Chapter Seventeen #2
My father leaves work early to drive out of town for a custom part, but Tyler stays in the garage even after I lock the lobby. We hardly spoke when we were in the break room earlier. I asked him what he thought of the Labor Day parade, and he responded with, “It was eye-opening.”
Instead of asking him what he meant by that, I nodded and left the room. I don’t know how to fix the tension that swarms between us. The friendship, or whatever it is, gives me whiplash. One moment things are fine, and the next, it’s awkward.
After work, I stop by the store to pick up some groceries before going home.
Robert texted earlier and said he had a work meeting and wouldn’t be able to stop by tonight but told me to be at his house so he could see me.
Instead of agreeing, like usual, I declined and tell him I’m cooking dinner for my dad.
We still haven’t talked about what happened yesterday at the parade because the moment I speak up about his behavior and the pressure he’s putting on me, it’ll blow up and turn into another huge fight.
Perhaps it needs to happen, but I don’t have the energy to deal with that right now.
As I load my bags into the back of my car, I notice a black SUV sitting across the street.
I focus on it, trying to read the license plate, and swear it was parked near the garage today.
It could be a coincidence, but my paranoia has me convinced Robert’s having me followed.
There’s no other reason someone would park outside where I work for hours and then conveniently be at the store when I am.
Witnessing his temper at the double date and listening to his demands about firing Tyler or quitting already doesn’t sit well with me. But if he has the audacity to hire someone to follow and watch me throughout the day, I’m going to be at a level of pissed off he’s never seen.
As I drive home, I watch in my rearview mirror. They stay far enough back not to be obvious but close enough that I notice I’m being followed. Before making any false accusations, I decide to turn down a random street, and when they do too, my stomach clenches.
What the actual fuck?
Does he really think I’m going to cheat on him? Or that Tyler and I are hooking up in the work bathroom with my father nearby? Every time Robert says something negative, I second-guess marrying him, wondering if I truly know the man I’m going to spend forever with.
I turn again, and the SUV tails me, which confirms my suspicions. Whoever Robert hired more than likely already has my address, so I decide to end this and go home. Hopefully, once this asshole sees I’m not being joined by anyone, he’ll leave.
As soon as I pull into my driveway, I grab my three grocery bags and rush inside the cottage. I peek out the window and see the SUV park across the street.
“Seriously?” I mutter as my blood pressure rises. “This is an invasion of privacy.”
Grabbing my phone from my bag, I call Robert, and I’m sent straight to voicemail. Growing angrier by the second, I call back. Voicemail again. He’s at a dinner meeting, and the fact that he’d rather ignore my calls than interrupt his mealtime pisses me off.
Gemma
Call me as soon as you can. It’s important.
He reads it seconds later, but it takes him a few minutes to respond.
Robert
Are you okay? I’m with a client.
Gemma
If you really cared, you would’ve answered my calls. It could’ve been an emergency.
Robert
I’ll be done in an hour, maybe two. Meet me at my house, and we’ll talk then.
I roll my eyes and toss my phone on the counter without bothering to reply. That’s always his answer. We’ll “talk” when it’s convenient for him.
Wanting to get a better look, I sneak around the side of my dad’s house and look toward the street, trying my best to stay hidden.
A man in a suit get out of the SUV. For a moment, I think he’s coming to my dad’s front door, but then another man exits from the passenger side, and they scope out the place.
One of them has a camera around his neck and the other has binoculars.
My adrenaline rushes through my body so quickly, my hands shake.
I tuck my lips into my mouth and rush back to the cottage.
My heart pounds hard in my chest, and I swear I hear leaves crunching in the backyard.
I’m so fucking scared. I close my blinds and curtains, then lock the doors, hoping they leave.
This is insane. They saw me leave the grocery store with bags in my hands.
I’m alone, but it’s not good enough for them.
I’m sure they’re hoping to catch me in the act to provide Robert the proof that doesn’t exist. Whoever they are, they looked like professionals, but I’m not sure what they’re after.
Gemma
You crossed a line. Call off your private investigators!
Robert
I have no idea what you’re talking about. What private investigators?
Gemma
The ones you hired to follow me.
Robert
Why would I hire people to follow you? You aren’t making any sense.
I swallow hard, unsure if he’s being honest or not.
Robert isn’t a liar, but he’s a pro at getting what he wants.
If this is a scare tactic so I’ll agree to move in with him, I’m going to unleash my wrath.
Perhaps it’s a stretch to think that’s why they’re following me, but there’s literally no other reason.
Maybe he hopes I’ll be too nervous to live alone, and it’ll push me to move up the wedding date.
If that’s the case, I’ll cancel the whole thing, including our relationship.
Panic rushes through me as I think about these men being outside my house.
With my dad being away, I can’t call him for help, but I wouldn’t want to worry him either.
I text Everleigh and Katie, but neither of them responds as I put away the rest of the things I bought at the store.
Another twenty minutes go by when I decide to take another look outside. The SUV’s finally gone.
I release a deep breath, relief flooding through me, but it doesn’t stop the anxiety from taking over. My heart races, and I double-check to make sure all my windows and doors are locked. I can’t settle down, and after no one returns my texts or calls, I break down and reach out to Tyler.
Gemma
I’m sorry to bother you, but I’m kinda freaking out. Would you mind coming over? Someone followed me tonight, and I’m scared.
His response comes immediately.
Tyler
Stay in your house. I’ll be there in less than ten minutes.
Gemma
Thank you.
I pace around the house while I wait, and when there’s a knock on the door, I jump. I’m worked up more than I realized.
“Gemma, it’s Tyler,” he calls out with another knock.
I unlock the deadbolt and turn the knob, then release a sigh as soon as I see him.
“Hey,” he says rushed, pushing me back into the house and locking the door. He turns around, and his eyes roam down my body. “Are you okay?”
I nod, feeling my insides tremble. “Yes, just weirded out.”
“Tell me what happened.”
We walk the few feet into the kitchen while I explain everything from noticing the SUV at work to being followed home. Then I tell him how I saw two men get out and walk around the yard.
“Fuck,” he curses under his breath, brushing a hand through his hair.
“It’s probably nothing. I’m fine, just worked up.”
My entire body is cold, and I can’t seem to stop shivering. I don’t admit that I think Robert’s behind it because he’ll judge me even more, and I can’t deal with Tyler pitying me.
He studies me briefly before closing the gap between us, then wraps his arms around me. “You’re shaking. You aren’t fine.”
I give in to the part of me that wants to feel his touch again and relax against his chest. He tenses, but as soon as I rest my head on his chest, he softens.
“Gemma.”
Leaning back, our gazes lock, and there’s something behind the fire in his eyes. Tyler’s jaw locks as he stares intently at me. He lowers his hands and slides his tongue across his lower lip.
“Yeah?”
“Why’d you ask me to come tonight?”
I blink hard, a thousand thoughts fluttering through my head. “I told you why. Someone followed—”
“Where’s your fiancé?” he interrupts, harshly.
“He’s in a meeting with a client.”
“Did you tell him what happened?”
I swallow hard, shaking my head. “I called a couple of times, and after they went to voicemail, he texted and asked if I was okay.”
“Why didn’t you explain what was going on?”
I lower my eyes, hesitant to spill the truth, but it comes out anyway. “Because I knew he wouldn’t come. He told me to go to his house, and he’d meet me there in a couple of hours.”
The intensity in Tyler’s eyes has butterflies swarming in my stomach, and I hate that he still has this effect on me. I shouldn’t still feel this way twelve years after he broke my heart.
Tyler scratches his fingers along his scruffy jawline, and I find myself wondering if it’s soft or rough. Probably rough, like his hands. The hands that have touched every inch of my body, the fingers that have marked me, the palms that have slapped across my ass.
I choke down the visual and blink away the memories.
“What’d the SUV look like?” he asks.
“Black. Tinted windows. Big, like an Escalade. Alabama plates.”
“And you saw two men?”
“Yes. Both in suits. Tall. One had a camera, and the other had binoculars.”
He nods as if he’s not surprised, which is perplexing.
“I think they’re private investigators.”
Tyler clears his throat before rounding my little kitchen table and opens the fridge. “Could be.”
He rummages around and pulls out items.
“What’re you doing?”
“Gonna cook you some dinner and help get your mind off everything.” He spins around and flashes me a sincere smile. “I mean, if that’s okay. If I remember correctly, you love homemade chili and anything spicy.”
I smile and those stupid flutters return. “Alright, on one condition.”
“What’s that?” He tilts his head with an amused expression.
“You tell me about Vegas. The real story.”