Chapter 33
thirty-three
THE WATCHER
He was thankful that The Ramblers’ monthly meeting had been at Bébhinn’s. He’d been able to change out his camera with a new model that had color and sound. Sometimes he would go weeks without video when the battery died before a meeting.
The new camera would notify the app on his phone when there was movement. He could also pull the camera up even when there was no movement, like when she was sleeping or went to the bathroom. He loved listening to the shower start and picturing her clothes coming off.
He’d gotten off to that a lot.
He would have put a second camera in the bathroom, but there was no hiding place. He shrugged. It gave him something to look forward to. Another bonus was that he could print off stills from the video. He was acquiring quite a collection already.
The best part about the last club meeting was that everyone loved his suggestion of an overnight hike. He looked at the kitchen table and grinned. His new two-person tent sat in all its new, packaged glory.
His first plans were derailed by weather, but he was confident that this time would work. Plus, they would be with a few of their hiking friends to witness him and Bébhinn committing to one another.
He got a notification on his phone, and his stomach tightened in anticipation. His back fell back on the couch in horror as he watched that white-haired man from Conwy walking around her bedroom.
She was there picking things up to show the man, who was smiling and chatting. He turned up the volume, dread singeing his insides.
“I’m so glad you came to town,” she said, while leaning against a heavily framed floor-standing mirror.
The man’s back was to the camera, but he could see his face in the mirror. He was older than he’d thought when he’d seen him in the parking lot, but handsome. He clenched his jaw in irritation.
Very handsome. “Damn.”
“One of my better decisions,” the man replied. “I would have come sooner, but I know how hard the last few weeks of the semester can be.”
“One more year before I get to work full-time for Triskelion. I can’t wait.”
Triskelion was her family’s interior design shop. He’d found that out after they’d first met. He wasn’t above a little social media snooping.
“I hate this evening to end, but since you insist on taking me to the ferry, we’d better go. I don’t want you driving home too late.”
He watched as the man stepped close, and drawn like a damn magnet, she stepped toward him. He watched as their hands twitched, clearly aching to reach out to the other.
The man cleared his throat and spun on his heel to leave her bedroom. His camera was able to catch the misery on the man’s face. He hoped the man, whoever he was, choked on his feelings.
Bébhinn looked sad as she followed the stranger out of her room. The man was leaving on the ferry, and hopefully that was that.
He knew Bébhinn wasn’t serious about this white-haired man. She might try to hide her feelings, but after so many months, he knew her better than she knew herself. A woman as gorgeous as her would naturally attract and be attracted to extremely handsome people.
He wasn’t near her standard type, but their compatibility would more than make up for his lack of…certain attributes.
Only a few more weeks, he thought, glancing once more at his new tent.