AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m just going to walk,” I say. “I don’t live far, and the fresh air will do me good.”
He frowns. “Can I at least walk you?”
“I don’t think I’ll be good company. But thank you again. I had a really wonderful time.”
“Maybe we can do it again next Wednesday?”
“Let me check my schedule. I’m working late one night next week, but I’m not sure if it’s Wednesday or Thursday.”
“All right. Please be careful walking.”
“I will.”
I can’t breathe easy until I turn the corner. I slow my pace, but halfway down the block, I hear footsteps behind me. Like someone’s following. I glance back, and there’s someone there. But the streetlight misses their form, leaving only a tall, dark shadow on the sidewalk. One that’s growing closer. My heart pounds, and I’m just about ready to run when a cab trawls by. I reach a hand up and wave for it.
Thankfully, the car pulls to the curb. I shove myself in, and once the door is shut, I turn back and look through the rear window. But whoever it was is already walking the other way, turning a corner. I catch the corner of a long coat. I can’t even differentiate whether it’s a man or a woman. But Gabriel had a full-length coat when I used to follow him.
Is he following me now?
Questions swirl around in my head like a tornado forming.
Why would he do that?
He walked right up to me in the bar.
Stalkers don’t usually hide out in the open.
I should know.
Yet… he showed up tonight. Out of the thousands of bars and restaurants, Gabriel Wright walked into the one I was at on my date.
Though, I remind myself again, it was me who picked the place to meet Robert tonight. Out of the thousands of bars and restaurants in New York City, I told my date to meet me at a wine bar two blocks from Gabriel’s apartment, when I knew for a fact that the man was a wine drinker.
So maybe the question I should be asking myself isn’t Is Gabriel stalking me? but rather Why am I still stalking Gabriel?
CHAPTER 20 Now
Hey.” Sarah pops her head into my office. “Package for you.”
“Oh, thank you. I ordered some new notebooks the other day.”
She sets the box on my desk and lingers. “Would you mind if I leave at three today? I need to take my mom to the doctor. Your last appointment will be done by then.”
My brows knit. “That’s fine. But I didn’t think I was done so early today? I thought appointments went until five.”
“They did. But you had me fire your four o’clock, remember? Mr. Wright…”
A wash of panic rushes over me. “You spoke to him?”
She nods. “I had to call him three times, but I finally reached him this morning.”
“How did he take the news?”
“Surprisingly well—no pushback. He was polite and said he under-stood.”
I should be relieved, but some other emotion is there, too. I pause, searching for what it is, and realize I’m disappointed. And worse, distracted enough by my disappointment that it takes me another couple of seconds to appreciate the enormity of what’s just happened. It’s over. Gabriel is out of my life. Once and for all.
I’m lost in my head for I’m not sure how long, but when my line of sight finally comes back into focus, I find Sarah watching me. She tilts her head. “Can I ask why you fired Mr. Wright as a patient? He’s the only new patient you’ve had me refer out.”
