"Among other things," I add. Like the fact that she's become a borderline obsession of mine and despite doing everything I can, I can't get her out of my head. Every thought circles back to her. Would she like this? Would she prefer that? What would she think of this restaurant? Has she ever been to Venice? I find myself internet stalking her, and on occasion, in real life stalking her.
I know her drink order at the coffee shop near her work, the sections in a bookstore she gravitates toward, the type of salts she uses in her bath.
Okay, so I broke into her parents’ house and went through her things...sue me.
I thought stalking her to find out more about her would help satiate my obsession with her but all it's done is fuel it even more.
"That, too," she says, distracting me from my rampant mind.
"How about tomorrow after you get off work?"
"Yeah, I mean, I don't have anything else going on. I was going to see if June wanted to get together, but I can do that Tuesday."
"We can do another day if you'd like."
"No. No. I'm good with tomorrow." A car horn blares on her end.
"Where are you? Do you need a ride?"
"I'm just outside the Haven District. I'm not too far from my house."
"Cora...that's still a far walk. I can send a car right now."
"Really, Miller. I'm fine. I've been trying to get my steps in any way."
When Cora isn't at the office, she spends her workdays walking million-dollar apartments and home goods stores to pick out the perfect pieces for her clients. She quite literally does nothingbutwalk. Another lie I can't quite question her about.
"If you change your mind, I'm a call away."
"Thank you. I appreciate it." She clears her throat. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to know anyone at the DMV, do you?"
"I do actually, why? What's up?"
"I can't seem to find my wallet and it had my ID in it. Being that it's Sunday and I have work all week..."
I cut her off. "Say no more. I'll have it taken care of immediately. Did you lose anything else?"
She sighs. "Just some cash...and my credit card."
"Call and have it shut off as soon as you can. I'll handle everything else and let you know when it's on the way."
"Thank you, Miller. I really appreciate it."
"Of course. Anything for you." I realize the second I say it how forward that must have come out. I ache for her to understand the lengths I'd go for her, but I don't want to come across as too much, too soon.
"What did you have in mind for tomorrow?"
"I was thinking of The Palazzo. I can send a car to get you from work?"
"Oh wow," she says. "I've heard that place is super exclusive."
"We can go somewhere else if you prefer."
Marjorie walks past the open windows of the boardroom with a stack of folders in her grasp. She's entirely too old to still be working, especially in a place like this. I'm going to have to do some digging and see why they haven't retired her yet.
"The Palazzo sounds wonderful." Cora's line cuts out a little and for a second it sounds like she's running. "Miller?"
"Yeah?"
