “Oh.”

  She glanced in the rearview mirror. Streetlights lit the car enough that she could see her son looked worried and thought it best to ask. “Is something wrong?”

  He shrugged his shoulders and scooted farther down in the seat.

  “Something is wrong,” she said, worried herself now. “Talk to me, Noah.”

  He was silent for several long seconds, but finally spoke, his voice just above a whisper. “It’s the retirement home, Mom,” he said, looking out the window next to him. “It’s a bunch of old people. They’ll treat me like I’m a little kid.”

  “They will?” she asked, wondering where that had come from.

  “Yeah, they always do. You know, pinching your cheek and all that.”

  “I suppose I should have talked with you about this,” Libby said with a sigh. “But there hasn’t been time. Hettie Lambert was kind enough to offer us a place there when the duplex burned. There’s a waiting list for apartments at the Commune, and I had to make a decision quickly.”

  “A waiting list for old people.”

  Usually Noah was good at adapting to changes, and she hadn’t worried that he might not want to live at the Commune. This was all coming as a surprise to her. “I don’t think it will be at all like you think it will.” When he didn’t answer, she said the only thing she could say. “If it turns out as bad as you think, then we’ll try to find another place.” She just couldn’t promise it would be in Desperation, although she wasn’t ready to tell him that yet.

  “Why can’t we go back to Garrett’s?”

  His question caused her to catch her breath. How could she explain to her son about what had happened when Garrett learned she was hiding him from his father? She didn’t know if Garrett’s feelings about her deception had changed, and she wouldn’t risk hurting her son.

  “It’s better that we have our own place,” she finally answered. “And there’s always someone around at the Commune, so you won’t need a babysitter. Won’t that be nice?”

  Silence again, until he finally answered, “Sure.”

  She heard the resignation in his voice and wished there was a way she could reassure him.

  When they reached the Commune, she pulled through the circle drive and around to the side, where Hettie had told her she’d be able to keep her car under covered parking. “Let’s go see Hettie,” she told Noah, as she climbed out of the car.

  With a loud sigh, he opened the door and got out, then walked with her around to the front of the huge old house. Both the house and yard were lit up like a Christmas tree. A long flight of wide, stone steps was framed by two-story columns. A wide balcony ran from the front and both sides to the back of the mansion in true Southern style. Libby imagined the exercise she’d get climbing those stairs and smiled as they mounted the steps and made their way to the big double doors. She raised her hand to grasp the large brass knocker, just as the door opened.

  Hettie stood inside the roomy entry hall, smiling. “There you are! Come in, come in. I’ve been watching and waiting. We’re so happy you’ve decided to become a part of the Commune. Noah, it’s good to see you.”

  “Thank you.”

  Hettie looked at Libby over Noah’s head and smiled, as if she understood exactly what was happening. “Let’s go on up to the apartment,” she said, moving toward the grand staircase. “You haven’t had a chance to look it over, have you, Noah?”

  “No, ma’am.”

  As they reached the top of the stairs, an older gentleman stood a few feet down the hallway. Hettie waved at him, the collection of bracelets she wore jingling at her wrist. “I don’t think you’ve heard, Howard, but Libby and Noah are joining us.”

  “Oh, I know Noah,” Howard said. “He’s one of my football players.”

  Noah, who’d turned the moment the man spoke, was all smiles. “Mr. Williamson! I didn’t know you lived here.”

  “Sure do,” Howard replied, winking at Hettie and then smiling at Libby. “Me and the missus moved here a few years ago.” For a moment, his smiled vanished, but quickly reappeared. “Hey, maybe you and I can work on some plays to share with the team next practice.”

  “Yeah! That’d be great.” Noah turned around to look at Libby. “If it’s okay, I mean.”

  Libby nodded, unable to hold back her smile. Hettie had tipped her off that Howard was looking forward to having Noah at the Commune. He’d lost his wife less than a year before, eventually turning his loss into a positive by helping with the younger boys’ football team. He said it kept him from being lonely.

  They told Howard they’d catch him later, and Hettie took them on to their apartment. “It’s a little smaller than what you’re used to, so I hope you don’t feel too crowded.”

  Libby shook her head as she took in the sunny room. “With just the two of us, it isn’t a problem. Everything is perfect.”

  Hettie patted her arm. “I hope all goes well for both of you. Now, when are you planning to move in?”

  “This weekend,” Libby answered, and they began discussing the arrangements. When they were done, Hettie walked with them to the main door and reminded Libby to call if she had any questions or needed any help with moving.

  Libby assured her she would, and then returned to her car. “So maybe it won’t be as bad as you thought it would?” she asked Noah as they pulled away from the Commune.<
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  “It’ll be okay. You’re going to go back to work, aren’t you?”

  “Yes, Lou was happy to let me come back,” she said. “I’ll work the same hours, but I won’t have to worry about where you’ll stay after school. Hettie said they’d all be happy to keep an eye on you. We’ll talk about that later. There’ll need to be some rules—”

  “What about Garrett? Who’s going to babysit Sophie?”

  Libby bit her lower lip as she glanced in the rearview mirror. “I’m sure Garrett is handling that.”

  “But—”

  “Noah, I can’t answer your questions about Garrett. Only he has the answers.” Slowing the car, she couldn’t avoid this any longer. She needed to do what she and Lynette had talked about. It was time to face Garrett, tell him the truth about the abuse she’d experienced during her marriage and find out how he felt about it. And about her.

  “HE’S HERE, LIBBY.” PAIGE kept her voice low, then turned slightly and looked over her shoulder. “He’s been so worried about you. Both of you.”

  Libby’s knees shook with relief, but fear and uncertainty quickly replaced it. This day—this moment—could very well be a major turning point in her life and that of her son. Either Garrett would accept her apology and understand her reason for not telling him the truth, or they’d end their relationship, whatever it was, and go their separate ways. The thought of both options nearly immobilized her.

  When she spoke her voice was a whisper. “I’m sorry to have worried everyone. I was…”

  “Scared?” Paige finished, putting her arm around Libby. “I would’ve been, too. Garrett told me what happened at his house. I only wish things had been different and you hadn’t needed to disappear.”

  Libby nodded and noticed Paige didn’t ask where they’d been. It was possible that Jules had told her, but it no longer mattered. What mattered was that she was ready to move on with her life instead of living in fear and running away. But although Paige might accept and understand why she’d left without telling anyone, Garrett might not. That was something she had to face and then live with the outcome.