Page 36 of Breaking the Rules of Love

But part of me is actually wondering if Ryan has a point. Sadiedidwarn me before we got involved that I shouldn’t expect a relationship out of her. It was just my stubbornness that couldn’t let go. If this is anyone’s fault, it’s mine.

But that still doesn’t change how I feel about her.

I may be pissed at her right now for just shutting me out of her life without a word, but the underlying feelings are still there. She’d have to do something pretty crazy to get rid of those.

24

Jake

The blinds are still downat Sadie’s house when I pull into my driveway. All the lights are off, too, which means she’s most likely working a shift. A spiteful, terrible part of my brain reminds me that there’s a chance that she could also be out on a date with another guy too, but I instantly push that away.

“Fuck off, Jake,” I growl at myself as I step out of the car.

Sadie told me that I was the first guy she’d been with in two years. It’s only beentwo dayssince she’s seen me. There’s no way she’s met and gone out with someone else in that period of time. I’m just being ridiculous because I want to see her so badly.

I feel like I’m starting to spiral. I knew my feelings for her were intense and only growing steadily with each day, but I didn’t realize just how intense they were until she was out of reach.

Ryan and Logan are still playing darts back at the bar, but I left early. I went out to get my mind off Sadie, and it worked for a bit, but I was still too distracted. I just feel like I have to do something. I don’t know what that something is, though.

Part of me wants to do some big dramatic gesture and just go over to her work and surprise her. But I’m not even sure she would like that, and I don’t want to push her any further away than she already is.

With a heavy sigh, I turn to go inside, but that’s when I see it: a man creeping around the front lawn of Sadie’s house.

He’s moving like he definitely doesn’t belong there, and he’s dressed like he doesn’t even belong in this town. His jeans are all full of holes, and he’s wearing a ratty old sweatshirt with the wordsLas Vegasprinted on the front. When he sees me, he immediately turns away and pretends to walk away down the sidewalk.

“Hey!” I call out, walking quickly after him. He glances back at me over his shoulder. I can see his brain working, debating whether he should run or talk to me. Thankfully for him, he chooses not to run. Because if he had, he’d have been in a world of trouble.

“Yeah? Hi?” He sounds nervous as hell. “How are you?”

“Me?” I almost laugh. “I’m fine. How areyou?”

He shrugs and scratches the back of his head. “Fine, ya know. I’m fine. Good.”

He’s trying to play it cool, but even the most naïve person in the world could see this guy is up to something.

“What’s your name?” I ask.

“My name?” he asks slowly, as if he needs some time to think on that one. “Uh, H-Howard.”

“Howard, huh? Well, Howard, what are you doing here?”

Howard sort of shrugs. “I used to live here, actually. This used to be my house.”

Yeah, this guy’s full of shit. He looks like he’s somewhere in his 30s but has been doing someveryhard living. There’s no way this guy used to live here unless this is Sadie’s ex-husband, and I just can’t picture her with this guy at all.

He must be a junkie, either from the city or from downtown, who’s wandered into the neighborhood.

“Sure you did, pal,” I scoff.

“I did,” he protests. “Sadie lives here, right?”

My chest instantly goes tight, and my fists clench up at my sides.

“What did you just say?” I ask, my voice low.

“I need to talk to Sadie,” he says.

Who the hell is this guy? Some kind of stalker or something?

---