Eva raised an eyebrow. “Are you decorating a space?”
I wasn’t, but that was a good idea. My office needed a change.
“I’ll be back later with my car to get the plants.”
When she gave me the receipt, our fingers touched, sending a powerful wave of energy circulating through me.
I knew I’d completely lost it when I blurted out, “Wanna have dinner with me?”
She blinked in surprise, and I felt a tug on my cock. Scratching the back of her neck, she considered me. “Um . . . Sorry, but I have other plans.”
Chapter Two
Eva
“What do you do when the person isn’t responsive?” Howard, the CPR instructor, walked around the room with ten students looking at the ten dummies in front of them.
“Assess for life-threatening conditions. Then immediately apply first aid,” said the class.
Every two years, I had to renew my certification to ensure I could assist my grandfather if he ever needed it. The class also brought me one step closer to healing my organophobia or viscerophobia. It took me a while to gather the courage to enroll in the class, but when my grandmother passed, leaving Grandpa Collins living alone, I had to do it. The class didn’t show any actual organs, but I forced myself to look at the dummy’s anatomy, trying to calm the anxiety that always gripped me. I was better now but still had a way to go.
Three hours later, the instructor told us our digital certification would be sent to our email. I checked my messages, andmy best friend Stori Gao said she’d be late to our lunch meetup and for me to order without her. Clasping my purse, I left the healthcare building and hopped into my car, heading to the restaurant. Nerves stirred within me as I drove. For the past few months, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that someone was watching me. But who? I looked into the rearview mirror and saw no one suspicious.
Why would someone follow me anyway? I wasn’t a celebrity, wasn’t wealthy, and my relationship with Dennis Spielmann ended over a year ago. There was no reason for anyone to follow me. Despite that, I’d watched enough crime shows to know there were psychos out there. It was better to be cautious.
I pushed the concern aside so I could enjoy this day off from work. I entered Set the Plates, ordered a turkey wrap, a side of fries, and a cup of coffee, and chose a table near the front door, allowing me to watch people. Slipping off my coat, I hung it over the chair and sat down. Nerves continued to stir.
What’s going on?
My stomach grumbled, and I bit into my turkey wrap, chewed, and swallowed, assessing my situation. The nerves started several months ago but intensified yesterday after the man asked me out at work. He reminded me of a titan, strong and sturdy, ready for any battle. His attractive face popped into my head, and a shiver skipped down my spine. He was rugged, older than me, and so direct. I’d never seen him in the store before. I remembered feeling overwhelmed yet safe in his presence. But I didn’t trust myself with men. My ex had shredded my heart, and I’d never forget the pain and shame of the experience. I was still trying to piece it together slowly.
Despite wanting to stay away from trouble, I’d be lying if I said the incident didn’t flatter me. No man had ever asked meout while I was at work. Sarah teased me last night during closing.
“He’s so handsome! Why don’t you go out with him? When was the last time you went on a date?”
When he looked at me, I swore my intestines knotted and unknotted themselves. But then again, that could’ve been the accumulation of unease I’d been feeling.
Trying to settle my nerves, I wrapped my fingers around the coffee mug and looked outside at the cold, dreary January day. I needed to clean up the guest room to prepare for Grandpa Collins’s visit.
A crowd of people entered the restaurant, bringing in a frigid blast of wind. I should have sat farther back and away from the door. But I enjoyed looking out into the street. I spotted Stori in a gray knit hat and a matching wool coat. Her long black hair framed her beautiful face, flushed pink from the cold.
I stood up and waved. “Over here!”
“Hey!” She hugged me, draped her coat over the chair, and sat across from me. “Sorry, I’m late. Had to help a coworker finish an interview. Tessa left for a family emergency. Not sure when she’ll be back.”
“No worries,” I said. “Hope everything’s okay with her.” Tessa was a news anchor for theIn Your Neck of the Woodsseries for Channel 7 News.
“Her husband collapsed at work, so she’s with him at the hospital now. They’re newlyweds too. I’m assigned to take over her investigative reporting until further notice.” She sighed. “I’m hungry. Want anything else?” She gestured to my coffee, fries, and half-eaten turkey wrap.
“I’m good, thanks. You can share my fries. I won’t finish them.”
“Great.Thanks!”
While Stori waited for her food, I thought about the unpredictability of life. At seven years old, I witnessed a horrible incident at a park when a fight broke out, and a crazed man severely slashed another man many times with a machete. The attack was so bad his guts spilled out of him. I’d never seen intestines until that day. It didn’t help that my mind twisted the gruesome event. Every time I thought about it, more details were added, making everything worse. I developed horrible nightmares of body parts from that day onward. A year later, my parents died in a car accident that substantially damaged their bodies. I only found out because I overheard my grandparents talking to their friends. My imagination soared, and the fear of organs intensified, turning into a monster I couldn’t get rid of. But I tried my best to overcome it. Therapy didn’t work for me.
My grandparents did their best to raise me, and I loved and appreciated them. Grandma Collins passed away three years ago from pneumonia, leaving me with only Grandpa. He lived in New Hampshire and was recovering from heart valve surgery, so I asked him to come stay with me until he got better.
Stori returned with her Greek salad wrap and coffee and sat down. A streak of sun broke through the dark clouds, offering hope.
