“Oh, Casper, I think I’ve made a huge mistake.”
He tilted his head in silent question.
She swallowed audibly, her eyes moving from his face down to the equipment and then back to him again. “I was worried.” She dragged her tongue over her lips. “I… I wanted to know how to improve my security, and that’s why I called Leo. But this… I knew you were designing an advanced system… but this… this is overwhelming. Too much. Maybe I just overthought the feelings of being watched?—”
“Gentlemen, please continue to unload the equipment. Ms. Thorton and I will be right back.” He ushered her down the hall and into her bedroom. Once they were in the privacy of her bedroom, Casper turned to face her fully, his expression calm but attentive. "Tell me what's going through your mind."
Willow wrapped her arms around herself, her gaze darting toward the window before returning to his face. "All of this equipment, the military-grade systems, the backup communications… it's making this feel so much more real and terrifying than I expected. What if I'm just some paranoid woman who's been living alone too long? What if those feelings of being watched were just my imagination running wild? What if the roses left are really just some sweet fan who?—”
"Willow, look at me." His voice was gentle but firm. When her eyes met his, he continued. "Your instincts told you something was wrong. Those same instincts kept our ancestors alive for thousands of years. They're not something to dismiss or second-guess."
She bit her lower lip. "But what if I'm overreacting? This level of security makes it seem like I'm expecting some kind of military assault."
"Better to have protection you don't need than to need protection you don't have," he said quietly. "And here's something most people don't understand about stalkers… they escalate. What starts as watching from a distance becomes closer surveillance. What begins as hang-up calls progresses to showing up at your location. The behavior rarely stays static."
Her shoulders sagged slightly. "You really think someone is threatening me?"
"I think you've had consistent experiences over months that follow a clear pattern. I think your subconscious picked up on threats your conscious mind was trying to rationalize away." He stepped closer, his presence reassuring rather than overwhelming. "The fact that you called for help shows good judgment."
"It just feels like so much."
"The system is comprehensive because it needs to be. But once it's installed, you won't notice most of it from day to day. You'll have peace of mind knowing that if someone does try to approach your property or your house, you'll have warning and immediate response capability."
Willow took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. Some of the tension eased from her posture. "You really think I did the right thing?"
"I think you listened to your gut instinct and took action to protect yourself. That takes courage, not paranoia." His expression softened. "And if it turns out there was no real threat, then you'll have an excellent security system and the confidence that comes with knowing you can handle whatever comes your way."
She hesitated, so he prodded, “What else is on your mind?”
She dropped her chin and appeared to be studying her socked feet for a moment. Finally, lifting her gaze, she continued. “I love this house. But it probably won’t be myforever home. I have no idea how long I’ll be here. Does it make sense to alarm it so heavily?”
He nodded. "Yes, it does." Seeing her head jerk back slightly, he added, "Look, Willow. I'm going to be honest. Last night, I watched a couple of episodes of your show."
Her eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"I wanted to understand what I was dealing with, who might be fixated on you. And after watching those episodes, it wasn’t hard to figure out how you became so popular. That kind of recognition doesn't fade, even years later. No matter where you live—here, California, New York, anywhere—you should have comprehensive security." He paused, his expression serious. "And if you do sell this place eventually, you'll be giving the next owners a gift. Most people would love to have this level of protection."
A slow grin spread across her face, and a pink blush crept up her neck. "You watched my show?"
Now it was his turn to feel heat rise in his cheeks. He cleared his throat, suddenly finding her bedroom carpet fascinating. "Yeah, well... it was research."
"Research," she repeated, her grin widening. "What did you think of teenage me?"
"I thought," he said, finally meeting her eyes again, "that whoever's been watching you probably fell in love with Rose over fifteen years ago and never got over it."
She sucked in a quick breath. They remained quiet for a moment, then she nodded slowly. Straightening her shoulders, she reached out and took his hand in hers, giving a little squeeze. “Thank you.”
The feel of her hand in his sent shock waves up his arm, but he tamped down the desire to pull her in for a hug. “No thanks needed, Willow. We’ve got this, right?”
Nodding, she agreed. "Okay. Let's go see what other impressive technology they're installing in my house." She let go of his hand, and he immediately missed the touch.
They walked side by side down the hall to where Mark and Michael were setting out more of the equipment they would install.
“Okay, teach me about my new system,” she declared, her voice stronger.
"These window sensors are pressure-sensitive," Michael explained to Willow as she observed his work on the living room's large window. "They'll detect if someone tries to cut the glass or remove the entire window frame."
"How sensitive are they?" Willow asked, her curiosity evident. "I don't want them going off every time the wind picks up."
