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But I play along. “I’m sure. How about we try an easier task and try to conquer some dessert?”
After lunch and a heaping slice of triple-chocolate mousse pie, I am running on carb-overload fuel. With a few bites, I have completely balanced out the calorie deficit from the morning workout. I say goodbye to Mark and we go our separate ways. I spend some time wandering around the streets of the city, window shopping and exploring.
I don’t even realize the huge building looming over me, casting the sun away by its sheer size, until I spot Sophia across the street leaving through the double security doors of the back of Hoffman Headquarters. Her blonde locks blow in the wind, only making her look more beautiful.
I move against the side of a boutique shop and stand still long enough to catch Graham exit his building and join Sophia on the street. He cups her elbow and bends to whisper something into her ear, making her laugh and move her hands up in an attempt to fix her hair. Instead, he does it for her when he sees her struggle. My heart rate plummets as he helps her across the street, his hand at the small of her back. He shakes his head at something she says, while opening the door for her as they slip inside a cozy little Italian restaurant. If I didn’t hate her before, I definitely do now. Every bone in my body is jealous that Sophia and Graham have a past. And from the looks of it, a present too.
Scraping myself off the side of the building, I turn right and force my legs to move. I deliberately walk in the opposite direction, taking the route of avoidance. I use my phone as a distraction and check the couple of new messages.
The first one is from Zander.
Zander: How are you doing?
I text him back a quick message and open the next message.
Unknown: I know where you work. Can’t wait to meet you.
The cryptic message causes my blood to run cold. I text back a response and try to gain some information.
Angie: Oh yeah? Well, if I don’t know your name, it will be hard to meet up.
My attempt at flirty is always awkward. I wait for a response but my phone buzzes with a “Not Delivered” message. My heart sinks over the fact that within twenty-four hours, I have received two mysterious texts from two separate unknown callers.
I look around the street and shiver in the breeze. People brush past me as if I’m not even there. I feel invisible, but also feel watched. My phone vibrates again. Another unknown number, from a different thread.
Unknown: Love your tan dress.
My heart stops. I am wearing a dress. However, it’s concealed under a lightweight trench coat. I suck in cold, crisp air, and my lungs burn. I scamper into the first building I see and try to catch my breath. It is an apartment building with a set of double doors and a security system to protect the inhabitants from intruders—like me. I am too anxious to take a taxi back home so I pull up Zander’s number and give him a call.
“Hey, Angie,” he says cheerfully.
“Hey, I don’t mean to be a pain, but my car is still in the shop. Can you pick—”
“Yeah, of course, where are you?”
I give him the address and wait on the floor in the entranceway for him to arrive.
It takes Zander twenty minutes to pull up in front of the apartment building. He idles illegally and hops out with a concerned look on his face—I am assuming from my distraught appearance.
“Angie? You’ve been crying. What the hell’s wrong?” he asks, gripping my arms gently.
I sigh and sniffle. “Just a rough day.”
“You’ve been hiding something from me for weeks now. Just tell me what’s been going on with you. Are you in some kind of trouble? I can help.”
He guides me into the passenger side of his car and flips off the few cars moving around him blaring their horns over his bad parking. He climbs into his side of the car and weaves into traffic with ease.
He glances over at me, and I can feel his eyes burning holes into the side of my face.
Fine. I am tired of lying to him. “When I lost my job at the bakery, I picked up another job. But it is secretive. Don’t ask me for more details, please. I need the money.”
“Okay…”
“Well, I am starting to get some weird text messages. I think they are related to the job.”
“Well, then quit.”
I shift in my seat. “Did you not hear me? I need the money.”
