had become a burden? At what point did her mother start feeling trapped and hopeless?
Sure she could fall for Jagger but then what? What happened when it turned bad? She didn’t think she was strong enough to survive the emotional pain her mother suffered through.
Camryn was so deep in thought that when a voice interrupted her silent musings she nearly jumped out of her skin. “Such a pretty girl. Why do you look so sad?”
She hadn’t noticed anyone walking along the sidewalk when she’d left the house but she hadn’t really been paying attention.
The smiling red-haired woman seemed harmless enough but there was something off about her. Camyrn couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was.
“Uh, I just have a lot on my mind. You have a good morning.” Camryn attempted to maneuver around the woman and continue on her way but as she moved, so did the redhead.
“Excuse me,” Camryn spoke as politely as she could but the woman would not let her pass.
“I’m sorry to bother you when it seems you want to be alone, but I couldn’t help but notice the frown on your face. Won’t you tell me about it?” The woman spoke with a heavy accent Camryn couldn’t place. She didn’t seem crazy but again, Camryn couldn’t shake the bad vibe she got from the woman.
“Um, I’m good actually. And as you’ve pointed out, I’d like to be alone. Thank you for your concern though.”
“Oh, I see. It’s just that you look so familiar, like one of my neighbors.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, Maggie?” The statement almost came out like a question as if to test Camryn’s knowledge. It then occurred to Camryn that this woman could be a part of a neighborhood watch program. Being that this area had a lot of high end homes, it made sense. This woman was probably being nosey.
“How do you know my mother?”
A smile that didn’t quite reach the woman’s eyes curved her lips. “I’ve met her. So you are her daughter. I see the resemblance. And I’m guessing you are staying with your mother and stepfather for a time, yes?”
Camryn took a step back. She was literally repulsed by this strange woman and she couldn’t understand why. “Yes.” She hadn’t meant to volunteer that information but the word just tumbled from her lips as if it were yanked out.
“How long will you be with them?”
“A few weeks. I…” She bit her inner lip to stop herself from talking, but again, it was as if she couldn’t help herself. “I’m helping her with the baby.”
The redhead’s green eyes gleamed with what seemed like delight. “Oh, how wonderful. I should like to see this baby. I’m sure I will eventually.” Before Camryn could respond, the stranger grasped her hand and leaned close until their faces nearly touched. “If I come by…invite me in,” she whispered.
Camryn yanked her hand away. “I have to go.” She turned on her heels and started to run. She wasn’t sure why she ran because the woman didn’t chase her, all she knew was she needed to get away.
When she happened to glance over her shoulder, the woman was gone.
Chapter Eight
Camryn was out of breath by the time she made it back to the house but the odd part was, she couldn’t remember what she’d been running from. The last thing she remembered was agonizing over her feelings for Jagger and then, she’d started running.
“I was wondering where you’d gotten off to. If you wanted to take a walk, I would have gone with you.” Jagger appeared in the hallway as she entered the house. As if sensing something was the matter when he saw her, he asked, “Is everything okay? Did anything happen?”
She shook her head, still trying to figure out why she felt as if she’d witnessed something scary but couldn’t figure out what it was. “I don’t know.”
“What do you mean?”
“I just don’t know. I took a walk to clear my head and I just started running. It’s probably nothing.” She waved her hand dismissively.
He gave her a
Sure she could fall for Jagger but then what? What happened when it turned bad? She didn’t think she was strong enough to survive the emotional pain her mother suffered through.
Camryn was so deep in thought that when a voice interrupted her silent musings she nearly jumped out of her skin. “Such a pretty girl. Why do you look so sad?”
She hadn’t noticed anyone walking along the sidewalk when she’d left the house but she hadn’t really been paying attention.
The smiling red-haired woman seemed harmless enough but there was something off about her. Camyrn couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was.
“Uh, I just have a lot on my mind. You have a good morning.” Camryn attempted to maneuver around the woman and continue on her way but as she moved, so did the redhead.
“Excuse me,” Camryn spoke as politely as she could but the woman would not let her pass.
“I’m sorry to bother you when it seems you want to be alone, but I couldn’t help but notice the frown on your face. Won’t you tell me about it?” The woman spoke with a heavy accent Camryn couldn’t place. She didn’t seem crazy but again, Camryn couldn’t shake the bad vibe she got from the woman.
“Um, I’m good actually. And as you’ve pointed out, I’d like to be alone. Thank you for your concern though.”
“Oh, I see. It’s just that you look so familiar, like one of my neighbors.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, Maggie?” The statement almost came out like a question as if to test Camryn’s knowledge. It then occurred to Camryn that this woman could be a part of a neighborhood watch program. Being that this area had a lot of high end homes, it made sense. This woman was probably being nosey.
“How do you know my mother?”
A smile that didn’t quite reach the woman’s eyes curved her lips. “I’ve met her. So you are her daughter. I see the resemblance. And I’m guessing you are staying with your mother and stepfather for a time, yes?”
Camryn took a step back. She was literally repulsed by this strange woman and she couldn’t understand why. “Yes.” She hadn’t meant to volunteer that information but the word just tumbled from her lips as if it were yanked out.
“How long will you be with them?”
“A few weeks. I…” She bit her inner lip to stop herself from talking, but again, it was as if she couldn’t help herself. “I’m helping her with the baby.”
The redhead’s green eyes gleamed with what seemed like delight. “Oh, how wonderful. I should like to see this baby. I’m sure I will eventually.” Before Camryn could respond, the stranger grasped her hand and leaned close until their faces nearly touched. “If I come by…invite me in,” she whispered.
Camryn yanked her hand away. “I have to go.” She turned on her heels and started to run. She wasn’t sure why she ran because the woman didn’t chase her, all she knew was she needed to get away.
When she happened to glance over her shoulder, the woman was gone.
Chapter Eight
Camryn was out of breath by the time she made it back to the house but the odd part was, she couldn’t remember what she’d been running from. The last thing she remembered was agonizing over her feelings for Jagger and then, she’d started running.
“I was wondering where you’d gotten off to. If you wanted to take a walk, I would have gone with you.” Jagger appeared in the hallway as she entered the house. As if sensing something was the matter when he saw her, he asked, “Is everything okay? Did anything happen?”
She shook her head, still trying to figure out why she felt as if she’d witnessed something scary but couldn’t figure out what it was. “I don’t know.”
“What do you mean?”
“I just don’t know. I took a walk to clear my head and I just started running. It’s probably nothing.” She waved her hand dismissively.
He gave her a
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