“I’ll be waiting.”
Everything in this boutique is outrageously priced, including the dress I’m wearing, but I’ll empty my bank account for this beauty because I know Ben will love it.
The silky black material swoops indecently low on my back, and as I turn to check the other side, a phantom palm, Ben’s exact size, warms the bare skin there, as if he’s guiding me like he used to. I shiver at the tingly sensation and bite my lip in anticipation of the real thing tonight.
“What do we think?” the saleswoman asks.
I answer her dreamily. “This is the one.”
“Great! I’ll ring you up while you change.”
“Thank you.”
I have a small sachet of new lingerie, which I slip into the dress bag as I’m leaving the store, and run straight into a man who’s just entered. “Sorry.” He’s tall and slender, wearing a baseball cap, and his sunglasses are aimed at me. That tingling in my spine starts at my neck and trickles down. “Annie?”
It takes me a few more seconds to place him, but then I realize he’s the social worker at Sunny Hill. “Oh. Hi. Noah, right?”
“Yeah. Good to see you.” He holds the door open, but doesn’t leave me much room. “After you, darlin’.”
“Thanks.” I offer a smile as I pass. “Have a good weekend.”
“You, too. See you soon.”
Air swooshes out of my lungs, my heart pounds, and I shake my head. He wasn’t there to stalk me. It was just a guy I work with shopping. I really need to stop being so scared. Ben won’t let anything happen to me. I know that.
My phone vibrates, and I jump out of my skin, but fear disappears when I see it’s Ben. “Hi, Benny.”
“Hey, Blue.” He sounds weird.
When he doesn’t continue, I take that as my cue. “What are you doing? Everything okay?”
“Yeah. I just dropped Mazie off. Wish you were there.” On my way to the Agency.”
“Are you mad at me that I didn’t go?”
“No, not at all. I just miss you.”
My belly warms. “I miss you too. How was her class?” I can’t wait to see how Ben is with her. I already know he spoils her rotten.
“Loud and pink, but she’s cute, so it’s worth it.”
“I bet all the moms spent more time looking at you than the class.” I let out a soft chuckle, just picturing it
“You jealous, Blue?”
“Do I need to be?” I stop at the crosswalk and am waiting for the orange hand to switch to the white stick figures.
“Hell no, baby.Hell no.”
I hope nobody’s looking at me because I can tell the grin on my face rivals the Joker’s. “I’m kidding.”
“I’m not. What are you doing?”
The light changes, and I cross. “I just went shopping.”
“You did? Where?”
“I walked down Meridian to—”
