He was never going to change. He was never going to see her the way other parents saw their children. Harrison was right. She should have gotten out of there years ago.
She didn’t have much in terms of a savings account, but her car was finally paid off and she had a little money in the bank. It was enough to figure something out because she was damn sure she didn’t want to work at the hardware store or live under her dad’s roof anymore.
Erin left work and threw a pot roast in the crock pot with some carrots and potatoes when she got home, unsure why she bothered. Dad would be eating alone tonight.
Her cheek was throbbing, and when she opened the freezer looking for ice for her swollen face, the chilled bottle of vodka caught her eye. She snatched the bottle and filled a tall glass, topping off the last inch with a splash of iced tea, just enough to turn the liquid brown but still clear enough to read the paper through.
She wrapped a tea towel around a handful of ice and pressed it to her face, carrying her drink to her bedroom. By the time her cup was half empty and her cheek numb, she found herself sorting through her clothes and searching for something to wear. An hour and a second drink later, she stumbled out of her bedroom in a sleek red dress, hair done and heels on.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?”
“Out.”
“Out where?”
“To town.”
“It’s snowing. The town’s closed.”
“Well, the bar’s open.”
He glared at her from where he stood in the kitchen by the counter. “You look as though you’ve already had a few.”
“Then I’ll walk. Either way, I’m getting the hell out of here.”
“You’re gonna walk to town in those shoes. You’ve always been the dumb kind of blonde. Why don’t you use your head for a change, missy?”
“Why don’t you shut the fuck up?”
A chill cut through the house. “What did you just say to me?”
She quickly grabbed her coat and keys. “I said I’m going out.”
He slammed the silverware drawer. “Stupid girl, everything’s closed!”
“Well, I’d rather spend the night out in the cold than around you.”
He lunged after her but she ran to the door. “Go then! And do me a favor and don’t come back! Go find someone else to support your lazy ass, you ungrateful bitch! You’re just like your mother! Useless!”
She bolted out the front door, nearly slipping on the snow-dusted walk as she covered her ears. No matter how old she was, his words could always hurt her.
He charged onto the porch steps, shouting cruel accusations as she rushed into her car and locked the doors. Sucking back a sob, she dropped the keys, her hands shaking as she grappled for them.
“You’re dead to me!”
Erin stabbed the keys into the ignition and sped out of the icy driveway. Her car slipped onto the snow-covered road. Stripping the gears, she shifted into drive and gunned it toward town, a sob choking out of her chest as she sped away.
All she had was the clothes on her back and the items in her purse. No place to call home and nowhere left to go, but she was too tipsy and fed up to waste time on regrets.
CHAPTER 3
Erin’s car slid around the corner as powdery white snow coated the blacktop. Soon the plows would start making their rounds, but, for now, only idiots like her were out on the road. Idiots and drunks, as O’Malley’s parking lot was packed.
The outside of the bar resembled a truck pull, with multiple four-wheel-drive, heavy terrain vehicles lined up, many suited with their own plow that would see them home tonight. Her vehicle was the only regular-sized car in the lot aside from a silver Audi she spotted in the back.
She looked for Finn’s truck, hoping he was already there, but everything was disguised by the dusting of snow. Navigating her way to the entrance in heels wasn’t easy, but she made it there in one piece. When she reached the door, she gripped the handle and hesitated.
Did she really want to do this?
She pulled the door open a crack and rowdy voices clashed with the silent night. Something upbeat played from the jukebox and she snapped the door shut.
Those weren’t her people in there. She didn’t have people. Those people shared a unanimous dislike for her. She wasn’t stupid enough to believe everyone in Jasper Falls had a heart as forgiving as Finnegan McCullough. She and Finn shared a past. To the others…she was just a bitch.
She glanced back at her car. Where could she go?
Already regretting her words to her father, she worried she might have irreparably screwed up her life tonight—all because of one stupid slap. That was nothing. She’d taken much worse over the years. When would she learn to simply keep her mouth shut?