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“You okay?”
“No. I … I need to pray.”
Raine nodded. “Yes, pray.”
Lucy rattled off a prayer, thanking God for all of her blessings and then begging Him to help find Tatum. “In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”
“Amen.” He drove quickly to the south part of the beach.
Right before they got to his house, she got a FaceTime call. To her shock, it was from Tatum. She pressed accept. “Tatum?”
The screen was filled with Tatum’s worried face. “Lucy, I’m at your boutique.” The line was fuzzy, and they couldn’t get great reception.
Tires screeched, and the world tilted as Raine made a U-turn.
“We’re coming, Tatum. Stay there. We’re coming.”
When they got back to the boutique, Lucy almost burst into tears. There was Tatum, hunkered down just like in the hurricane before, with Aphrodite at her side. Lucy let out a laugh. “That cat.”
Raine had barely stopped when she jumped out of the truck and rushed toward Tatum. Tatum had already shot to her feet, with a backpack on her back, the cat in one arm and her iPad in the other. “Lucy!”
There was no time for an explanation. Lucy pulled her toward the truck and helped her inside. Then Raine took off, turning around and heading back to his property.
“Lucy, I was so scared. I said a prayer. Did you?”
Lucy was crying. “I said a prayer too. I’m so glad you’re okay. How did you even get here?”
Tatum shook her head. “Mom and Dad won’t listen to me. I don’t want to be in Raleigh. I want to be here with you. I know God wants that, too. Mom is lying to him all the time.” She had tears running down her face. “I got on a bus and came here. I’m sorry about the storm.”
Chapter 26
Matt gripped the steering wheel as tightly as he could. His truck was steady, heavy, but it was no match for these winds. Charlene had refused to go. She would stay and ride out the storm. Whether it was the right or wrong decision didn’t matter anymore—not when he had to find his daughter.
He had another half hour to get to South Port. He drove like a bat out of hell. Good thing the police weren’t worried about anyone on the road. He didn’t see a single car.
He thought about everything that had happened in the past couple months. About leaving South Port and listening to Charlene. About Lucy telling him that Charlene was manipulating them. About not believing her. About wanting so dang much to make this family work, but nearly losing his daughter in the process.
He clenched his jaw, and tears streamed down his face. Matt was in an emotional state he couldn't control. He remembered the reason his daughter had given in the note she’d left: “I don’t want to be a family anymore. I want Lucy.”
He slammed a hand on the steering wheel. He had ruined everything trying to make up for his own childhood. Now he could see clearly again. He could see all of Charlene’s manipulations. Ever since she’d said she wanted to get remarried, he’d believed her. Then, when he’d been about to clean her car, he’d found cigarettes. She didn’t smoke. He’d smelled nicotine on her soon after that.
Last night, he’d confronted her about the cigarettes and the smoke smell, and she had tried to lie. Eventually, she’d caved and confessed that she was dating someone who smoked.
What was that saying? You can take the scorpion across the water, but don’t be surprised when it stings you.
He’d known Charlene. He’d known what she was. But he’d let his own stubborn pride blind him, and he’d been wrapped up in the idea of what a family should be. He’d drifted away from something much more important: a good woman who loved him and his daughter. Lucy might not be Tatum’s biological mother, but Tatum wanted to be with her more than anything.
He had been such an idiot. He had made a mess of everything. He didn’t know if it was too late with Lucy now. She might be dating that Raine guy already, and could he blame her? He didn’t know Raine at all, but he sure as heck wasn’t a guy who would just give her up.
Matt pulled up to the address that Lucy had sent him, almost forgetting to turn off the truck before he jumped out and rushed to the door. He wouldn’t wait around anymore. He wouldn’t wait for life to give him what he thought he wanted.
Come hell or high water, he was going to take it.
Even if that meant getting hurt.
Chapter 27
Raine opened the door, unenthused to see his rival show up in the middle of a hurricane. But what could he say? Matt’s little girl was here. And Raine had seen the way Lucy had looked at Matt at the wedding. His only hope with that woman was if Matt didn’t want her.
