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“What rose? I didn’t give you that.” His grim face stared like it was poisonous. “Let me see it.”
As he and Diego inspected it, I thought back to all the roses I’d received. “But you’ve been leaving me these all semester. What, like four now?” I turned to Barbie, who nodded and confirmed how many times we researched what each color meant.
“Mia, I gave you one rose the first day after you agreed to tutor me. If you’ve received others, they aren’t from me. Were there notes or anything with them?”
“Each one was just left on my windshield, no notes, all the thorns removed.”
Diego chimed in. “It’s wintertime. Where would someone get a rose like this anyway, unless they visit a floral shop?”
I turned to Teddy. “Where’d you get the first rose you gave me?”
He shrugged. “I took it out of a vase of roses Luc delivered to Emily. I wrapped it in newspaper and tied twine around it, making it all special for you. This rose looks different, almost garden grown.”
“I don’t know what this all means, but I’m exhausted. We may have gotten to the bottom of the Karen situation, but now this? I guess there really is a stalker on campus.” I swept my eyes around us, toward every corner of the lot, and let Barbie reveal to them the information we learned from Karen.
Somewhere in the shadows, was someone watching me? I clutched my arms around my middle and shivered. My eyes turned back to my protector, my love. Since getting together, we’ve had our challenges, now this? Would Teddy truly never leave me, no matter what life threw our way? Or would he cut and run when things got difficult?
16
TEDDY
I hadn’t been able to relax all week. Spring break was coming up and with some weirdo leaving my woman flowers, there was no way in hell I’d be able to enjoy my time off until this little mystery was solved.
Then Mia’s dad fell ill with the flu. She and Diego were splitting time at the motel to help in between their usual schedules. Ultimately, as disappointing as it was, Mia and I canceled our Spring break plans.
I handled my own investigation, keeping my eyes and ears open for anyone suspicious. With Karen out of the way, for some reason, Chad took her place as a nuisance. All week, it seemed every time I tried synching my schedule to Mia’s so I could walk her to her car or check on her between classes, he was already there. To say it angered me would be an understatement, especially with Mia spending more time at the motel, less time with me.
Then in class today, I arrived early to see her, but that jerk James Williamson was there, along with another guy from class. James leaned against her desk, talking and laughing with her while the other dude stood too close to her, in my opinion.
Shit, what was she, every guy’s target now? Could James be a stalker? Observing him again, I decided not. The guy may be a prick, but not smart enough to stalk someone without getting caught.
I took off my sweatshirt and hung it on the back of my chair and about lost my mind, waiting nearly ten minutes before I could approach her when they finally sat down. “Hey. What was all that about?” I seethed under my breath. If I came across as a jealous boyfriend, hell yeah, that was me. Although I’d call it more like protecting what was mine.
“They had questions about the test and how I graded on a curve.”
“Yeah, while admiring your curves. They sure seemed to make you laugh. Something must have been funny.” I shoved my hands in my pockets to calm my crazy down after she glared at me. I get it, she had a job to do, and that job involved her interacting with a variety of people—and men. But my heart needed time alone with her in the worst way. “I just miss making you laugh.”
Her face softened. “I know. But next week is spring break. I’ll be around the motel a lot, hoping Papa gets better. You can come there, hang out with me, and we’ll have all the time in the world for each other.”
“Do you think you could talk to Diego and make time to stay with me at the ranch for a couple of days at the end of the week? It’s April, and the cherry trees are blooming. We can sit out back and enjoy the view.”
“I’d like that. And I’ll try to be a very good girl and make it all up to you.” Her coy smile and batting of her eyelashes would have to be enough for me now, as more students entered the room.
After class, I walked her to her office, where she had a department meeting with the dean. Jace returned my call before I could say goodbye to her, and she hurried inside.
“Hey. How’d everything work out with the background information I gave you about Karen?” he asked.
I filled him in on everything, including the roses. “I was hoping you could give me some advice on how to catch this person. I don’t want to leave any stone unturned.”
He chuckled through the phone. Jace could intimidate with his scarred appearance, but for those of us close to him, he was loyal to a fault. And a well-decorated detective for his work in solving some of Boston PD’s biggest cases. “You sound like one of us. Anyway, text me the names of anyone you suspect. I’ll look into them right away.”
“Thanks. I’m also going to run by the local flower shop and ask questions, and I’m thinking about staking out the parking lot the rest of the day—”
“Jeez, dude. Listen, I know you have your military training to fall back on, but you should leave this up to the real cops. I can make a few calls for you to Glendale Falls, see if they can lend a hand. They can check in on this campus cop, too, see what Chad knows.”
“I’ll keep it in mind, but I’ll be fine. I know how to be stealth as shit. Uh, listen, I have to go, and thanks.” I clicked off fast and ducked behind a bush. Chad was blocking the road ahead of me, and Karen stood by his open window chatting with him. I didn’t enjoy seeing the two of them together.
A few minutes later, they’d moved on, but I was determined more than ever to find out who was leaving Mia roses. She was my little rose. I’d be damned if another person stalked, scared, or hurt her.
