Page 69 of No Longer Safe

I took another sip out of my coffee. “I think they like me.”

“Until they don’t.”

Unfortunately,Carina said no to the lingerie shower but Ace approved us to go out todinnerwith the grannies as long as we didn’t do anything crazy. The grannies traveled the world most of the year and didn’t stop for much, but now they had two young women they wanted toinfluenceand I wasn’t so sure about it. I couldn’t exactly say no either, but I was totally down for some fun. I needed it.

Every day I went to Central Park and had lunch. Sometimes I brought a book, sometimes I watched the wackos. Each day I met Tululah. We talked about books or food or life. She asked me about what my life in Florida was like and I asked her how the heck she grew up in NYC. She was living my dream.

Today was a little different though. Alexei somehow sniffed out my spot. He didn’t seem like the type to casually walk-through the park so I knew he was following me.

“Have you read this one?” Lu dug a worn paperback out of her shoulder bag. I shook my head, trying to focus on anything but the broody man lurking nearby. “You can borrow it! It’s one of my favorites.” She stopped and looked at something over my shoulder before her cheeks turned rosy. “Is he your boyfriend?” I looked over my shoulder and waved my hand dismissively. “No, he just won’t leave me alone”

Her eyebrows shot up on her forehead. “I’d be begging him to stalk me.”

I grimaced. “It’s complicated.”

“He looks kind of dangerous.” She giggled and I felt something coil tight and ugly in my stomach.

It wasn’t jealousy. No. No. No. No. Definitelynotjealousy.

“Maybe you should read some of the books I recommend to you,” Lu droned on about dark romance and how much she loved a bad boy, and all the while, I sat there with my back ram-rod straight and I tried my best to keep it off of my face. “Also,” She stopped and tilted her head. “Maybe he’s interested in me? He keeps looking at me.”

My throat closed tight. I had absolutely no attachment to the male behind me. At least that was what I was telling myself.

“Are you okay?” Lu asked and broke me out of my existential crisis.

I nodded my head, probably a bit too much based on the look Lu shot me. “Are you sure? Your face is all red. Oh my gosh,” She held her hands up to her own face. “You aren’t having an allergic reaction to the pizza we got today, are you?”

Oh, phew. All she thought was that I was sick, not that I was freaking out over the man that just would not vacate the space in my head. “No, I think I’m just having a hard time adjusting to everything. I still don’t have a job and I don’t know, it’s been a lot.”

She nodded like she understood completely even though she’d lived here her entire life and finding a job came easy to her when she was ready. Both of her parents were in the publishing industry. “You should come out with us this weekend. Take your mind off of things. It might help!”

“Who’s us?”

I really hoped Alexei was keeping his distance, I couldn’t afford for him to find out about anything else I wanted to do.

“A few people from the office, we are going out to a new club and maybe it’ll help you make more friends and feel more connected to the city.”

I agreed even though I was nervous to continue to meet new people. Meeting new people back at home was nothing like this big city.

With Alexei on my heels, I headed back to Ace’s home. My phone rang and I was quick to answer it. My mom’s face filled the screen. “How are you settling in?”

“I’m settling, I guess.”

“Been on any dates?” She waggled her eyebrows at me and I rolled my eyes.

“No, and I don’t think I need to.” I already knew what she was going to say before she said it.

“Audrey, you’re in a big beautiful city full of beautiful people. Get out. Stop trying to attach yourself to Carina 24/7. Find a job.”

I groaned. “I’ve applied to a few places.” It wasn’t a complete lie. I just had no idea what I wanted to do with myself after the wedding. I really wanted to get into publishing but I had zero experience and I doubted anyone would hire me off of the bat. “I’m not stuck to Carina’s side either. I go to lunch, I explore the city, and I made a new friend.”

My mom beamed. “I’m so happy to hear that. Your dad is trying to make a new casserole in the BBQ pit, I better go help him.” Her face got serious just as I was approaching Ace’s building. “Please, go on a date. See what’s out there.”

That night,I downloaded my first dating app and then tucked my phone under my pillow as soon as I was finished setting up my account. Then I replayed all of the events from the day. Even though Alexei stalked me through the park and back toAce’s, he hadn’t said a single thing to me. I didn’t know if it was a relief or completely concerning. Either way, I decided as I was downloading the app that I wouldn’t let him continue to infiltrate my brain. If I was going to date, I needed to get him out of my head. My phone pinged and I slowly, very carefully, slid my phone out from under my pillow.

Three new matches. I slammed the phone face down on the bed.Three?No.

I uncovered my phone and took a peek. There they were, all smiling in their profile pictures. Two of them looked fake but the last caught my eye. In his picture, he was sitting in a restaurant holding a glass of wine. His light brown hair was long around his face but curled up the closer it got to his collar. His brown eyes seemed kind and his smile was beautiful. A dimple in each cheek.

---