Page 2 of Running to You

On the street, a man—no, a teenager—stood beside a white pickup. He called, “You got her, dude? She was lost.”

Before Sam could think of a response, the kid hopped into the truck and took off.

Sam held her, breathing in dirt and bracken and the scent of coconut shampoo and something else, something elusive and familiar. He didn’t move, didn’t dare.

If he moved, she’d disappear again.

He’d be left alone.

So he held very, very still and allowed himself to enjoy the moment. The perfect rightness of the moment.

And then he came to his senses.

He gripped her arms and stepped back.

She wore a thin red windbreaker two sizes too big over a wrinkled blue plaid button-down shirt, ugly navy work pants, and black sneakers.

Nothing like the high fashion she used to wear.

But other things were the same. Her shiny, sable-colored hair. High cheekbones, full lips. He’d once heard someone refer to her as sort of girl-next-door pretty. That guy was an idiot.

Not that Sam wanted her. Not anymore. “Who was that?”

“Who was what?”

“The guy who dropped you off.”

“Oh. Um…”

She didn’t seem to know how to explain. Had she been hitchhiking? More importantly, “What are you doing here?”

She blinked up at him, her hazel eyes filled with confusion. She raised her hand and stroked his beard. “Where did this come from?”

He backed out of her reach. “Why are you here?”

“What do you mean?”

The overhead light flicked on.

She winced and lifted a hand to shield her face.

And he saw what he’d missed before.

There were dead leaves in her hair, which hung far longer than the shoulder-length it’d once been. She had a scrape on her cheek. Her hazel eyes were red-rimmed. Her lip was swollen.

“What happened?” Sam demanded.

“I don’t…” Voice small, almost frightened. “Are you mad at me?”

Before he could formulate a response—because this made no sense at all—Dan’s hand clamped on his shoulder. “Hi. I’m Sam’s brother, Daniel.”

Her gaze shifted to him. “I’m…” There was a pause. A long pause. And then, “Um, Eliza?”

Daniel glanced his way. “Why don’t we go sit down?” He reached toward her, but she ducked and raised an arm as if to ward off a blow.

Daniel dropped his hand and stepped back. “That’s all right.” He spoke in an everything’s going to be okay voice. “Sam, why don’t you and Eliza join me in the living room?” He swiveled and walked out, pulling his phone from his pocket and tapping the screen.

Something was seriously wrong.