Page 13 of I'm Not in Love (I Promise)

Is Ethan that desperate that he’d creep outside my window? I call him, forcing my breathing to slow with each ring.

“Hey, I’m glad you called. I was starting to think you were still mad.”

“Where are you?” I ask.

“Home. You don’t have to check up on me, Bee. I told you it was one time.” He continues rambling about trust and how he loves me but I barely hear him.

I’m too focused on the shadowy form outside my window. “Ethan, someone’s outside.”

There’s a tremor in my voice as I stumble away from the window. “It’s probably a deer or something,” Ethan says. “Did you lock up when I left?”

Shit. I didn’t.

“Stay on the phone with me.” My legs shake but I push myself to jog down the hall and to the front door. I have no idea whereMischa is or if she’s even coming home, but if she does, she has a key.

I lock the door and run back to my room, shutting the door and locking it. I’m panting when I register Ethan’s voice again. “All good now?”

“I think so,” I say.

He laughs and tells me he’ll see me tomorrow before ending the call.

I glance at the window, feeling equally curious and terrified. Was I seeing things? It’s been a long, emotional day. Maybe I’m just jumpy. I’m still not used to living this far outside of town in a house this old and creaky. It’s like something out of a horror movie being this deep in the woods.

I stare at the space in the yard for a full minute, finding nothing amiss. It’s another hour before I fall asleep, imagining a pair of dark watching eyes beneath my closed lids.

CHAPTER SIX

BLAKE

After an entire dayat the library, the last thing I want to do is get into a fancy dress and go to some gala. Especially as Ethan’s date. After the last week, I’m still not sure how I feel about him. My body reacts to his touch, which I’m chalking up to nothing more than familiarity. I wish my damn vagina would get theEthan sucksmemo.

I peek out my window, still shaken from the past few nights. Understanding that my mind can deceive me doesn’t explain the prickly feelings I’ve been having each night. Like hundreds of eyes are watching me in the dark.

Instead of getting changed in my room, I grab my strapless bra and dress and head into the bathroom. I swear all the windows in the house have drapes except my room. As soon as my schedule allows… shopping here I come.

Mischa opens the front door as I’m crossing the hallway.Great. Just who I want to see. I’ll be the bigger person, as always. “Hey. How’s it going?”

She looks up from her phone and peruses me like I’m on display. “Is that a dress?”

With the navy blue dress slung along my arm, I nod. “I have this gala to go to tonight. It’s for the h?—”

She cuts me off. “A gala?”

“Yes. That’s what I was?—”

She takes a few steps toward me and pulls the dress off my arm. I’m taken aback by her sudden movement. It’s rare that she spends more than thirty seconds talking to me, let alone shows care about what I’m wearing.

“This dress is garbage.”

Oh. There’s the Mischa I know.

“It’s not,” I rebuke. “It was expensive when I bought it.”Five years ago.

She walks into the kitchen still holding my dress. “It’s hideous. This color doesn’t suit you at all. Come.”

I don’t have a choice but to follow her upstairs and into the bedroom she shares with Brennan. “Mischa, what the?—”

“Hush. You’ll wear something of mine.” She tosses my dress across the room and opens her closet. She must be on something if she thinks I can fit into her clothes.

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