Chapter Nine

Noah

My eyes suddenly flutter open. The room is in darkness. My body feels like it’s a damn gummy worm. I stretch my arms out to find Kaleigh, coming up empty. I rise up, my eyes adjusting to the darkness. I slowly climb to my feet. I walk to the kitchen to see if maybe she is there. After looking there and the bathroom on that floor, I make my way upstairs to my bedroom. Nothing. With my hands on my hips, I go see if maybe she is in the bathroom upstairs.

“There is no way she took off,” I say to the room, because the truth is, deep down inside I know she bailed. I run back down the stairs, looking out to see that her car is long gone. Walking to the kitchen, I pick up my phone and send her a text.

Where are you?

I toss the phone on the counter, walking to the fridge, opening it up, and grabbing the orange juice. After drinking from the container, I close the light and make my way upstairs, slipping into bed. I look up at the ceiling as I remember the night. It was beyond my wildest dreams. I’ve had sex so many times I can’t begin to count, but with Kaleigh it was like taking the roller coaster ride for the first time. The anticipation, your stomach dipping when it starts to climb, and then the scream when it finally plummets. Raising your hands in the air, letting the wind run through your hair. She knocked me on my ass. I swear. I couldn’t feel my knees and it’s a good thing that rug was there because I might have broken my kneecap. But why leave? I turn over, looking out the window. I mean, I’ve dipped and left before, sneaking out. Fuck, once I left my fucking shoes in the apartment and never went back. I don’t have time to think of anything else because sleep comes to take me. Waking three hours later, I roll over, shutting off the alarm.

My morning routine is much the same: run, shower, shave, leave. Walking downstairs, I pick up the discarded condom, tossing it in the garbage can. I go back, picking up the chocolate and whipped cream, tossing them out also. I check my phone to see if I got any messages and nothing. My message was delivered, but nothing about it being read. I shake my head, grabbing the fruit baskets and buckling them in the car.

Once I arrive at the office, I get out and call over the parking assistant, asking him to have the three fruit baskets delivered to the floor. Once I toss him my keys, my phone beeps in my pocket. I pull it out and see it’s from Kaleigh.

Had to get home. Had fun. Let’s catch up soon!

Did she just blow me off? I throw my head back and laugh. This is going to be fun.

Yup, catching you is exactly what I look forward to doing. Have a great day, beautiful.

“Take that,” I say out loud in the elevator while the three other people I don’t know look over at me.

When I get to my floor I walk out and see Tara, the receptionist.

“Good morning, beautiful.” I smile at her. “Pepe from downstairs will be delivering three fruit baskets for all of you as a thank you for all the hard work everyone does.”

She crosses her hands on her desk, her smile lighting up. “Well, aren’t you the sweetest,” she purrs out.

“You know me.” I wink at her, walking toward Harvey’s office. I find him drinking his coffee while he reads something on the computer.

“I had the best night ever,” I tell Harvey as I throw myself into a chair facing his desk.

“Do tell.” He puts his cup down and turns to me. “We all live vicariously through you!”

“A gentleman never kisses and tells,” I say, fixing my tie. My eyes shoot up to his when I hear him laughing. “What?”

“Um. You are no gentleman. You not only kiss and tell, you show pictures and give details. Details, we don’t necessarily want.” He leans back in his chair.

“Well, not with this one. All I’m saying is I think someone swept me off my feet. Literally.” I’m about to continue when my phone rings and I see it’s my client.

“Sal,” I say into the phone, getting up and saluting Harvey while I walk out. “What’s going on?”

“I found another club I want to buy.” Sal is what you call a connoisseur of strippers and money. This will be his tenth club that he has bought in two years. He buys run-down clubs and brings them up to another level.

“How is this not a surprise?” I walk into my office. “Aren’t you supposed to be on vacation?” I ask him, thinking of our last conversation we had last week.

“I am and then this fell into my lap.” He laughs at his own joke. “I’m going to email you the specifics. Make it happen.” He hangs up without giving me a chance to answer him.

I scroll to my phone book, getting the florist’s number. I press call and then put it to my ear.

“Flowers Bloom in the Morning, Savannah speaking. How can I help you?” The owner’s voice answers on the second ring.

“Savannah, Noah here.”

“Oh, dear, what did you do now?” she asks me, knowing I only go to her in dire need.

“Actually, this time I’m the one who was wronged.” I breathe out. “She took what she wanted and left me,” I say, looking out the window at the sun, “like I was a piece of meat.”

“You don’t say,” Savannah says like she is impressed.

“So I’d like to send her ten dozen roses. All pink. A dozen every hour.” I look at my watch, seeing that it’ll be way past closing time. “Actually, two dozen every hour.”

“Hold on, let me get this straight,” Savannah says. “She used you, you are the wronged party, and yet you’re sending her flowers? Has hell frozen over?” She laughs out loud.

“Don’t know what it is about her, but I want to let her know I’m still thinking about her.” I smile, picturing her face when she gets the flowers.

“I have your credit card on file. I’ll send them in a bit,” she says, disconnecting as soon as I give her the address.

I place my phone down and start my day. I check my emails and messages, and by the time I look around, it’s two hours later. I’ve gotten Sal’s proposal all ready. I just pressed send on the email when my phone beeps next to me.

Oh my, thank you for the flowers, they are beautiful 

I smile, knowing that I got her.

Not as beautiful as you. Have dinner with me? Actual food.

Her reply comes right away.

Sorry. I have plans, maybe another time.

She has plans. What fucking plans?

See you later.

I get up, making my way out of the office. Walking past the receptionist, I tell her I’ll be out most of the day. Once I get home, I go straight to my closet. What does one wear on a stake-out? Should I go full black or should I do camo?

Picking up my phone, I call the only person who would be able to answer all these question. John. My other best friend, Austin’s business partner.

“Hey, what are you doing?” I ask once he picks up.

“Having lunch with Austin while he stares at Lauren’s desk.” He starts laughing at the groaning that is coming from Austin.

“You need to just ask her out and end this dry spell. Jesus, your dick must think you died at this point,” I tell them as I toss clothes on my bed. “I have a serious matter,” I finally say when I toss my old black Doc Martens that I bought in high school when I went as a punk rocker. “I need to go on a stake-out. Should I go all black or camo?”

“Why the fuck are you going on a stake-out?” Austin asks while John answers, “Green.”

“So the girl I had dinner with, she took off on me,” I say as I see if I have a dark duffel bag.

“Your dick scared her away?” Austin laughs as he fills John in on the conversation we had yesterday.

“It wasn’t like that,” I cut in. “She loved the D, but I fell asleep. I don’t know what she did, but she fucking drained me.” I put my hands on my hips.

“Why don’t you just ask her out again, like a normal fucking human person?” John asks.

“I tried that, but she said she has plans tonight.” I walk to the closet, taking out the binoculars I have there.

“Oh, shit,” Austin cuts in. “You totally got Noah’d.”

Then they both laugh.

“Ha-ha-ha, so funny,” I say dryly. “Seriously, though, what should I wear?”

“You should wear a white straight jacket from Bellevue,” John says, laughing. “What happens if she finds you and calls the cops on you?”

I shrug my shoulders. “I’m going to win her with my charm,” I say. “So camo it is. Hurry up, I have to go Google map the place where she works.”

Austin finally picks up the phone. “Noah, seriously, you can’t do this, it’s crazy.”

“What would you do if you had the best sex of your life and she walked out on you? Would you let Lauren walk out of your life?”

“No,” he hisses out. “Send us the info. We will meet you there.”

“Squad,” I say, hanging up the phone. I rush to my office where I pick up the Google earth map. I see there is a little park in front of her studio. “This can work.” I print out the map and send a picture to both of them via text.

Austin answers right away. Be there at four. Don’t go before.

I look at the clock and see I have three hours to spare. I walk back into my room where I undress and shower. “Power nap,” I tell myself. As soon as I finish the shower I set the alarm, making sure I’m up when John and Austin get there.

I toss and turn the whole time, sleep never coming for me. When I hear the doorbell at four o’clock, I know it’s them. I run down the stairs, opening the door. They both stare at me with open mouths.

“Have you gone insane?” they ask me while they take in my appearance. I might have overdone it. I’m wearing black jeans, a black turtleneck, a black jacket, my black Doc Martens, and a black beanie.

“I need to blend in,” I tell them. “Go change.” I point upstairs to my room. “We leave in ten minutes. Let’s go.” I push them up the stairs.

They both go to my closet, coming out in jeans and green shirts.

“We need black under our eyes,” I say, walking to the bathroom, taking out my shoe shine kit. I get up, smearing it under my eyes. “How does this look?” I ask the boys.

“Like you lost your fucking mind,” John says. “Did she suck your brains out of your dick?”

“Don’t talk about her like that.” I point at John. “Now put some on, you look too polished.”

I look at Austin. “You look fine with all those fucking bags under your eyes. You are just fine.” I pick up the duffel bag, and clanging comes from it.

“What is in there?” John asks.

“It’s our go-to bag,” I say, walking out, going to the car.

They both get in the car, putting on their seat belts. “What exactly is a go-to bag?”

“A knife, an ax, a bottle opener, a crow bar, a hammer, flask oils, candles, matches, some string. Oh, and a bell.”

I look at them from the side, their eyes blinking, their mouths opening and closing. “Are we going to kidnap her?” John says from the back. “Dani’s going to fucking kill me.”

I look at him through the rearview mirror and think that his wife, Dani, will kill me first then him.

Austin tries to talk but nothing comes out. “A bell?”

“Well, yeah, in case we have to alert each other we can ring the bell.” My eyes roll. “Oh, look, parking right in the front.”

“So we are undercover, but you’ll park in front of her business?” John says, looking around once he gets out. The park behind us has kids running around, a couple of dogs barking. It’s a family friendly area.

“Grab the bag for me,” I tell him as I get out, crouching till I get behind the car and sit on the sidewalk. “Did anyone see me?”

“We need to contact fucking Bellevue,” they say to me while they stand there out in the open. “And I’m not touching that fucking bag. Did you bring gloves?” they ask.

I smack my head. “Forgot the gloves on the counter.” I grab them by the hands, yanking them down. “She might see you,” I say right before a woman walks by us with her dog, holding on to her purse trying not to stare at us.

“Okay, let’s move,” I say, getting up on my feet, and duck, walking to the park. I sneak in between the bushes that line the street.

“I think I just touched dog shit,” John says. “This is on another level even for you.” He crawls behind me, followed by Austin.

“What’s that smell?” Austin asks, dry heaving.

“It’s shit and piss,” John hisses out. “I’m a grown ass man and I’m crawling in a fucking park with a man who needs to be in a straitjacket.”

“Okay, belly crawl is easier. Less people will stare.”

“I can guarantee someone has already alerted the cops,” Austin says breathlessly. “It’s fucking broad daylight. We should have just waited in the car.”

I stop crawling. “Why didn’t you bring this up before?” I ask him, thinking that would have been a better and cleaner idea.

Austin looks like he is about to lunge for me, but a soccer ball comes in our direction, hitting John on the leg. A little girl walks over, about to scream for help.

“Can,” she stutters, “can I have the ball back?” She runs to get the ball and then screams while she runs away from us.

“Okay, we are in position,” I say, opening the bag and grabbing the binoculars, getting on my belly and peering through two shrubs to see the door to Kaleigh’s studio straight ahead.

“What are we looking for?” John asks, trying to look through the hole in the shrubs.

“A blonde,” I tell them, trying to spot her inside. All I see is someone sitting behind the desk.

“Do we even know if she’s here?” Austin asks while smacking a bug that has landed on his forehead. “I really fucking hope there is no poison ivy. Scratch that. I hope there is and I hope you are the only one who rolled in it.” He squeezes his head next to mine, trying to look out.

My head shoots up. “Where else would she be? I mean, people now work till five p.m.”

“Are you saying I rolled in shit and we don’t even know if the woman is here?” John says, standing up, his head going above the shrubs. Austin grabs his hand, yanking him down.

I’m about to say something when a car door has us all holding our breaths along with the beep from the locking of the door. Right in front of us. We look at each other, our eyes going wide.

The footsteps go away from us and I look out just in time to see Kaleigh running across the street to her studio, her long hippy skirt flowing through her legs.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Austin says. “It’s Lauren’s sister. You have got to be kidding me.”

“Oh, this isn’t good at all. Her sister works for us. Can you imagine the law suit?” John shakes his head. “If we get away with this, I’m going to kick your ass.”

“I’m always there for you guys, now focus. She said she couldn’t see me tonight because she has plans.”

“She probably sensed that you were about to go all Jack Nicholas on her and ran for the hills.”

“Shush, she’s coming out,” I say as she walks out with two bouquets of roses in her hand. “Don’t say anything,” I whisper.

They both look at me as if they are going to kill me. We watch Kaleigh put the flowers in her car and then drive off. I put the binoculars back in the bag, rushing up. “Let’s go follow her.”

I’m getting up to run, but my foot had fallen asleep, so I fall on my knees while Austin and John grab me. We run through the shrubs, this time all getting in the car. I put the key in the ignition and am about to drive off when I see lights in my rearview mirror. Red and blue. “Shit just got real.”