Chapter 9
790 Words
Elena
My eyes narrow at the travel companion in the seat next to me. The plane ride is still just as scary as before, but this time I have a huge distraction. A distraction that is keeping me calm more than the air conditioner above me. Why are those things so loud?
“Will you stop looking at me like that?” Paul tiffs as he opens a flight magazine to hold it up in front of his face – blocking my view of him.
I’m not backing down. “Paul, what is going on?”
He huffs then slams the magazine shut and stuffs it into the velvet pouch in front of him. Darting his sights around, he appears to be sweating a bit.
Something is definitely going on and I’m going to get to the bottom of it.
“Paul,” I try again. “Do you know who keeps giving me gifts?” With his glare on me, I retrieve the sunglasses from my pocket so he can see them. “Do you know who these belong to?”
His brows stiffen for a split second before he mumbles a curse word that I can’t decipher. “Look. I can’t say anything, alright?”
I knew it! “What is it, Paul? What is going on? You know I don’t like secrets. Since it involves my life – I deserve to know!”
Paul shifts in his seat, so his body fully faces mine. “Alright. There’s someone out there, watching over you – he means you no harm, but would like to stay in the shadows.”
“Who is it?” My heart is pounding hard against my chest. Oh my gosh, I have a stalker!?
He opens his mouth to say something, then shuts it; closing his eyes, he says in a whisper. “I promised.” Those chocolaty saucers open. “I promised that I’d keep it to myself.”
“But you know him,” I accuse.
“Yes.”
“Is he a member of the club?” I’m starting to sweat now – the answers are so close!
It’s not a ghost! It’s a person – a man…
His head flops to the headrest of his seat. “So many questions.”
“Well?” I push.
Paul sighs then squints at me. “Sort of.”
“So, he’s a prospect, then?” Brent? Brent has honey blond hair and dark brown eyes. The man I’ve been seeing… well, looks very much like Mike from a distance.
He shifts uncomfortably like his seat is burning him alive. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“I thought you only have one prospect – Brent?” I double check.
“Well, we have two now.”
“But-“
“Enough.” Paul holds his hand up. “I told you all you need to know.” He runs a hand down his face, exhausted from my interrogation.
Bowing my head, I pick at the pinky nail in my lap. “I’m sorry, Paul. I would just like to know what is going on. I feel like I’m losing my mind.”
His hand covers mine to stop my incessant picking. “Don’t stress about it. I feel like I’m losing my mind too; just know that you have all the information that you need right now. If anything else comes up, I’ll let you know.”
I give him a nod and squeeze his hand tight as the plane descends over Georgia. That’s all I’m going to get from him. After everything that has happened… can I trust Paul?
Somehow, I need to let the man who keeps following me and gifting me things know that he should stop; that I don’t want a relationship. I’m nowhere near ready to move on from Mike.
First, I need to find out who this mystery man is and let him down gently. Gosh – what if he’s violent? What if he doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer?
My breathing is escalating, Paul rubs my hand thinking that it’s from this plane experience.
It’s not.
Paul said the person doesn’t wish me any harm… My heart rate slows a bit at the affirmation.
Was it the stalker who hugged me at prom?! I close my eyes as a spike of fear jolts down my spine. If he was able to get that close to me, then -
No, couldn’t have been. That was my imagination.
At least I’ll have something to keep me busy when we land; I’ll start at the clubhouse and go from there.
Internally, I roll my eyes at this predicament. Men and their secrets… some things never change.
- Writer
