4. Adam
Adam
Well, I wish I could say I was surprised, but I really couldn't. Eliza Huyen really wasn't much. As harsh as it was to say, she was a sad and boring person.
Honestly, her file was probably the saddest one I'd seen in a long while—or maybe ever. Seriously, the thing wasn't even an inch thick!
True to her word, her record showed that she moved to Seaside about a year ago, a few months after her son was born when her parents relocated back to their home country of Vietnam and passed from the land of the living shortly after.
With no college degree in hand, she'd been working a low-end job as a housecleaner, contracting herself to a local company here in Seaside.
Outside of her housecleaning job, she worked as a delivery driver for various food delivery apps.
She was a simple girl stuck in life, simple as that—in my opinion.
So, why the hell am I so enamored with her!?
Biting out a frustrated sigh, I closed the folder with a little force before throwing it into the top drawer of my office desk. Running a hand down my face, I racked my brain for a reason as to why I couldn't get her demure smile out of my mind.
She was a girl down on her luck who would probably use me in the end, so why was I obsessing over her?
Mentally slapping myself, I shook my head in denial because thinking about her like that felt wrong. I shouldn't think ill of her, not with the goodness I saw in her sad and broken eyes.
God, those eyes. Those lovely, amber brown eyes with a perfect ring of black flecks, haven't stopped haunting me since the grocery store.
Even when I was out on my stupid date that night—all I could see, whenever I looked across from me, was her shy figure and smile instead of the busty and leggy brunette who was more interested in her phone than me.
Yeah, that was one of the worst dates of my life.
Thankfully, I don't think she cared enough when I told her it wouldn't work out and threw a few bills at her.
Sighing heavily, I picked up my phone and opened my messaging app to send Eliza a quick text.
Good morning, Eliza, how are you and Asher this morning?
At least she hadn't ghosted me, thank God.
When I texted Eliza three nights ago, I was surprised when she responded.
It wasn't much; just a quick 'good night' exchange as it had been late.
The next day our text exchange was also short and to the point, but yesterday was a little smoother with her opening up a little to me.
Good morning, Adam! We're just busy as always lol! Hopefully we won't be too busy this weekend because it seems like it'll be nice, so I wanna take Asher to the park.
Oh, I was planning on taking Adelaide to the park this weekend too while her mom works. Let's make it a playdate for the two and we can grab lunch as well?
I couldn't help but smile in anticipation as I watched the three dots pop up on the screen. I mean, it was perfect timing!
Yeah! I'll let you know if anything changes, but for now, let's put it down.
It's a date!
I mean, if that's what you want to call it lol. You don't want to date someone like me, you're too good!
Well, too bad you don't have a say in who I date lol.
Pretty busy schedule today?
Yeah, but busy means money, so I'm not complaining. Wbu?
It's a steady day.
Do you want me to bring you something between your houses so you can eat?
Oh no that's okay! You don't have to! I got my lunch packed for the day too but thanks. :)
Somehow, I doubted that very much, but I didn't feel like I could say anything because I didn't know if she was lying to me. So, I let it be, begrudgingly.
Alright, if you do want or need anything, I'm here, alright? I might be a little quiet today because I have to go out on some errands later, but I'll do my best to respond when I can.
Have a good day at work. :)
You too.
Tucking my phone away, I leaned back in my seat as I studied her scheduled houses for the day.
She wasn't lying; she was very busy today.
As bad as I felt for her, because it looked like she was going to be cleaning house after house after house for the next six hours, I couldn't help but feel grateful.
Her being out longer meant more time for me to snoop around and do what I needed.
Speaking of which…
Where the hell is Max?
Of course, speak of The Devil, and he shall come.
Not even a minute after I thought about texting him, Max barged into my office with an unamused glare. "You gave me the wrong code," he deadpanned, flipping me off.
Barking out a brief laugh, I stood up from my desk and rounded it. "Or you could have punched it in wrong," I retorted, smirking at him smugly.
No, I gave him the wrong code to fuck with him, but I wasn't going to admit it. "How long did it take you this time, genius?" I asked with an innocent smirk, stuffing my hands into my pockets and leaning back against my desk.
Rolling his eyes, Max flipped me off—again—before going over to my liquor cabinet and grabbing a bottle of bourbon. "Considering how it's my security system, it took me no time," Max remarked.
Popping the bottle open, he grabbed a glass and poured himself a heavy one while looking at me knowingly with a raised brow. "So, are you going to tell me what you need me for before or after I drink?" he questioned while swirling the drink around. "Or am I going to need the drink first?"
"Oh, come on, it's not like I'm asking you to do anything too illegal," I joked with a soft laugh, making Max roll his eyes harder at me.
"Just need some cameras in someone's house, that's all.
Not like we haven't done anything like this before.
" It wasn't a very common thing we did, but we had our fair share of breaking and entering to rig a place.
Leaning his head back with a confused frown, Max tentatively sipped at his drink.
"Are you really that hung up over this Eliza chick?
I mean, not to knock your tastes and shit, but she's boring," Max commented, his words slightly hollow from having spoken into the glass.
"Literally, there is nothing interesting about her life. "
My chest heaved with a deep breath as I ran a hand through my dark locks, pushing them back.
"There's just something about her, man." I could feel the corners of my lips pulling up into a dopey smile as I thought about Eliza's soft face.
"I don't know how to explain it, but it's just a feeling.
" The mere thought of her always brought a flare of heat to my chest, as if someone tossed a match at my heart and lit it up in a blaze of passion.
"Holy shit." I faintly heard Max gasp. "Dude, are you okay? Did this girl drug you or something?" His concern was playful and teasing in nature, but it was genuine.
"No. God no. Nothing like that, but it honestly feels like she's giving me the best chase of my life.
It's like a never-ending high." Shaking my head with a chuckle, I sighed happily and looked out the window for a moment.
"That's what I mean, man. She's just…" Letting out a frustrated sigh at the nagging feeling gnawing at my chest, I looked back at Max.
"I can't get her out of my mind. Every time I close my eyes, she's there.
Everywhere I look, I see glimpses of her.
And yes, there's technically nothing special about her.
She's plain and boring, but I don't know.
Something about that makes me kind of happy.
" I was beating around the bush now because I couldn't make heads or tails of my confusing feelings.
Clearing my muddled thoughts with a firm shake of my head, I looked back at my friend with a lopsided smile.
"Sorry, probably not an answer to your question, but no, she didn't drug me.
" Even if it felt like it, or at least it felt like I'd been stabbed in the ass by Cupid.
"I just… I don't know, Eliza is just perfect… "
Seems like I couldn't get past Max, though. "But?" he bit out with an urgency for me to spit it out.
"Just a gut feeling that she's not as simple as she seems." Maybe she had some kind of addiction or a strange personality trait or two. Perhaps that's what set off my caution radar.
Dragging out a long sigh, Max downed his drink.
"Well, whatever she's up to or hiding, you'll find out sooner or later after we rig her place.
" Clapping his hands together, a habit of his to reset himself, he pointed a finger to the open door of my office.
"Well, we haven't got all day, so let's go. "
We had about an hour before Eliza would leave her place, and her apartment complex was right across the creek from me—literally fifteen minutes tops.
So, I took my sweet time going over the plan to break into Eliza’s place one last time with Max, before taking stock of all the equipment we’d need.
One can never be too careful is something I'd always believed, and better to be over prepared than under.
"I still think you're a little crazy for this," Max commented as we started the drive in his truck.
Shooting him a flat glare, I scoffed. "Says the man chasing after a nurse he bumped into. One who couldn’t give less of a shit about you." He really had no footing against me because we were both in the same shit hole together.
"Hey, hey, hey," he chuckled in protest. "Amira is just playing hard to get, that's all."
Unable to help it, I snorted out a laugh. "Dude, how many times has she rejected you just this week alone?" He was persistent, and this latest venture of his was too patient for her own good.
Beaming with a victorious grin, he chuckled happily. "Only three times out of the four I've asked, so I'm making progress."
Rolling my eyes, I scoffed playfully. "Whatever makes your boat float, man." If he wanted to be a little delusional, then who was I to pop his bubble.