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“That guy… he’s just creepy,” I say. “He’s just staring at me.”
Gwen giggles. “You're a certified smoke show, babe. Have been all your life. You should be used to guys staring at you by now."
“It’s not like that,” I say. “It’s weird. It’s like—”
The sound of the diner bells going off again draws my attention and I turn away from Gwen to see who’s coming through the door. But the door is closing, and nobody is coming in. Instead, I see the creepy guy who was staring at me leaving. I watch him heading down the sidewalk through the window at the front of the diner. He’s watching me the entire time, his gaze never leaving mine. It’s like he can see through me. Like he’s marking me. For what, I have no idea, but it’s making me break out in a cold sweat.
“What the hell is that guy’s problem?” Gwen asks.
“I have no idea,” I reply.
“What a weirdo,” she shrugs. “But hey, one less table to have to deal with before we start closing up. That’s a good thing, right?”
“Yeah. Right,” I reply. “That’s a good thing.”
As I set about doing my side work, I do my best to shake off the ominous feeling of dread that is settling down over me. I’m sure I’ll never see that guy again, but I can’t quite get rid of the residue of the unease and tension he left me with.
7
LANIE
“See you tomorrow, babe,” Gwen calls to me. “You’re working the lunch shift, right?”
“Yes ma’am,” I reply. “I’ll see you then.”
“Goodnight, Lanie. Goodnight, Lane. You two crazy kids have a wonderful evening,” she calls out in a silly, sing-song voice as she gets into her car.
Leaning against the Santa Fe, Lane gives her a wave and a smile. When I walk over though, he turns to me with a curious expression on his face.
“What was that about?” he asks.
“Nothing. She’s just being an idiot,” I say.
“You told her about us.”
“Maybe?” I say with a shrug and give him a shy smile. "What are you doing here?"
“I came to pick you up.”
"You know it's only like a fifteen or twenty-minute walk, right?"
“I told you,” he says. “I don’t like you walking home alone at night.”
I think back to the weird guy who’d come in tonight and shudder, suddenly grateful that Lane had taken it upon himself to come get me after all.
“What is it?” he asks.
“Nothing,” I say. “It’s just… this weird guy came in just before we closed. He just gave me a really bad feeling.”
Lane tenses up, a scowl crossing his face. “What did he do? What did he say to you?”
“Nothing. He didn’t say or do anything. He just sat there looking at me. And then he just left,” I tell him. “It wasn't that big of a deal, but it creeped me out."
The muscles in Lane’s jaw flexed as he clenched his jaw. “Did you recognize him?”
I shake my head. “No idea who he was. And he left, so it’s not a big deal.”
“Next time he comes in, I want you to text me right away,” he says.
