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“Do you mind?” he asks, evidently seeing something on my face.
“Of course not. But are you sure you’re sleeping okay? It’s not right for you to never feel like you have a real break.”
“I sleep fine. Better, in fact, than I do at the hotel. But if I’m crowding you, you need to tell me.”
“I don’t feel crowded.” I’m telling him the truth, but not the whole truth.
I’m not about to admit that my heart gives a little jump of excitement every time I notice he’s still around.
“Okay, good. Let me know if that changes.”
“I will. And you need to tell me if you’re feeling overworked. I know I took advantage of you before.”
“You didn’t?—”
“Yes, I did. We both know it. You had to stay out all night most nights and then clean up the mess I made of myself. I’m obviously not going to put myself into any risky situations on purpose now, but I also don’t want you responsible for me for more than eight hours a day. And you have to keep taking Sundays off completely.”
His eyes drop briefly to the screen of his tablet, then lift back up to my face. His mouth twitches slightly. “Understood.”
I nod, satisfied he’s heard me and knows why I’m concerned. “Did you make some coffee?”
“Not yet.”
I roll my eyes with a little groan. “How long have you been awake without coffee? I told you you’re welcome to make it whenever you want.”
“I know. I’ve been fine.”
“Well, I’m making it now, so come get it if you want.”
Caleb stands up and follows me down the hall. He’s already showered this morning—his hair is still damp. He’s dressed more casually than normal in jeans and a long-sleeved black shirt.
“Jeans?” I eye him up and down, wishing I didn’t find his big body quite so attractive. He feels warm and solid and masculine, standing only a few feet away from me. It seems like the vibes are radiating off him in waves and overwhelming me as I grind some coffee beans and then measure them out to brew.
“You’re still planning to ice-skate, right? If you are, then I am too.”
“Right.” I guess the activity is the explanation for his clothing alteration. It makes sense he doesn’t want to try to skate in his normal trousers and dress shirt. “Is Mick still outside?”
“Yeah. We shifted hours so he’ll be on duty until you and I leave.”
When the coffee is done, I pour a cup for Caleb and offer it to him. Then I pour another mug and take it out to Mick, who is smilingly appreciative.
Then I finally get my own cup and sit down at the kitchen table, where Caleb has made himself comfortable.
“Anything new on the stalker?”
He gives me a quick glance. “He’s still posting online.”
There’s something about his expression that clues me in. “And?”
“He’s used his credit card at a couple of restaurants in Maine. Not here in town, but still.”
“So you really think he’s keyed in on me?” The past three weeks have been so quiet I haven’t even been nervous lately. But at this news, I feel a jitter of anxiety. It’s surreal, but evidently the potential threat is genuine.
“Yeah. I was certain of it from the beginning.”
“Why switch targets? Is that normal stalker behavior?”
“It varies. Some have only one target, but there’ve been a lot of examples of them moving on to someone else when there’s not enough to feed an obsession. He must have gotten interested in the Worthing family when Jade got together with William, and that’s how he noticed you.”
