“Yeah.” Amber hopped up from the couch and came over to us at the door. “Or we could stay over again.”
I smiled at them. “Aw, you two…” It was nice having friends who cared so much about me. It made me feel so grateful. “Thanks, but I’ll be okay. I mean, now that I’ve gotten the police involved I doubt this guy will try to sneak into my apartment again. If anything, he’s probably worried about getting arrested.”
“Bristol, you can’t be sure, and you shouldn’t stay here alone,” Amber warned.
“I agree,” Julian added. “Mason said—”
“It’s okay.” I brushed off their concerns. “I’ll be fine. Look, I’m not going to let some weirdo scare me out of my apartment.”
Julian touched my arm. “Are you sure? It really isn’t a problem for us to stay with you again tonight.”
“No. It’s all right, you two. Look, I’ll call a security company and have them change the locks and install an alarm on Monday. Everything will be fine.” I wasn’t sure if I was trying to convince them or myself.
Julian leaned in for a hug. “Okay. If you need anything don’t hesitate to call.”
“Thanks, Jules. I’ll talk to you later.” I smiled at her as she pulled away and opened the door.
“See you two later,” she said and then left.
When I closed the door and turned to go back to the couch, Amber had her eyes narrowed into crinkled slits as if studying me. “Are you sure you’re not trying to get rid of us so you can invite over that sexy man in the uniform?”
“What? No.” I dropped down on the couch to finish watching the rest of the show.
Amber came over, a sneaky grin on her lips as she settled down beside me. “I was only kidding, but I have to say, I like the flicker in your eyes.”
Perplexed, I blinked at her. “What flicker?”
She giggled. “The same one you had when Mason was sitting at our table at the lounge on Monday night, and again when he was in your apartment yesterday. I never saw you light up like that when you were with Tyler.”
“Stop. It’s nothing like that.” I turned to the TV, then added, “Besides, I told you, it’s going to be a while before I dive back into a relationship.”
Amber chuckled. “Who said anything about a relationship?”
I steered my gaze to her. “Well, whatever it is that you’re insinuating, I’m not looking for it right now.”
Bobbing her head slowly, she spun and resumed watching the show, though, the sly grin never left her face.
On Sunday afternoon, I stood before the bathroom mirror staring at my reflection longer than usual. My cheeks were puffy, tired from lack of sleep, and my auburn hair appeared dull and matted. After Amber left, I’d stayed up for most of the night, almost giving myself a nervous breakdown as I thought about how close my admirer had been to me while I was in the shower.
He could have attacked me. He could’ve…
Ugh!
I snapped out of it and put on some makeup. While brushing out my hair, I heard knocking at the door.
Setting the brush down, I made my way to the living room, but then paused in front of the door. I wondered if it was my secret admirer, if he’d finally become brave and decided to show himself to me.
Whoever it was knocked again. This time, a familiar voice followed. “Bristol, it’s Mason.”
Relieved, I suppressed the fear and opened the door. “Hey,” I said.
Mason wasn’t wearing his uniform. He still looked good in his shirt and jeans, and as laid back as he’d been at the lounge, but he seemed a bit discouraged about something.
“First, that note you gave me,” he began, “the only prints on it were yours.”
“Okay,” I replied. “Not surprised.”
“Yeah, and I talked to your ex. He says he has no idea what’s going on with you and he has an alibi for yesterday. He was at work all day.”
“Of course,” I said. “I already knew it wasn’t him.”
“Well, uh, I just wanted to update you.”
Mason was about to leave, then he paused. Turning back to me, he asked, “How are you?”
I raised my shoulders in a shrug as I answered, “I’m…okay. Trying to keep my mind off what happened.”
He nodded and relaxed his body as he began observing me.
“Ahem,” I cleared my throat and shifted my weight from one leg to the other, suddenly feeling shy.
He dawdled for a moment before saying, “Um, I’m not sure how this is going to sound, but do you want to go for a walk? It’s a nice day and all.”
A slight, optimistic grin formed on his mouth. I felt a ticklish sensation throughout my body. I had to look away to answer. “Sorry, I, um, I can’t.”
“You sure? It could do you some good,” he insisted, a low chuckle under his breath.
Glancing up, I leaned against the door. “Mason, I can’t.”
His head turned down, and he lightly kicked at the hardwood. When he looked up again, he said, “Bristol, the truth is…I don’t want to go on regretting.”
I straightened at his words. “Regretting what?”
“Not trying,” he replied in a soft tone. “When I left Rhode Island, I thought about you a lot, and I wanted so badly to see you again. I never thought I would, and then…” He stopped and caught his breath. “There you were at the lounge that my friends had dragged me to. I couldn’t believe my luck.”
“So you didn’t join the police force to find me?” I joked. “Amber thought you did.”
Mason played along. “Actually, that was one of the reasons.”
“Oh,” I giggled, it felt so natural with him. “Are you my admirer after all?”
Composing himself, he said, “I’m definitely not the creep who broke into your apartment, but I do admire you.”
My body tensed. A slow burn grew in my chest and spread throughout the rest of my body.
“Actually,” he continued, “seeing you again was a chance encounter I’d never thought would happen, but I think fate is telling us something.”
“And what exactly is fate telling us?” I asked, intrigued.
Mason didn’t answer, only stared at me hard. Longingly. “Um…” He looked down, as if to hide his blushing, his cheeks were clearly red. It aroused me to know I had such an impact on him.
Glancing at me again, he said, “I’m sorry. I should go.” He spun and started down the hallway.
I watched his back, so broad, sturdy, and sadly etched in disappointment. I felt guilty. He was a nice guy. What harm could come from walking?
Just as Mason reached the stairs, I called after him. “Wait.” He slanted and peered back with his brow arched. I considered it for a moment, and then accepted his offer. “Give me a sec. I’m going to get my keys.”
Satisfaction swept across his face, bringing forth a sexy grin. It sent a surge of electricity through my veins. I shook it off and treaded over to the table by the couch, snatching up my keys and cellphone.
“Let’s go,” I said as I stepped out of my apartment and locked the door.
His captivating eyes glimmered with delight. Mason couldn’t hide his excitement, and I liked that he wanted to be around me so badly.
Spring was like an overflowing bottle of sparkling joy. The day was bright, filled with chirping birds and lively music in the distance. Flowers were in bloom, many people were out, and the warm air was faintly laced with salt from the sparkling sea.
Mason and I were relishing every minute of our leisurely stroll along the cobblestone wall that separated the park from the water.
We relaxed on a wooden bench and took in the postcard image of the calm bay strewn with sailboats, along with Newport Bridge and Jamestown in the distance.
“So, why did you become a cop?” I asked, wanting to know more about him.
Mason hunched over and stared at me, grinning. “You know why.”
I chortled. “Seriously. Why?”
“All right.” His smile faltere
d and he began looking out at sea again. “Something…terrible happened to my family back in New Hampshire a few months after we moved there. I’d just finished high school and was unsure of my next move, so after tragedy struck I decided to join the academy. I wanted to do my part in preventing it from happening to other families.”
Leaning forward a tad, I noticed the same hurt from the night at the lounge reflected on his face. It seemed as if pain was nestled inside his soul, fighting to come out. This was obviously a sensitive topic and I supposed he didn’t want to go into further details.
What he’d told me was enough, for now.
“What about you?” Mason asked, cutting back to me.
“Me? There’s not much to tell. I moved to Newport in my sophomore year at University of Rhode Island and rented my apartment. I worked in a clothing store for a while until I landed an internship last fall at Vanderson Publishing, working part-time as an assistant to the event coordinator, and so…” I paused to catch my breath. “Here I am.”
Mason nodded and said with a smile, “Here you are.”
We continued talking for a while then decided to head back to my apartment. I’d almost forgotten about my admirer until Mason brought him up again.
“Are you sure it’s not one of your friends messing with you?” he asked as we paced down the sidewalk.
“My friends have played tricks on me before but nothing like this. They wouldn’t scare me, especially Jules, not after what she’s been through.”
Mason slowed to a stop. “What she’s been through?”
I halted in my tracks and stuck my hands inside the pockets of my jeans. “Oh, yeah, last summer her father and his lawyer were murdered. Julian was almost killed too, but her boyfriend saved her. She’s only now starting to get over it.”
He rubbed his chin in contemplation. “Julian…as in Julian Vanderson?”
“Same one,” I confirmed.
“Yeah, I’ve heard about that case.”
We resumed walking. “Anyway, none of my friends are messing with me. Not like this.”
“Then who?” Mason asked, keeping his gaze on the pavement. “It’s probably someone you know.”
“I think so, too. I just don’t have any idea.”
“Humph. Usually, they’ve been around you for months, sometimes years.”
“I feel like it’s a guy, but I don’t know any other guys other than my ex.” Staring at Mason, I added, “And now you.”
He chuckled and held his hands up in defense. “Hey, it’s not me. I responded to your distress call, ran that note for fingerprints, and questioned your ex. Another cop would have brushed it aside and waited for something major to happen.”
I stopped as we reached the bend that led back to my apartment building. “Something major?”
Shaking his head, Mason assured me, “Don’t worry about that. You’ll be all right.”
“If you say so,” I whispered and continued on toward the parking lot.
Mason wandered over to where he’d parked his white Corolla. I trailed behind him.
He opened the driver’s door, before climbing in he turned and asked, “How about dinner next weekend?”
I tucked my hair behind my ears, something I did when I was uneasy. “Mason, I just broke up with my boyfriend. I’m not ready to—”
“I understand,” he interrupted. “You don’t have to explain.”
Taking in his appearance, he gave me the impression that he was upset: restrained facial expression, chin dipping to his chest.
Mason reached inside his shirt pocket and slid out a card. “Here. If anything happens, you can reach me at this number.”
“Is this a slick way to try and give me your number?” I teased as I took the card from his hand.
Our fingers grazed. My pulse gave a leap. A gradual warmth developed in my stomach.
He smirked. “No. I just want to help any way I can.” Hopping inside his car, Mason shut the door and turned the key, waving bye before driving off.
I spun on my heels and made my way up the paved entrance into the building. When I reached the top of the hardwood stairs and started for my apartment, I froze in my tracks as I glimpsed a single red rose, a blue note, and a small white packet waiting outside my door.
Panic engulfed me. My heart started to hammer behind my ribcage. I loosened the tension in my throat and continued over. I arched a bit and picked everything up, then slowly opened the door.
After a brief scan of the place, I stepped inside, locked the door, and dropped the stuff on the coffee table. Then I tiptoed around the corner and went into my bedroom. I knelt down to check under the bed.
Clear. I looked inside the closet. Seeing that it was also free of intruders, I slipped out of my room and went down the hall to the bathroom.
No one was there.
Gosh! I watched entirely too many movies. What would I have done if there was an intruder?
I meandered back to the living room and plopped down on the couch, then began to feel around the packet. Anxious about what was inside, I finally tore off the seal and emptied the contents on the coffee table. There was a silver necklace with a leaf pendant and matching earrings, just like the bracelet he’d sent me at the office.
What’s with this guy and his gifts? What a waste of money.
Setting them aside with the rose, I unfolded the note. I was nervous but still eager to read it nonetheless.
I didn’t mean to scare you.
I thought you’d be flattered by how much I wanted you.
Please don’t let my invasion push you into his arms.
No one knows how to treat you better than me, Bristol.
Not even that cop.
If you let him in, I’ll be very upset.
X
I started to hyperventilate. It was a threat. I knew I should call Mason and tell him. Pulling out my cellphone and the card that he’d given me, I began putting in his number.
An urgent knock at the door startled me, so much that the phone almost fell from my hand. I swiveled and peered over my shoulder at the door.
Nervously, I yelled, “Who is it?”
“It’s Tyler.”
My anxiety simmered—a little. I rose from the couch and treaded to the door, opening it without unfastening the chain. “What do you want?” I barked.
Tyler glared at the chain. “Come on, Bristol. Let me in.”
“No,” I hissed. “Go away.”
He looked down for a beat. When he lifted his head again, he seemed so sad. His shoulders sagged as if he was out of hope. I was tempted to let him in, but my senses defeated the feelings I had for him.
“The cops questioned me,” he said. “Someone broke into your apartment? Bristol, you shouldn’t stay here alone.”
“I’m fine,” I told him, acting tough. Truthfully, it was hard to ignore the butterflies that were dancing in my stomach. “Look, I have to finish something for work tomorrow so…” I started to shut the door.
“Wait, Bristol.” Tyler stuck his hand inside to stop me.
“What is it?” My tone was biting.
“I just want to talk. Can you please open the door? I feel silly like this.” He touched the chain.
Sighing, I unfastened it and opened the door wider. “You’re not coming inside.”
He stepped forward and stood in the doorway. “Fine.”
Tyler stayed quiet for a while, staring at me without speaking. I didn’t know how much more I could take so I asked again, “What do you want?”
“It’s not just about me cheating,” he replied. “We were having trouble before that.”
I backed away as Tyler tried to touch my arm. “Are you seriously trying to justify your actions?”
“No,” he drawled. “What I did was terrible and I’ll spend every single day of my life making it up to you if you give me the chance. I’m just saying, there’s more we need to work on.”
He was right. The communication had died. We were barely spend
ing time together. Still, I doubted there was anything left to work on. Trust was gone, and I didn’t want to make the effort anymore. I had no energy left.
Tyler brushed my cheek with the back of his hand. It sent sparks all over me, only the feeling wasn’t the same as what I’d experienced before when we’d first started dating. It felt subtle, like it was wearing out.
I moved his hand away and said, “I don’t want to go back.”
He sighed. “Bristol, please. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Please give me another chance.”
“You have to leave,” I told him, looking away.
“Baby, I—”
“Please,” I cut him off.
Backing into the hallway, Tyler stood in one spot. When I finally met his gaze I saw that he was studying me. I started to close the door. He muttered “I love you” right before I shut it in his face.
Fastening the chain, I turned and leaned my back against the door. I thought I would break down and cry again, but I didn’t. To my surprise, I felt even more contented in my decision to end things with Tyler.
I was truly moving on.
For the next week, I busied myself with plans for the upcoming fundraiser and tried to keep Tyler and my admirer off my mind.
Greg Wilcox had been stopping by the office to discuss the event with everyone. The fundraiser was two weeks away now, and he wanted me to sit in on meetings to help come up with interesting ways to draw out more donors. It was a test to see how well I could perform, and I was happy for the distraction.
But, whenever the delivery guy stopped in the office, my whole body would tense, wondering if he’d have a packet for me.
Oddly, my admirer hadn’t left me anything since last Sunday. It was now Thursday, so maybe he’d given it a rest.
I prayed that was the case, though a part of me feared I was wrong. At least I’d had my locks changed and a security alarm installed on Monday, so if he snuck inside my apartment again his perverted ass would be caught.
While I hung my head in deep contemplation, someone squeezed my shoulder.
“Join us for lunch?” Julian asked.
Chasing Bristol (The Finding Trilogy Book 2) Page 5
