Page 12 of Blurred Love

“Your stalker is here,” Teresa murmurs, elbowing me in the side.

I roll my eyes at her but don’t comment. Probably because the first thing I want to say is I wish he was here for me.

I want to ask him, but as soon as we open, a line is forming, and Teresa and I work tirelessly through the whole shift. I keep looking where Colter is sitting, and he has his sunglasses on, but I can feel his eyes on me. I know he’s watching me.

He has his laptop open, but I haven’t seen him type one thing on it.

When business finally dies down and we’re starting to pack up, I look out where he was sitting, and he’s gone. I look up and down the sidewalk and watch as he gets into his truck.

I try not to let on that I’m disappointed, but I am. I really hoped he was going to ask me out, but it’s starting to look like even though he’s nice, he’s not interested in me at all.

Teresa and I eat lunch while we finish packing up, and I try not to dwell on the fact that there’s something going on with Colter, and I don’t know what it is.

We drive over to the Co-op and set up our truck. I’m dreading it because this is where I had the run-in with Adam last week, and I’m not looking forward to seeing him again.

If he causes another scene, I’m going to have to do something about it. I can’t let him keep interrupting my life like he is.

I open the window, and my eyes dart around the area. Relieved doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel. Adam is nowhere to be seen.

Just like most places, this one is packed too, and the line is already forming. We’re moving through the line when Teresa nudges me again. “I’m sorry, but that’s just creepy.”

I look up, prepared to see Adam, but I’m surprised to see Colter sitting at a table in front of the truck. He doesn’t have his computer with him this time. He has his sunglasses on, but I have no doubt his eyes are on me.

I look at him longer than I probably should because I see his forehead crease as if he’s wondering what I’m doing. I make a promise to myself, here and now, that he’s not getting out of here this time without me asking him what he’s doing. It’s one thing to show up at one place I’m set up at but a completely different thing for him to show up at a second place on the same day.

I help Teresa take orders, and while she fills them, I’m so focused on Colter that I’m taken by surprise when I see Adam standing in front of me.

Everything blurs out behind him, and my whole body tenses. He’s the absolute last person I want to see right now, but I know he’s not going to go quietly.

”Adam.”

He smirks at me. “You’re still doing this.”

My hand tightens around the pen I’m holding. “Yeah, I’m still doing this. It is my job.”

He slaps a hand on the counter. “And I told you that if you wanted to be with me that I’m not going to have a girlfriend work in a food truck. I do have a reputation to uphold.”

I put a hand on my hip. “And I told you I’m not your girlfriend anymore.”

He leans toward me. “What are you doing, Poppy? Look at you. A woman like you doesn’t break up with a man like me.”

I’m about to defend myself when Colter walks up and puts an arm around Adam, pushing him away. Shocked, I lean out the window, and I see Colter forcibly pushing Adam around the corner and out of sight.

Shoot. “Take over, Teresa. I’ll be back.”

”Was that your stalker with Adam?”

I don’t stop to answer her. I climb out of the truck and get around the side of the building just in time see Colter pointing at his own face. “Come on. You wanna punch me? Do it.”

”What? No!” I holler at the same time Adam lands a punch to the side of Colter’s face.

Colter doesn’t seem fazed in the least. He smiles. He literally smiles at Adam, and all I can do is stand here while Colter punches Adam a few times until he lands on his back on the pavement.

Colter stands over him. There’s no stutter to be heard when he starts to talk. “Forget you know Poppy. I don’t want you showing up where she is, talking to her, hell, I don’t even want you thinking about her.”

He squats down and grabs Adam’s hair, pulling him up so he has to look at him. “Cause look at me, mother fucker. I will be your worst fuckin’ nightmare. I can kill and bury you, and no one will ever find your ass.” His voice gets thick. “Do you understand me?”

When Adam doesn’t say anything, Colter leans down into his face. “Answer me. Do you understand?”

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