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He glanced over. “Let’s hope so.”
The dispatcher answered, and Gwen took a deep breath. “I need to report a suspicious car outside a residence.”
The policeman took the details and told her they’d send a cruiser. Gwen finished that call, saw where Will was driving and swallowed a gasp. A vise compressed her chest. She always avoided going this way. The only other route would take longer, but they had time. “Take a right here.”
Will turned without question. She admired his handsome profile and looked out the rear window at the road he’d almost driven. Maybe she was being silly. A lot of years had passed, and she wasn’t a teenager anymore. Maybe she should drive that road again someday, but only when she was alone. She didn’t want anyone else to see her freak.
Minutes later, her phone chimed and her cousin Leslie’s number flashed on her screen. Gwen glanced at Will.
He slowed and glanced over. “What is it?”
“My cousin’s calling again. If I ignore the call, she’ll get worried and scare my uncle and aunt and grandmother. She could even drive by my place.” Gwen bit her lip. “I’m going to cancel.”
5
Gwen answered the call and raised her phone to her ear. “Hey, Leslie. I’m not going to be able to come tonight, after all. Sorry. I promise I’ll try on the dress before the wedding.”
“Wait. What?” Leslie demanded.
“I’ll call when I know my schedule.” She would not put her family in possible jeopardy.
“Whoa, wait a minute, Gwen.” She could almost see her cousin extending her palm in a “Stop” gesture. “You’re home now, right?”
How did Leslie know these things? Gwen squelched a sigh.
“Is your car on the fritz again? Do you need me to come pick you up?”
“No!” That was the last thing she wanted. Leslie could walk into a trap. If not for Will, she might have, too. She shuddered at the image of the SUV hulking in the trees. “No,” Gwen repeated more calmly. “Don’t come by.”
“Why not? You’ve been putting this off since last week.” Leslie’s voice rose closer to the hysteria level.
“Can you hold on a sec?” Gwen pressed the phone to her chest. Will pulled into a gas station and she waited until he stopped beside a pump. “She’s offering to drive by my apartment. I need a convincing excuse why she shouldn’t.”
“Are you still there?” Leslie’s voice came through loud and clear. “Unless you say something. I’m leaving now.”
Will laid a hand on Gwen’s arm. “Tell her we’ll come by right now, but we can’t stay long.”
His touch sent squiggles dancing all the way down to her fingers. She took a breath, watching as Will got out, swiped his card in the pump, and began to fill his tank. “Don’t go anywhere, Leslie. We’ll be there in a minute,”
“Is this guy cute?” Leslie asked.
Gwen rolled her eyes. Will was much more than cute. Try dangerously handsome. Erin should have warned her, but she probably hadn’t had time to do more than make her request. “You’ll find out when we get there.”
She ended the call and studied the cars and trucks pulling onto the pump apron. So far, she’d seen no black SUVs or anyone looking her way. She checked her phone for any news from the police and wished her stomach would stop jittering around.
Will climbed back inside. She rubbed her arms through the loose weave of her summer sweater. “I take it you’ve changed your mind about us being in danger.”
“No, not at all.” He flicked a wave of auburn hair from his forehead, and his brow furrowed. “Something strange is going on here. I agree we don’t want whatever that is to threaten your family.”
“I’m sure there’s an explanation, but I can’t imagine what it is.” She rubbed her palms together. “I’m nervous waiting for the next shoe to drop.”
“I hope the police find that car and then let us know the situation.” He squeezed her hand and checked out the car pulling up to a pump—a red car, not black. “The good news is that the guy in the SUV didn’t come looking for us after we passed your apartment and turned the corner. No one’s followed us since we left the neighborhood.”
Gwen crossed her arms. “I heard a ‘but’ in there somewhere.”
“But—” He grinned, and a warm glint flashed in his blue eyes. Her breath caught at the transformation to his face. “We shouldn’t stay long at Leslie’s, and I don’t think your cousin needs to know about the car watching your house.”
“I’m not mentioning the creep who followed me around Manhattan, either.” She clutched her hands in her lap. “That’s going to be hard. Leslie and her mom and dad became my second family when my parents were killed.”
