Page 61 of Completing Her

“Hey, you.”

“Hi!”

“How are you?”

“Awesome. Was wondering if we could meet and do the shopping Thursday after school?”

“I think so.” I hedged a little, knowing I had to check with Damien. “I think my dentist appointment is next week,” I lied. “I’ll check when I get home.”

“Great.”

“How’s your week going?”

“Oh my God, Raven. Your luck must have rubbed off.”

“What?” I asked, puzzled.

“After you left, a guy came over and introduced himself.” She giggled. “We went out last night, and I’m seeing him on Friday.”

A shiver of cold went through me. “A guy in the coffee shop?”

“Yeah, he said he was watching me.”

“Deb, you shouldn’t go out with guys who pick you up in a coffee shop. Especially if they say they were watching you.” I felt the stirrings of panic. “What did he look like?”

“You didn’t notice him? The guy in the business suit?” Then she snorted. “Of course you didn’t. Not with an intense and sexy guy taking over your brain. Suit guy is gorgeous. Tall, short brown hair, eyes a dark brown. Great shoulders. He came in after we did and sat in the corner. I kept staring at him, and he came over after you left.”

I relaxed at her description. Andy had shaggy light hair, his eyes were a washed-out blue, and his shoulders were narrow. He was thin, and he told me once he didn’t own a suit. Hated the “big man.” Still, I worried.

“What does he do?”

“Relax. He’s a financial guy. Gave me his business card. I checked him out. Stewart Anderson is his name. Thirty-two. A VP. He was charming. Both on Sunday and last night. Drove a nice car, took me to dinner. A gentleman. He kissed my hand at the end of the evening—both nights. Asked to see me again. Informed me he wanted to take this slow. Then he kissed me softly. No tongue. It was so romantic.”

I blew out a long puff of air. “Ah, okay.”

“I think meeting him in a coffee shop he often frequents is safer than my usual online dating anyway.”

“I guess so,” I admitted.

“Why did you sound so upset?” she asked.

“I, ah, had a bad experience with an online guy. Strangers make me a little nervous now.”

“I’m sorry,” she replied.

“No problem. So, I’ll let you know about Thursday night.”

“Okay. Sounds good.”

She hung up, and my phone buzzed again with a text from Damien.

Damien:Five minutes. Stay inside. I’ll bring an umbrella.

I stood. “You two are sprung. Damien is here.”

They laughed, and Tracey shook her head. “I have two more reports to write up.”

Mike began to stand. “I’ll walk you to the door.”

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