Blair had said she needed time before talking to me. But I’d hoped she’d reach out while Taylor was away so we could safely meet in person. My life felt like it was on hold until I could see her again. One day, since she still hadn’t reached out, I decided to do a little investigating.
Investigating is the gentler term for stalking.
Now that I knew her last name, it was easy to find out where she lived. She’d told me she lived about an hour from Boston, and the address I found online corroborated that.
To justify driving to Blair’s neighborhood, I did actually wait until I needed to visit a worksite out that way, north of the city, to give an estimate. I hoped this trip could be my way of finding out what her life was like without having to push her for answers.The more I could quietly discover on my own, the better. It would keep me occupied while I waited for her call and also help prepare me mentally.
After my visit to the jobsite, I’d driven by what I assumed was her house three times this afternoon, and so far, I’d seen nothing of interest. There wasn’t even a car parked in the driveway, and it didn’t seem like anyone was home. Just my luck. Perhaps it was the time of day—the middle of the afternoon. She was probably at work.
Taylor was due back in a few days, so I didn’t have all that much time. I had no idea how often he ventured out this way to see her, but if he was in town at all, it would be too risky for me to show up here.
Since there was nothing to see as of now, I decided to grab a quick bite and drive by one more time before I made the half-hour trip home. I’d been renting a house near where Taylor lived until I could find a place to buy.
The next time I returned to Blair’s house, there was a car parked in the driveway. Adrenaline pumped through my veins. Was it her car or her significant other’s? I had no idea if she lived here alone.
I parked around the corner, but at an angle where I could still see her house—as stalkers do. It was about four PM, and I told myself I’d stay until five. After opening the sandwich I’d bought at a drive-thru, I played some music to pass the time.
Just as I’d begun to worry I might doze off, I jumped at the sight of someone exiting her house. I squinted. It was her. Blair’s long blonde hair shifted in the wind, and she held the hand of a little boy.What the…I leaned inas she placed him in the backseat of the car and walked around to the driver’s side.
As she drove off, I scrambled to turn on the ignition and follow her. I slapped on sunglasses, hoping for a bit of disguise in case I caught up to her and she happened to look in the rearview mirror. She didn’t know what kind of truck I drove, though, I reminded myself.
When I spotted her car in front of me on the main road, I took a deep breath in and calmly followed. Maybe she was a nanny dropping this boy off somewhere. I needed to not draw any conclusions. Yet my heart pounded as various possibilities ran through my mind, the most far-fetched of which was unthinkable.
Blair slowed and pulled into a playground, and I continued past and parked in a spot far from the entrance. It had been a beautiful sunny day today, but the late afternoon light had mellowed. From a distance, I watched her help the kid out of the car before she walked with him over to the jungle gym in the middle of the play area.
Well, sitting in a playground parking lot hadn’t been on my itinerary today. I needed binoculars so I could get a close-up look. That would’ve officially sealed the stalker deal, I supposed. The longer I sat here, the more wrong I felt about spying. But now that the kid had further sparked my curiosity, there was no way I could leave.
As I continued to strain my eyes to see them, I realized hanging out in a truck at a playground didn’t exactly help someone stay under the radar. It was probably best to go back to my spot around the corner from her house. It wasn’t like I was going to confront her at the playground.And maybe there would be someoneelsethere if I returned to her place.
So, I drove back to Blair’s house. There was no other car parked in the driveway, but it was after five now; if she had a partner, they might be coming home soon. I needed gas to get home, so I drove to the gas station real quick before returning for one last pass by her house.
As I approached, I noticed her car in the driveway again.Crap. I cursed myself for missing the opportunity to see if she’d returned with the little boy or alone. I stopped down the block and leaned my head against the back of my seat, pondering what to do next.
But after a moment, I knew. Ihadto see her. It was now or never. Taylor would be back in a few days, and I needed to take advantage of this opportunity.
I moved my car to park in front of her house, took a deep breath, and walked up to her door. My stomach was in knots, and after I knocked, my heart pounded. It had only ever beaten this way for Blair, whether out of excitement or, as was the case now, fear of the unknown. I hoped she would forgive me for intruding on her privacy.
The door opened, and a look of absolute shock crossed her face. “What are you doing here?” Her voice shook.
This isn’t good.“I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “I needed to see you. And Taylor is away. So it was the best time to come without him seeing us together.”
She swallowed hard. “I told you I needed time before we talked.”
“I understand that. But it’s been a couple of weeks, and honestly, Blair, this situation is never going to be an easy one. I’m going out of my mind. I’ll leave if you reallywant me to, but…” I lost my train of thought as tears came to her eyes.
She shook her head. “You really shouldn’t have come.”
What the fuck?
I wanted so badly to ask her whose kid she’d been with today. But I couldn’t let her know I’d been following her. As I looked beyond her into the small house, though, it was quiet. “Can I please come in?”
Before she could answer, I heard tiny feet.
He’d come out of nowhere.
I looked down, and my eyes slowly widened as I caught my first glimpse of a face that looked very, very much like mine.
Chapter 23
