CHAPTER 23
CINDY

 

I was putting up Lily’s and my clothes from our shopping adventure with Nicole. It felt good to get out, especially after the long hours we had put in the past week. Lily was ecstatic about the new dress Nicole had bought her, and she was locked up in her room playing with the new toy she had to have the minute she saw it.

Which gave Nicole and me some time to talk.

“You know, this Daniel guy is really something.”

“Who?” I asked.

“The long-distance guy, the one I met when he came into the shop?” Nicole asked.

“You’re still talking to him?”

“Right? I mean, he would’ve usually been kicked to the curb a week ago, but things haven’t fizzled out yet.”

“The sex is really good, right?” I asked.

“That’s the thing. He hasn’t been back in town. He says he’s coming in the next couple of days, though, and I hope to give that massive dick a fun ride.”

“So, you haven't slept with him, and you’re still talking with him?” I asked.

“Don’t get me wrong, we do all sorts of things. Sexting. Phone sex. Video chats. The works. But he’s funny too.”

“Sorry. Forgive me if I’m in complete disbelief,” I said.

“Don’t worry. I’m the same way. But he’s a lot of fun to talk to. We were talking the other night, and he kept going on and on about how he loved my body. And I told him he could touch it when he came back to town if he wanted, and do you know what he said?”

“Hell, yeah?” I guessed.

“Nope. He said, ‘trust me, there’s more I want to do than touch.’”

“I don’t get it,” I said.

Then, Nicole pulled out her phone and showed me the pictures he had sent her, pictures of beautiful bouquets of flowers and high-end chocolates and beachfront properties in Bora Bora. Promises of whisking her away and treating her like the woman she is before doing things to her body I would never repeat in front of any other person.

And the smile on Nicole’s face was beaming. It lit up her entire face.

I’d never seen that before with her.

“Ah, so he’s a romantic,” I said.

“He’s kinky, got a big dick, and he likes treating a woman nice,” she said.

“I thought you didn’t care about romance.”

“You haven’t seen this man’s body.”

“Ah, so he’s gotta be chiseled too,” I said.

“It doesn’t hurt,” she said with a giggle.

I kept the conversation one-sided because Lily was still awake. I didn’t want to discuss anything about Graham in front of her in case she overheard. I wasn't thrilled that Nicole was talking as loud as she was, but behind the closed door of my room gave me a little more comfort. I was happy for my friend. This Daniel guy seemed to have really captured her somehow. I wasn’t sure how long it was going to last, but as long as Nicole was happy, then I was happy.

Nicole stuck around until it was time for Lily to go to bed. She kept talking my ear off about Daniel and all the funny things he’d said to her. Jokes and one-liners and things that made her blush. I laughed with her and sighed with her, and she opened up to me about how vulnerable she felt with him.

I was really happy for her, even if I knew she was a bit scared.

I tucked Lily in and kissed her good night. The poor thing was tired from shopping all day. I walked out of her room and shut the door before Nicole thrust a glass of wine into my hand.

Then, a knock came at the door.

“Hmm. I wonder who that could be,” Nicole said.

“I’ll be right back.”

My stomach rolled over on itself. I was hoping it was Graham. He had acted pretty weird the other day, and I had been worried about him. I hadn’t seen or heard from him since then, and I got the feeling that he was avoiding me.

But when I opened the door, my stomach dropped in disappointment.

“I see the party’s started without me,” Paul said.

“That Pauly I hear?” Nicole asked.

He held up a bottle of wine as Nicole held up her glass.

“You already emptied it?” I asked.

“Catch up, girl,” Nicole said.

“Mind if I come in?” Paul asked.

Reluctantly, I let him in. Nicole was obviously excited about the wine, and I didn’t want to make Paul feel bad. He had been coming around more, and I wasn’t always comfortable when he was around these days. His protectiveness toward me and Lily was shooting through the roof, and it was really grating my nerves, especially when he gave me the third degree about Graham.

“So,” Paul said. “Have you heard from the neighbor?”

“Neighbor? You mean Graham?” Nicole asked.

“No, I haven’t,” I said. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

“Whoa. I sense a story here,” Nicole said. “What happened?”

“He came over the other day and seemed pretty startled. He said he thought he heard someone yelling and came over to make sure Lily and I were okay,” I said.

“That doesn’t sound so bad. He was checking up on the girls,” Nicole said.

“He busted in without knocking on the door,” Paul said.

“It really wasn’t anything. He was acting a little strange like something had scared him, but he said he heard someone yelling. It would’ve scared me if I had heard someone yelling out in pain in the neighborhood.”

“I do that all the time in the backroom,” Nicole said. “Dropping boxes on my toes and shit.”

“I don’t know. It was odd, and I haven’t heard from him since. I hope he’s okay,” I said.

“He’s a big boy. I’m sure he’s fine,” Paul said.

“Do I sense a bit of tension there?” Nicole asked.

But all Paul did was glare at her.

“And that’s my cue to leave,” Nicole said.

“No, Nikki. Stay. Please,” I said.

I reached for her hand and pleaded with my eyes for her to stay. But she wasn’t picking up my cues.

“I shouldn't have any more wine anyway. Driving and all. Let me know if you hear from Graham. It doesn’t sound like anything weird happened. Just a guy concerned about you. It’s actually kind of sweet.”

“If you like random men coming through your front door,” Paul said.

I shot him a look as Nicole made her way to the front door.

“See you tomorrow at work,” she said.

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay? You don’t have to drink,” I said.

“If there’s wine, I’ll drink. See you in the morning. Love you.”

Then she was gone, and it was only Paul and me in the kitchen.

“Care for another glass?” he asked.

“I’m okay. Thanks, though.”

“You look like you’ve had a rough day. Are you sure I can’t get you anything?” he asked.

“I said I’m fine, Paul.”

“A massage, maybe? To relax you?”

“I said no.”

I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes. Why was Paul here? Why was he always here? I threw the rest of my wine back, put my glass on the kitchen table, and made my way to the couch. Paul followed me, his body heat radiating against my back. Why the hell was he always so close?

I sat down on the couch, and he sat so close our knees were touching. Then, his hand reached out for mine.

But I pulled it away before he could take it.

“What are you doing here, Paul?”

“I came to see how you were doing,” he said.

“Why didn’t you call? Why do you never call before you come over?” I asked.

“I didn’t know you wanted me to. I never have before.”

“It’s common courtesy to call and make sure someone’s home before you come over.”

“But you were home. I don’t see the issue.”

“Paul, you—”

“You look beautiful tonight, Cindy.”

I was flabbergasted as he reached down and picked up my hand.

“Paul, stop,” I said.

“Stop what?” he asked.

“This. All of this. Stop coming by unannounced a-a-and bringing wine. And dropping in on us to check up on us and grabbing my hand,” I said.

“I’m only making sure you guys are okay.”

“Does that require holding my hand or telling me I’m beautiful?”

“Women deserve to be complimented when the time is right. It’s obvious you’ve had a hard day, but you still look wonderful.”

“I haven’t had a hard day, Paul. I went shopping with my daughter and my best friend. It wasn’t hard until you showed up.”

I closed my eyes and drew in a deep breath as the couch beside me undulated.

“You wanted me to be Graham,” he said.

“What does that have to do with anything?” I asked.

“So, you don’t deny it.”

“Why does that matter to you if you’re only checking up on Lily and me?”

“Because it’s my job to protect you. I made that promise to my best friend, Cindy.”

“Then send a text message. Call me. It doesn’t require you to be over here multiple times a week, Paul.”

“Do you know anything about Graham?” he asked.

“I know he’s kind and considerate. He understands the pain I’ve been through and the vulnerability I still experience when I’m out and about. I know he gets along well with Lily, not that any of this is your business.”

“He’s a strange man who’s new to town. It sure as hell is my business.”

“Explain to me how that’s your business,” I said.

“Because if he hurts you or Lily, then I’ve failed Bradley.”

I sighed and felt my eyes water as Paul turned his back. Maybe I was reading too much into his behavior. Maybe he was only trying to protect me the best way he knew how. Paul had always been kind to me, wrapped me up in big hugs and listened to me whenever Bradley and I were having arguments. The three of us had always been close, yet I was acting like I was the only one who was hurt by all of this.

Maybe he was seeking closeness with me to get closer to Bradley.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“I miss him, too, Cindy,” Paul said. “Like you do.”

“I thought that you were—”

“It’s not always about you.”

He whipped around faster than I’d ever seen him move, and it caused me to jump back on the couch.

“Sometimes, me coming to see you isn’t always about you,” he said.

He put his wine glass down on the coffee table and walked to my front door. I watched him with wide eyes as guilt flooded my stomach. He was hurting. Aching. Missing his best friend and trying to get close to me to feel a little closer to him. I got up from the couch and rushed to the kitchen, trying to find a way to fix this, to tell him I was sorry for reading more into what he was doing than what there was.

“Paul, please. You don’t have to go,” I said.

“You need to realize who the good guy is here, Cindy. I know you’re lonely, and I know you’re confused. But keep your wits about you. If you don’t want me here, that’s fine, but that means you have to keep aware of your surroundings.”

I furrowed my brow at his comment as he shut the door behind him.

The good guy? Keep aware of my surroundings? What the hell did that mean? I felt shivers run up and down my back as I watched Paul get into his car and drive away. Was I in danger somehow?

Suddenly, I thought back to the night before when Graham had burst through my door. Had something really been going on and he had made up a cover story because Paul had been there? Did he know more than he was letting on?

I stepped out onto the porch and turned my head toward Graham’s house. All of his lights were off, and his truck wasn’t in his driveway. Where would he be at this time of night? Surely, the mechanic shop wasn’t still open. The wind whipped through the trees, rustling the grass as the crickets started to chirp. My body shivered as I went back inside, my hand slowly closing my kitchen door behind me.

And for the first time in years, I locked both the deadbolt and the doorknob.