AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She didn’t want to. She didn’t want to bring the negative energy here where it had all been so perfect and amazing, but she’d done this to herself. She had to fix it.
“When I was leaving this morning, I thought I felt someone watching me. It made me think about Kevin, and that’s when I had thoughts about how I didn’t want him ruining this weekend. That I wouldn’t let him hitch a ride on our trip. Of course, it turns out that’s exactly what I did. I’m so sorry about that, too, because up until now we were having a great time.”
His expression softened, and he leaned down to gently brush his lips over her temple.
“We’re still having a great time. I love being with you, and Kevin hasn’t ruined anything. It’s normal to have these feelings from time to time. Do you have these feelings of being watched often?”
“No.” Then she shook her head, still confused about it all. “Yes. Maybe. I’m not sure. I haven’t felt that way in a long, long time. Then I felt it when I was visiting you and walking around town. I felt it this morning. Other than that, I haven’t really felt it since I left Kevin.”
“This is a recent thing? Why didn’t you mention it before?”
“Because it wasn’t a big deal,” Mia explained. “It’s going to happen, right? This is probably normal. It was too trivial to bring up.”
“If you’re scared, that’s not trivial to me.”
“I wasn’t scared. More like creeped out. It was a weird feeling, being watched. But I shook it off. I don’t feel like we’re being watched now.”
“Have you talked to your therapist about this?”
“No, because it’s only happened a couple of times. It doesn’t seem like a big deal. I probably will, though, next time I see her. I don’t have weekly appointments anymore. I usually just go every three or four months.”
Grant smoothed a strand of hair back from her face, his touch gentle.
“Is there anything I can do to help you?”
“You help just being here,” she assured him. “I feel safe when you’re around.”
“I’m glad. Please tell me when you feel unsafe or creeped out.”
“Because it’s not paranoia if they’re really after you,” she tried to joke, hoping to lighten the moment. “Maybe it’s just someone trying to get a hold of me to talk about my car’s extended warranty.”
Mia wasn’t going to give one more minute of this precious time with Grant to get insecurities and fears. She’d seen with her own eyes that no one was following her. She wasn’t being watched. This was simply the past rising up and trying to make her uncomfortable. She wouldn’t allow that to happen.
She had a new start with Grant, and she wasn’t going to lose this chance at happiness.
* * *
The next morning, Grant packed a backpack for short hike to the nearby lake. He wanted to surprise Mia with a romantic meal al fresco so while she was showering, he’d packed some food and a blanket to spread out on the ground. He wanted to take away all of her worries.
“I’m ready,” Mia announced, throwing her arms wide. “Do I look like someone who hikes?”
While the path to the lake was easy, he’d warned her that sandals wouldn’t be a good idea. Right now, she was wearing a good pair of sneakers.
“It’s a twenty-minute hike. You’ll be fine,” he assured her. “And the mosquitos shouldn’t be out in force until dusk. We’ll be back long before that.”
“Good, because those little vampires love me for some reason.”
“I can’t say as I blame them,” he replied, leaning down to drop a quick kiss on her lips. “I think they have good taste.”
“How is it that you can make biting bugs seem romantic?” she laughed. “Only you, Grant Anderson.”
They were both in excellent spirits during the walk to the lake. They’d held hands, and Grant was surprised how such a simple gesture made the day seem even better. The sun was shining, the temperature just right, and all seemed right in the world. At this moment, it felt like nothing could break into their cocoon of happiness.
When they reached their destination, Grant opened his backpack and revealed all that he’d brought. They settled on the blanket under a shade tree and ate until their stomachs were full and they were a bit sleepy. Grant had often found the clean mountain air had that effect on him, and the next thing he knew they were both lying on their backs and looking up at the cloudless blue sky.
They weren’t in any hurry to move or go back to the cabin, simply content to enjoy the serene outdoors. Mia’s head was resting on his shoulder, her body tucked close. He could happily stay here for the rest of his days. Sure, they’d eventually starve to death, but it just might be worth it.
“Did you ever want to be something else besides a cop?”
