Page 9 of Found By Him

Me: I got an unexpected delivery today.

Dots appear and quickly disappear. I smile as they reappear.

Jack: I’m glad you got it. I wasn’t sure when I didn’t hear from you.

Me: Sorry…after we got off the phone, things got hectic, and I had a meeting. The food looks delicious. You didn’t have to do that, but it’s extremely nice of you. Thank you.

Jack: You’re welcome Gisella.

I decide I’m not going to correct him this time. Maybe his use of my full first name is growing on me, because it annoys me less this time. I can’t wipe the smile off my face or tame the giddiness in my belly.

There’s one more thing I really want to know, though.

Me: One question, how did you know where I worked?

Jack: G-Wagon has a tracker.

“Of course it freaking does,” I laugh to myself.

By five o’clock,I’m exhausted. The rest of the day continued to have one problem after another. I could barely remember what issue I was trying to resolve at any given moment.

I pack up my bag and amble to the front door. I want desperately to take off my shoes, but I figure that would be unprofessional. As soon as I’m in Jack’s car, though, these shoes are toast.

Maggie is finishing packing up her stuff when I reachher desk. “Hey, Ella! What a day!” She spent part of the afternoon helping me handle everything.

Air whooshes from my lungs as I shake my head. “I’ll be so happy to be home with a glass of wine, that’s for sure!”

“Will your secret lunch man be joining you?” Maggie asks slyly as we enter the parking lot.

I feel myself flushing at the thought. “No, he’s just a friend. I had mentioned I left my lunch in the car when I was on the phone with him, so he was just being nice.”

“Mmmhmmm,” she hums, unconvinced.

I stop at the back of Jack’s G-Wagon. “Have a good night, Maggie.”

Maggie is gawking at me with wide eyes. “Is this a new car?”

I didn’t even think about walking out to a vehicle that costs over six figures or the questions that might arise. “Oh.” I laugh nervously. “This is just a loaner. I was in a fender bender the other day.”

“What the hell kind of rental company loans out cars like that for a car accident?” Maggie exclaims.

Biting my lip, I hold up the cookie that I saved for tonight. “Not a rental company.”

Maggie’s grin splits her face in two, making me chuckle. “Just a friend, my ass.” She starts walking backward toward her car. “Let’s get dinner and drinks this weekend, and you can tell me all about him.”

I smile and wave, agreeing to a night out. I’ve always found it hard to make friends. It usually takes a long time for me to open up and trust, and most people decide waiting around for that to happen isn’t worth it, and the budding friendship peters out.

Since the day she started a year ago, after moving here from out of state, Maggie’s outgoing personality has put meat ease. I love how she speaks her mind, and you always know where you stand with her. But behind her friendly, bubbly personality, there’s a pain in her eyes that tells you that life hasn’t always been kind, and I can relate. While our friendship has been slow to blossom, we’ve hung out multiple times over the last year, and every time, I’m reminded how much I’ve missed by not having close girlfriends.

Lost in thought, I drive home and drag myself to my condo. After I change into pajamas and pour a large glass of wine, I check my phone. My at-ease feeling disappears in an instant as I read the message, the large sip of wine I just swallowed threatening to come back up.

Unknown: Whose car are you driving, you little slut?

They’re back.

7

Ella

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