Page 15 of Seductive Heat

"Why did you go along with it? And why was he stalking you?"

I sigh. I best just tell her everything.

"He got matched, but the girl ghosted him. He looked for her on social media, and her name was either exactly like mine or so similar that he thought I was her, and he started following me there. It sort of escalated from there."

"How did it escalate?"

"I…"

"How, Hellie?"

"He's been in my yoga class for a month."

"God damn it.” She frowns. “This guy could be dangerous."

"He's harmless."

"You need to avoid all contact with him until I run a check on him. Will you do that for me?"

"I can do that. I'll tell him I'm busy with school."

"No. Don't make contact."

"I can't do that. He'll get worried and come see me."

"That's another thing. Why in the hell did you tell him where you lived? I thought I taught you better."

"I'm not perfect like you, Mags. Give me a break."

I don't know if Mags is finished with her lecture, but I leave her in the living room eating the rest of her pretzel. I've got a lot of things on my mind. Could Theo be dangerous? How am I going to find out more about him if I can't talk to him? Then a thought pops into my head, and I bring out my phone. After a bit of Googling I have some more information on the man that could win my heart.

He opened the club with his two best friends from college. They're on the brink of opening a second location in New York. He's the most reserved of the three owners, saying very little in the online interviews. Never been known to have a girlfriend—rumors of maybe being gay. I think back and know it's not accurate. He's straight, alright, but he has this code of conduct that he follows, which makes him more rigid than the rest.

That's probably why he went looking for love at a mail-order agency. How angry will he be if I come clean with him about not being his match? Will he dump me? Go looking for the other Helene? I need to tell him for my own well-being, but I don't even know how to broach the subject. I don't want to disappoint him.

I put away all my goodies from Universal Studios and sit down with my journal. Maybe if I write it out, I can find a way to confess everything to Theo because I want our relationship to be real, not filled with subterfuge. I put pen to paper, and the words just came out, like an open faucet letting all the water run through my fingers.

After I finish writing in my journal, I'm more convinced than ever that I have to tell Theo the truth. I don't want to wait until Mags does her investigation, though, so I text him.

Me: Are you up for some frozen yogurt tonight, or have you had enough of me for a while?

Theo: I'd love to spend more time with you. I'll pick you up at seven

Me: See you then

By seven, my nosy sister will already be gone for her shift at the precinct, so I don't have to worry about her finding out where I'm off to or who with. I think of telling Tammy to cover for me, but I remember I'm thirty-eight years old and am an adult. I spend the rest of the afternoon grading papers from the kids and taking it easy.

When the doorbell rings, I try to get myself down from the high of seeing Theo again. I think I've built him up to be this god, which is ironic since he calls me his goddess. I'm just so happy to see him, though. I open the door, ready to go.

"Hi!"

"Hi, goddess. Ready?"

"You bet I am. Do you know what flavor of ice cream I always ask for?"

"Strawberry."

How does he do that? "What flavor do you like?" I ask.

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