Page 8 of A Seductive Beauty
“Fi, you can’t just brush this off.” Moira follows behind me.
“I can and I will. It’s nothing. Probably some kid playing jokes.”
“Could it be Patrick?”
“No. I told him I didn’t want to see him anymore after the hospital incident.” Making my way up to the third floor where Moira’s and my room is, I continue to ignore it. I don’t want to think about this. I was perfectly calm and relaxed before I read it. Now my body is tight again and I’m scared. After changing for bed, I climb into my twin bed and roll toward the wall.
“You can’t just go to sleep and think this is going to go away.”
“Yes, I can, and yes, I will.”
Moira and I don’t argue often, but when we do, it’s usually because of this. She likes to pressure me into making decisions by nagging me. I try to ignore her most of the time, and right now I don’t want to think about what that letter could mean.
A week passes and I’ve received a couple more letters. I haven’t showed them to the girls because I know they will be gutted with me. The feeling of being followed or watched has gotten worse, and I’m about to come out of my skin. The gala for the racetrack that Kayla wants me to attend is later tonight and I don’t want to go. My cell buzzes from the counter, and I expect it to be Kayla but it’s my mum’s number again. She’s called me a couple of times now and wants me to go out with a gentleman from London, who I can already guess is a prat. When she describes him, I know he’s full of himself. I let the call go to voicemail, not wanting to hear any more about him.
“Fi, you have company.” Mrs. O’Sullivan steps through the door and I turn to her. I’ve just put the finishing touches on a birthday cake I did for a customer.
“On my way,” I say, and wipe my hands after I clean up my workstation.
I step through the door into the storefront where Moira and Brigid are chatting excitedly with Kayla and Wesley. It was just announced today that they are engaged, and I’m happy for my cousin.
"Kayla," I say softly. It’s now or never. I stand up as straight as I can and try to get out of tonight. "I don't think I should go with you tonight. I’m knackered and just want to turn in early. Take one of the girls in my place."
"No backing out. Come on. What's going on?" Kayla steps toward me and takes me in her arms. She’s always one to show me affection. My parents barely hugged me growing up, but Kayla has never had a problem with it. She’s like my big sister.
"I'll talk about it later." I look around them and out toward the street, worried my stalker is out there and will hurt Kayla. "Hello, Wesley. Congratulations." I smile at him.
"Thank you, kiddo. Let's get you both out of here." He’s perfect for Kayla; you can see his love for her when he looks at her.
"Can you find out what is eating at our girl?" Mrs. O'Sullivan asks Kayla as if I’m not standing here. "She won't tell me." All of them have been bugging me to tell them what is bothering me. I just work, go to the gym, and sleep. I haven’t gone out with the girls even though they’ve been trying to get me to go out.
"I will, Mrs. O'Sullivan," Kayla says before turning back to me. "Now get your stuff, let’s get going. The stylists will meet us at my flat in thirty minutes."
"Okay," I grumble before I head back to the locker room where I change into my leggings, long blousy dress top, and heeled brown boots. I slip my long coat over everything and head back out to the front.
After loading up in the limo outside where the hair on my arms rises again, we make our way to Kayla’s condo in a secure high-rise. I finally spotted someone this morning and I’m not sure what to do about it.
Once we are inside Kayla’s condo, I feel more comfortable. I show Moira and Brigid the room I’ll be staying in. The once lavender walls are now white, and I notice the bed is new too. Kayla had the condo redone since she was last here. I hope that doesn’t mean she won’t be staying here as often as she used to. I’ve heard that Wesley has a small boy, and I know the condo isn’t set up for kids and he has a place somewhere in Scotland, but I wouldn’t survive without seeing Kayla regularly. It was hard last year when she would only call me and see me once in a while.
I leave the girls to gush over the dress we found in the garment bag in my room. I don’t know how I’m going to wear it, so instead I move through the condo back to the main room where Kayla and Wesley are embracing. I overhear them talking.
"Maybe we should tell her."
"Tell her what?" I ask, knowing they are talking about me.
Kayla steps out of his arms and walks toward me.
“I put some security on you.” Her words stop me. In all the years we’ve known each other, and all the time when she worked for MI6 and I wasn’t supposed to know, she never put a security detail on me.
“I don’t like it and I want it to stop. I can’t afford them, and I don’t need them.” This explains the feeling of being watched. "See, this is the problem right here. First, you're in an accident. Then all of a sudden, my parents decide that I'm important to them again. And finally, not only do I feel like I'm being followed, but someone is leaving me notes." I vent out everything that’s going on. All the pain and fear leeching from me.
"What?" Wesley barks at me. I know he’s not angry with me but upset with the situation.
"I saw a very tall man following me the other day, and then I saw him again this morning," I say.
"That sounds like Andy," he says, and I’m glad that one of my problems is fixed.
"Why would you put security on me? I don’t understand.” I turn toward Kayla again.
