“I’ll go,” I blurt out.
She nods. “Ok.”
“Text me if anything comes up.” Spencer heads toward the door and I follow, giving Paisley one last glance over my shoulder before her brother and I walk out the door.
Hell yeah, I’ll be at the meeting with Colby.
Seventeen
Paisley
* * *
The door shuts as Spencer and Vaughn leave the condo. I make my way back into the kitchen. I’d never be able to forgive myself if I’m the reason Spencer and Vaughn are losing accounts. And as silly as they may think it is, I seriously believe whoever this asshole is messing with me is the same person shit talking them.
I just need to figure it all out.
Maybe it’s not even someone after me. Maybe the person is someone from Vaughn's past and they don’t like that I’ve been spending time with him? Crazy, I know. But then again, this whole mess is crazy.
I shoot off a text to Vaughn, asking him.
He sends a reply back instantly, “No way. No crazy girlfriends in my past.”
“How do you know for certain?” I reply back.
“No relationships at all.” His text comes back rather quickly, and I smile at my phone.
“Maybe someone who wants you?”
“I haven’t been with anyone in a long, long time,” his text reads.
I’m shocked by his answer.
I thought he was the serial dater. The man with all the women. Here he is with double ‘longs’ and maybe I’ve pegged him all wrong.
My heart beats a little harder.
It’s crazy, right? To already be having real feelings for him?
I think of it like this. The feelings I had for Vaughn growing up were almost like make-believe. Like something out of a fairytale. Because I never really believed anything would ever happen between us.
Yet, here we are. And the way he touched me last night was not make-believe. It was real. He was real.
God, the things he said to me. My body shivers just thinking about it.
There’s a knock at the door and I stir in my seat a bit. Should I answer it? This isn’t technically my place.
I stare through the peephole, trying to make out what I’m seeing. Hmm, it’s just the elevator. The hall is empty.
I peek my head out, and there’s no one there.
Am I going crazy? I know I heard a knock. I step out of the door. “Hello,” I call out.
I turn around to go back into the condo and notice a note on the door.
In scribbled handwriting are the words, ‘Bitch.’
I’m shook.
I rush back inside, slamming the door. I stare through the peephole once more, checking for any signs someone’s out there.
There’s nothing.
I sit in silence for a minute before my phone rings, and I let out a loud scream. The screen lights up with Jackie’s number. I swipe to accept. “Hey. Jackie.”
“Paisley, what’s wrong? You sound all shaken up.”
“I’m fine.” I know I sound like I’m scared, and maybe a part of me is. Ok, a big part of me is.
“Why don’t you come meet me in the city? Are you sure you’re ok? I wanted to put in an offer on one of the houses on the list you gave me.”
I glance at my watch. “Umm, ok, where?”
“Starbucks on Seventh?”
That’s right around the corner.
I can dip out, meet Jackie and be back here before Vaughn is back to pick me up to meet Colby.
“Sure, I’ll be right there.”
I don’t have to wait at the back table long for Jackie. She’s all smiles and her red hair is striking against the sun pouring in through the shop's windows.
“Darling, there you are.” She kisses my cheek and then rushes to the counter to order.
I can’t stop staring at my phone, waiting for the mystery caller to call me again. I know it’s silly, but I can’t help it.
I also feel like I should let Vaughn know I’m out. I shoot off a text to him, letting him know where I am, and then slip my phone into my purse.
Jackie returns with two coffees and she sits down in a hurry. “So, tell me everything. You poor thing, you sounded so frightened when we chatted earlier.”
I decide to get her advice. “Can I ask you something?”
Her face grows serious, like I even need to ask a stupid question like that. She blinks. “You can ask me anything.”
“Things have been happening.” I explain the calls and break in at my new house to her.
“Oh my god, that’s horrible. You should be taking extra precautions.” She glances around the coffee shop, like my stalker could be lurking in the corners.
“I’ve been staying with a friend. So, everything will be ok.”
She places a hand over mine. “I’m confident it will be. But if anything major happens you should call the police.”
I take what she says into account, wondering if things will get worse. What if things escalate? Now the thought of being here makes me nervous.