Page 148 of Texting Dr. Stalker

I wasn’t just falling for this girl.

I’d fallen.

And I was petrified of losing something I’d never had.

This was the last time.

You can’t do this again.

Breaking the kiss, I nudged her to recline against the armrest and stood on shaky legs. Peng instantly trotted toward me, his mangled whiskers bristling with judgement.

I gave him a glower not to interfere, then bent over Sailor and pressed a lingering kiss on her forehead. “Keep the blindfold on until you hear the door close.”

She tried to grab me, but I swooped back too fast. “Don’t go yet. You don’t have to rush off.”

“Believe me. I do.” I rubbed at my aching chest. “If I don’t leave now, I’ll never go.”

Her breath hitched. “See? You can’t say things like that and then vanish.”

I didn’t reply.

The heavy footfalls of my boots gave away my exit and her shoulders sagged. “At least take the cake with you. If you don’t, I’ll door-knock every house in this town until I find you.”

With her threat biting holes in my soul, I stole the cake, opened the back door, and disappeared into the night.

* 35 *

Sailor

Build Your Wings

“HERE. OLD MAN ROGER WAS SELLING HIS garden ornaments again. The second I saw this, I knew I had to buy it for you.”

Looking up from where I replenished the stock of vanilla and coconut lip balm on my market table, I grinned at Lily. She’d had two open homes this morning so hadn’t been able to be my helper until noon. But then she’d arrived in a fluster and instead of letting her trade her prim blazer for country pinafore, I’d marched her out of my stall and told her to go find some lunch and calm down.

“I told you to eat, not buy me gifts.” I accepted the yellow-tissue-wrapped object, thinking of someone else who had a habit of gifting me things. Someone I’d barely heard from in four days. Someone who’d gone from being open and honest, to closed and monosyllabic in his messages.

Scooting between the two tables laden with homemade creams and essential oil blends, Lily joined me beneath the square tent that offered shade but no reprieve from the hot afternoon sun. “I did eat, but then I saw this and couldn’t help myself.”

I spoke my thoughts before I censored them. “You sound like someone else who gives without thinking.”

“Oh?” She winked. “Do tell. Is it that mystery person who gave you a care parcel of things you make yourself? Because you still haven’t spilled what you’re hiding by the way, and don’t think for a moment I believe you.”

I blushed and fumbled with the tissue paper. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You knowexactlywhat I’m talking about.” Slipping her blazer off and trading it for an apron, she looked about as hot as I was. She eyed me with a familiar smirk. “In fact, you look much better these days, and it’s not just because your bruises are almost gone.”

I glanced at my arms.

She was right. My injuries had faded enough to look as if my skin was dirty not beaten. It’d allowed me to skip the jeans and jumper, and I’d chosen to wear a black linen dress that hinted at my skinny curves before skimming to my jewelled bronze sandals. The lingering greens and browns on my arms could be mistaken for soil smudges from working in the garden which worked with my business name, so I made no move to cover up.

Undoing the cellotape on the present Lily gave me, I pretended to be far too focused to talk.

Coming here this morning hadn’t been easy.

Dealing with the first early-bird customers on my own had scratched at my still-there panic. But as the sun slowly crept higher in the sky and stragglers turned to crowds and familiar sellers all waved and shared hellos, I managed to embrace yet another piece of myself that I’d lost.

Everything was getting better. However, I hadn’t heard from X today, and his disappearance made every part of my stupid body ache. He hadn’t been the one to bruise me, but my God, he’d left wounds thanks to his kindness, consideration, and insane skills at making me come apart.

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