Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 57943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Lost in my thoughts, I realized I’d run farther than I’d expected.
Crap!
I needed to turn around right now. It wasn’t likely that I would make it home before dark. The thought of running in the dark had my heart racing. Out here, there weren’t streetlights or porch lights. I picked up the pace. I definitely needed to calm myself down before I had a panic attack. Clutching my mace, I really started pounding the pavement. The sun had nearly disappeared beyond the horizon.
I can’t believe how far I let myself run.
If I sprinted the rest of the way, I could make it before the sun completely descended. The slapping of my tennis shoes on the pavement brought back memories from years ago and my heart starting violently pounding in my chest, causing me to gasp for air.
It was then that I realized one of my laces had come untied. There was no way in hell I was stopping to tie them, not with precious daylight fading by the second. Rounding a corner that would lead me to my street, I stepped on the lace with my other foot, sending me careening to the pavement. The angle at which I was running triggered me to fall face-forward. My knees scraped the pavement before my hands. My head hit next.
Blinking back stars, I started to jump back up. Dizziness caused blackness to eat at the corners of my vision, forcing me to sit back down. Breathing heavily, I tried to calm myself and tied my shoelace.
Breathe, Lia.
I was safe in my town. That man wasn’t here. Nobody was chasing me. I needed to seriously chill out. After a few minutes of attempting to ease my fears, I slowly stood up, wincing at my injuries.
I started to jog again, but my skinned knees and pounding head forced me to reduce my stride to a quick walk. The crickets started their nighttime melodies, not comforting me at all. Focusing on my porch light in the distance, I tried to put my thoughts somewhere else. My date with Cale was tomorrow.
Would he take me to dinner? Closer.
Would we go to a movie? Almost there.
Would we go dancing? Finally, I reached my driveway.
I quickly made my way to the porch, eyes frantically darting all around as I tried desperately to thwart the oncoming panic attack. My sigh was one of relief when I safely stepped onto my front porch. A single rose and an envelope with my name scrawled across the front were sitting propped against the door. I quickly snatched them up. After unlatching all three locks in record speed, I rushed in, slamming the door behind me.
Once I had all three locks in place, I crumpled to the floor before letting out a sob. My fear was unwarranted, but it was always there. Even though I was safe in my home, the fear would always follow me. It was a shame because I had been hoping that some of that fear was dissipating with how I’d felt since meeting Cale, but clearly, it was only while in his presence.
Thinking of Cale, I smiled through my tears. He’d left me a rose and a note. I sniffled back the last of my cry fest, wiping my tears away with my sweaty, skinned-up hands. I opened up his letter and began reading:
As fresh tears formed in my eyes, I stood up and stomped to the trashcan, tossing the rose and note into it.
This is so freaking creepy!
I WAS LOOKING over some new floor plan ideas at my desk when my phone rang. Seeing that it was Lia, I quickly answered, eager to hear her voice.
“Hey, babe. What are you wearing now?” I chuckled out my greeting.
“Cale…” Her voice quivered into the phone.
“What the hell, Lia? Are you okay?” I demanded as I burst from my chair, worrying over the fear in her voice.
“Yes, I’m okay, Cale. I just got really spooked. As much as I hate to keep bothering you with my problems, I just wanted to see if you could come over for a bit. At least till I calm down some? If you’re busy, I understand. I’m probably just being a baby, but—”
“I’ll be over in ten,” I said, interrupting her. “You will never be a bother to me, babe. I’ll see you soon.”
“Thank you,” she whispered into the phone before hanging up.
After only eight minutes, I slammed the truck into park and jogged up to her door, trying to quell my growing anxiety. She was scared shitless about something. I’d been able to tell by the way her voice had shaken on the phone not long before. I saw the curtains by the window move slightly when I knocked on the door and then heard the click of one, two, three locks. She flung open the door and I rushed up to her, enveloping her with my arms. Kicking the door closed behind me, I pulled away from her, needing to know what was wrong.