by Lila Kane
I opened my mouth to protest, but he was smiling at me in a way that said, Please let me do my job, so I seated myself in a cushioned chair at one of the back desks and answered the call.
“Finn—”
“Charlotte, what the hell? What’s going on?”
“Nothing—”
“Don’t you dare give me that bullshit. You said you’d tell me if something happened and now you’re—” He broke off, mumbled something, and then said, “That’s Curtis on the other line.”
My stomach jumped. What? Had Curtis found something? And why was he calling Finn? “I’m at the security office. I saw him,” I said.
“Stay there, please. I’ll call you back.”
He disconnected the call. I squeezed the phone between my palms and stood, unable to sit still. Dustin stood at the wall, the rest of the room in full view, and gave me another easy smile.
I glanced at the door. “Is Curtis coming back?”
“I’m sure everything is fine.”
He wouldn’t say anything else, so I took the time to survey the room. There were boxes in the corner and empty desks pushed to one side, but it was getting closer to being finished. Two doors were off to the right, and I assumed one was a restroom. I was about to ask what the other was when the entrance door opened again.
I started to stand, assuming it was Curtis, but I saw John instead.
He recognized me and walked over. He held a Styrofoam cup in one hand. “Charlotte.”
I appreciated that he called me by my first name. With my phone still clenched between my hands, it calmed me to see someone familiar. Like last time, he wore dull clothes and looked like he’d spent the entire morning at a computer.
Drawing a shaky breath, I gave him a similar smile, trying to distract myself. “It looks like you’re all getting settled.”
“Pretty much.” He glanced around, gaze lingering on Dustin before sipping from his cup. “We still have some computers to move over and video equipment but nothing big. We have a little less room here but it’s organized better.”
“What’s back there?”
John grinned. “My station. I can access every computer and community in Oasis from there. I can also view the feeds from the security cameras inside and outside of the building.”
“Are there cameras in the parking garages, too?”
“Absolutely. Some on each level and the entrances to the buildings, of course.”
Curtis came through the door, looking calm but alert. When he saw me, he nodded and said, “Thanks, Dustin.”
Both he and John left us alone.
“Would you like to sit?” Curtis asked.
“I was actually supposed to be going to Main.” I checked my watch and frowned. “But I’m not sure if I’ll have enough time now.”
“Mr. Moore asked if you wouldn’t mind waiting here for him, then I’m sure he’d be happy to accompany you there.”
I opened my mouth to protest but it wasn’t Curtis’s fault. Burying my frustration, I asked, “Did you…see anything out there?”
“Nothing suspicious, no.”
I pressed my lips together, and then folded my arms across my chest and brought my eyes back to Curtis’s. “I’m sorry. Like I said, it was probably nothing and then—I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize, Ms. Evans. You need to trust your gut.”
It hadn’t served me well in the past.
“You have other things on your plate,” I told Curtis. “I’m sorry to keep you from them.”
“Ms. Evans,” he said before I could turn. “That video yesterday showed a man in a hoodie leaving the woman’s locker room. After questioning the staff, we’ve found it wasn’t any of the attendants or staff from anywhere in Oasis.”
My heart thudded hard. His face stayed composed, but his eyes held mine, and behind them I saw compassion. “It was smart of you to tell us. Don’t think you’re wasting my time.”
I nodded.
“I’d appreciate you letting me know if you see anything else or have any gut feelings. It’s worth checking out.”
“I will,” I said. Funny how it was so much easier agreeing to Curtis’s request than Finn’s. Probably because Finn was better at telling me than asking me.
The door opened and Finn appeared, looking like he’d rushed to get here. He caught my gaze and walked straight to us.
“You okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine. You didn’t need to come down here.”
He ignored me and addressed Curtis. “I don’t think it would hurt to sweep the area one more time.”
“He said there wasn’t anything there,” I told Finn because I was defensive.
His jaw tightened. “Powell.”
Curtis nodded. “Of course.”
I sighed. “Thank you, Curtis.”
He smiled at me, and I turned for the exit. Finn caught up to me and held the door. I pushed past him.
“It’s not going to be like this. I don’t need you to walk me everywhere,” I began.
He shoved a hand through his dark hair, a dangerous smile playing at the corners of his lips like he was barely holding back anger. “I’m not going to discuss this with you right now.” He cast a vigilant glance around. “If you still need to go somewhere, I’ll go with you. Otherwise, I’m happy to walk with you back to the office.”
I gritted my teeth but didn’t say a word. I started walking back to Business and Finn kept up with me, staying silent the entire way. This was far, far from the vision of independence I had when I came here, and I’d make that clear to Finn. As for now, I was going to get my work done so I could enjoy the weekend.
The sky burned to a dark purple outside the windows of my office. I said goodnight to Leslie and Tucker almost two hours ago and kept working. I stayed so focused, I had no idea if Finn had gone as well.
I doubted he’d leave me here alone, but I hadn’t seen him since lunch. I’d closed my door and plotted security points. Then I’d forgotten about security and dove into logistics. I wanted to interview employees and tenants in each community to check on the progress of Oasis so far so I wrote up a list of questions. I’d filled in my Oasis map, marking every store, business, and restaurant that already had a location or had leased a space. It was my goal to get the rest of the spaces leased in the next several months so we were almost to capacity.
Reaching for my water, I frowned when I found it empty. Then my stomach growled. I hadn’t eaten anything since lunch.
With a groan over my aching muscles, I stretched out my legs and rolled my shoulders. Then I closed my eyes to stop the stinging. Ten more minutes, then I would go. And I would relax the entire weekend.
When I opened my eyes and Finn stood in the doorway, I yanked in a sharp breath.
“Finn,” I said, my voice coming out a whisper.
“I’m sorry. I thought you heard me.”
“What are you still doing here?”
“Same question.”
I rolled my chair back and stretched my legs again. “I had a few extra projects I wanted to make sure got finished.”
“Me too.” He walked into the room. The tie was missing from his neck and he’d taken off his suit jacket. “I was hoping you were ready to go.”
“If you need to leave, don’t worry about me.”
He frowned and continued walking, around my desk and to my chair. I started to protest when he reached out, but when his hands found the muscles on my shoulders, I relaxed.
“Finn…”
“I’m not leaving without you,” he said, kneading the muscles. “God, you’re tense. You need a massage.”
“I thought that’s what you were doing.”
I closed my eyes again and heard his soft chuckle. “I mean a professional massage, though this is working pretty well for me. It’d work better back at my place.”
I grumbled out my disagreement, which sounded more like a groan. His hands felt too good. And I didn’t want to be mad at him. I just wanted
to get through my first few weeks here without a hitch. My overactive imagination was making that hard.
“Does that mean no or yes?” Finn asked.
My eyes still shut, I said, “Being around you makes me tense.”
His hands froze on my shoulders. “Is that so?”
“History,” I said.
His fingers started moving again. “Forget it.”
“What?”
He turned the chair so I faced him. My eyes whipped open.
“Forget it,” he said. “Pretend it never happened. Pretend I came into your life as you started this new job and there’s a chance for something more.”
“But—”
“You’re nervous, I know. Take a chance.”
“Finn, it’s not that simple.”
He leaned in, hands on the arms of my chair, and trapped me in his gaze. “Then make it simple. I meant what I said about not hurting you. I’m not going to do it. It’s a risk, I know, but less than you think. I’m not going anywhere this time. I want you. Us. And nothing you do or say is going to scare me off.”
“It was only three words last time,” I said, remembering. “Three words that scared you off.”
I love you.
His face twisted. He straightened and dropped his chin. “I know. And I know it hurt you.”
I’d have to be blind not to see the regret there. And an idiot to think it wasn’t real. He felt bad about what had happened. He regretted it. And he was trying to make it better.
“Okay,” I whispered.
Silhouetted against the pale sky outside the window, I couldn’t read the expression on his face. His voice came out so quietly, I could barely make out what he said. “Okay, what?”
“Okay, I’ll forget it.”
His breath seemed to catch in his lungs. The whole room was still for a long moment. And then he reached for me, taking my hand and pulling me from the chair. His arms crushed me close, lips at my ear. “Charlotte,” he said, a depth of emotion in his voice that sounded like it was pulled straight from his soul.
“I can’t…go too fast.”
He nodded, his cheek brushing mine. His hand pressed against my back, holding me to him. “I know. You don’t have to.”
I turned my chin, my lips skimming his. A low groan slipped from his mouth.
“I think I’m done here,” I told him.
He clasped my hand in his. “Come to my place.”
“I’d really like to go home. I want to get used to it.”
He smiled, but it looked forced. “Sure.”
“You can stay for a bit, though, right?”
His fingers squeezed mine before releasing them so I could gather the items from my desk. “Of course.”
Finn kept his hands to himself as we rode down the elevator and walked to the Housing Community. But when we stepped into the elevator there, he linked our fingers again. His hand was still familiar, still strong around mine, but comfortable. Like we’d never stopped holding hands.
But everything else was different. New. Exciting, even. It was the first time in months I’d let myself consider I could move on with someone.
I pulled out my key card and noticed something on the floor when we reached the door. Just a simple wrap of tissue paper around a single red rose.
Glancing at Finn with a half-smile on my lips, I bent down to retrieve the flower. “Roses aren’t really your style.”
Finn’s jaw clenched and he backed up, gaze traveling the hallway. “I didn’t send this.”
“What?”
He reached for the flower. “Is there a card?”
“Paige, then. Or Tucker, maybe…” But I didn’t know why either would send me a single rose to my apartment. A red rose…just like what Mark used to send.
Finn pulled out an envelope and ripped it open. His breath hissed through his teeth.
“Finn,” I said. “What? What does it say?”
He tried to tuck the card in his pocket, but I snatched it from his hand.
“Charlotte.”
I ignored him and read the words on the card. My stomach dropped.
I see you.
CHAPTER NINE
The paper fluttered from my fingers. Finn snatched it off the floor and said, “Get inside.”
My stomach jolted but I opened the door and stepped inside. Finn looked back and forth down the hallway once more, and then walked in one direction and disappeared from view.
I stepped out the door again, squeezing my fist against my heart. “Finn?”
“Go back inside,” Finn snapped, appearing around the corner.
“No one is out here.”
“Charlotte.” He returned to the door and ushered me back inside. He set the flower on the kitchen counter and frowned at it. Then he pulled out his phone.
“Wait, who are you calling?”
“Powell.”
“No.”
He barely flicked a glance at me. “No?”
I plucked the phone from his hand and held it behind my back.
“Char—”
“Don’t. Just stop for a minute. I need to think. I need…”
He stepped up to me, jaw tight. “I’m trying not to yell at you here, Charlotte, but there’s nothing to think through.”
“God, Finn. You don’t even—this might not—” I stopped, taking a slow breath. “Please. Can you let me deal with this?”
“You have to talk to me. You have to tell me what’s going on.”
“Don’t call anyone. Not just yet.” When he looked like he was going to argue, I appealed to him. “Please? I don’t want to jump to conclusions and I don’t want to worry anyone else if it’s not necessary.”
He still didn’t respond, so I touched his cheek. His face softened, and I leaned up to kiss him. My lips did a harmless brush, but his arms clasped around my waist and pulled me to him.
“This doesn’t mean we’re letting it go,” Finn murmured, his breath hot against my mouth. “We still need to talk.”
“I know. Just not right now.”
A knock at the door made me jump back. My heart lurched into my throat.
“Stay there,” Finn warned, pushing me to the wall that separated the kitchen and the hallway.
I clasped his phone to my chest and watched as he gripped the door handle and turned. A warm voice greeted him from the hallway. After a moment, he sighed and opened the door all the way.
A man walked through with a large canvas bag. He smiled at me kindly. “Would you like it in the kitchen?”
“The wine you requested,” Finn said. His shoulders relaxed.
“Already?”
“We had several bottles in stock,” the man said. “For your convenience.”
He unloaded them onto the kitchen counter, filling the space with three of the wines I’d liked the most at the tasting and a handful of others.
“You ordered all these?” I asked Finn.
“There are more coming,” the man explained. “We had to order a few, but I expect them by next week.”
Finn smiled at me. It still held a hint of tension, but at least he wasn’t demanding we call Curtis. The flower still sat on the counter and when Finn noticed what I was looking at, he politely asked the man to take the rose with him when he left.
Once we were alone again, I stepped out of my heels and leaned against the counter. “Thank you for the wine.”
“My pleasure. Would you like me to open a bottle?”
“You’ll stay for a bit?”
He nodded, already heading for the opener. “As long as you’d like.”
I rubbed my shoulder. “What I’d really like is a hot bath, but—”
“Go ahead. I’ll open a bottle, figure out dinner, and when you’re ready we can relax. Catch up.”
“Really?”
Finn abandoned the wine opener and walked to me. “Is it surprise that I’d really want to be here with you, or surprise that anyone would want to?”
My mouth opened sou
ndlessly.
He skimmed his hands down my arms, making me shiver. “You’re an amazing woman, Charlotte. I hate that anyone would try to make you think otherwise.”
The blood drained from my face. I didn’t want him to know about Mark or refer to Mark or even think about him. I wanted that chapter in my life over. But I didn’t think Finn was going to let it go that easily.
He stepped back. “Enough seriousness for now.”
Relieved, I nodded and turned for the hallway. Behind me, Finn worked in the kitchen, moving around like he was already familiar with my place. If we worked toward a relationship, he would probably be here a lot.
Surprisingly, I didn’t mind as much as I thought I would. This was still my place. My new home. My move, my chance at a new life. I could make it what I wanted.
I started the water in the tub and added bubbles. And, because I could, I lit candles before I sank deep in the warm water. I could relax easier knowing Finn was here, especially after the rose.
No name, just the words I see you. What was that? A joke? Or did it mean Mark knew where I was?
It wasn’t like I’d covered my tracks. But I hadn’t heard from him for months. I thought after spending that much time away from him, he finally decided it was best to move on. He hadn’t bothered me—but then I’d been in hiding. I had covered my tracks enough at that point that it would have been harder for him to find me.
Once I’d quit my job and returned to my apartment to pack, things had been quiet. No phone calls, no presents left at my door, nothing. I’d thought it was over.
Which was why I still wasn’t sure what had happened in the locker room was Mark. It could have been random. And feeling someone following me today could have been my own paranoia. And the rose…? What was that then?
I turned off the water and closed my eyes. I see you. That could most definitely be Mark, teasing me. Taunting me. Letting me know he knew where I’d gone. But still…
I’d have to talk to Tucker and Paige. I’d make sure they knew nothing about the rose before I let myself worry it was anything else.
A knock on the bathroom door made my eyes whip open. I jerked and water sloshed onto the floor.
“It’s me,” Finn said, voice muffled from outside the door. “Everything okay?”
