Cold Hearted Bachelor by Logan Chance
Twenty-Four
Vaughn
I’ve never been arrestedin my life. I’ve never been mugged either. I’ve never had a set of keys jabbed into my ribs by the girl I’ve been following all day. But there’s always a first time for everything.
“Hey,” I say, raising my hands in the air.
“Vaughn, what are you doing following me?” Paisley grabs my arm. “I almost hurt you.”
“With a key?” I laugh a little, staring at the key in her hand.
“Vaughn, answer me.”
“Look, I was worried about you so I decided to follow you today.” It’s a free country, right?
“You promise this is the only time you’ve followed me?” She stares up at me with her big baby blues.
I nod.
“I appreciate what everyone is doing for me. I really do.” She shakes her head.
“What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?”
She doesn’t smile, only glances around. “I'm just tired of this. I want to find this asshole once and for all.”
“Promise me you’ll let me help you.” I don’t want her getting any ideas on trying to help herself, or going after this person on her own.
For all we know it’s not someone she even knows, and some whack job guy who deserves to be in a looney bin. I won’t let her get hurt.
In fact, I need to take action into my own hands.
Who says I can’t pay a few people a little visit.
“Did I ruin your day?” I ask her.
She smiles wide, shaking her head. “No.”
I kiss her on the tip of her nose. It feels good being this way with her. Having my arms around her where they’ve always wanted to be. “What were your plans today? Maybe you want some company?”
“I was just going to look at furniture. Maybe pick out a couch. Want to come?”
I smile, my mind momentarily stunned when she asks the innocent question of if I want to come, and my dirty mind taking it to mean something else entirely.
It’s been a while since we’ve been together, and already my body misses her. I ache for her.
“Sure.” I smile, and I swear she smiles right back, realizing the faux pas.
But, I won’t bring it up, because if I do I won’t be able to get my head out of that place with her. That place where I’m happy and thinking about kissing her and touching her all night long.
So instead, I check the streets, to be certain no one is following us, and we head toward the furniture store where she was earlier.
For the next hour we look at couches, and more couches. I thought looking at sofas would be the worst time in my life, but doing it with Paisley only makes the experience...well, more.
I love hanging around her.
She makes me smile, especially when she lays across each couch, testing the comfort.
Which is different for me.
I think the attendant, Linda, has had about enough of us, and I finally tell Linda we’ll just look on our own.
“What do you think of this one?” I ask Paisley.
She rubs her chin. “Hmm, I never pictured me with a purple couch before, but the more I stare at it the more my house comes alive.”
“Remember, you’ll have a blue kitchen.” I don’t know much about designing, but I do know blue and purple don’t match very well. But who knows, maybe they do.
Sometimes I’ll think things don’t go together, but then somehow Paisley pulls it off. Paisley is the type of girl who can wear stripes and polka dots and make it look good. But I could be biased, because I think Paisley looks good in whatever she wears… or doesn’t wear.
She decides against the purple couch and we pick out a nice beige number, and after sitting on it together, snuggled for over fifteen minutes I squeeze her closer. “Maybe we should go.”
“No,” she squeezes my arm tighter, “just a few more minutes.”
“I can see this sofa in your house.”
She smiles, leaning forward so she can glance over her shoulder to look into my eyes. “So can I.”
“I can see me and you on this sofa together every night.”
“Really?”
I drop my arms from around her. “Yes.” I stand from the couch, missing every bit of relaxing there with her. “Should we go tell Linda this is the one?”
She smiles. “Ok.”
After I kiss Paisley goodbye,I head home for a quick shower and then I’m off to find this asshole who’s stalking her.
I’m going to start by chatting up her friend Colby.
I’m not a stalker, but I guess you can say I have some mad skills, because I found his number and called, asking to meet him at a local bar near his house.
I told him we needed to talk. Now, the thing about this guy and myself is we run in the same circles. You can’t be in construction and real estate without knowing a few of the same people.
I head into the bar earlier than when I tell him to meet me, mainly because I want to get the lay of the land. I want to make sure this guy doesn’t surprise me in any way.
I’ll be certain by the end of tonight that if this is the man messing with Paisley that it’ll end once and for all.
Colby walks into the bar. Sounds like the start of a corny joke.
He’s all cocky and arrogant in the way he walks, and talks.
He reaches out his hand to shake mine. “Vaughn, what’s up?” He steps closer to me, his beady brown eyes staring at me.
“Let’s get a drink and have a little chat.” We step up to the bar and order drinks.
Heineken for me.
Whiskey Sour for my boy, Colby.
I bet he thinks I’m here to offer him some job or something, and well, why wouldn’t he think that?
We make small talk for a bit, and he tells me how excited he is for Paisley.
I’m excited too. Of course, I am. Paisley has such an eye for design it all becomes clear that she should be doing this with her life instead of selling homes.
“Paisley’s a great girl,” I say and set my bottle of beer on the bar.
“I agree. She’s always been a major motivation for me.” Colby’s eyes transform to something like admiration. Or maybe it’s creepy fondness. Either way that’s what I’m here to find out.
“You and her never…” I let my words fall away but my implication is loud and clear.
Colby rushes a hand through his hair. “God, no. I would never. She’s a great girl and all, but you’re more my type than she is, if you know what I mean.” Now it’s time for his words to fall away and let his implication ring true.
“Oh.” I’m absolutely speechless. I was positive Colby had some sort of thing for Paisley. How had I read this guy so wrong?
I think I just let my feelings for Paisley cloud my judgement. But, apparently she trusts this guy, so I decide to level with him. “Listen Colby,” I start. “Paisley’s been having some issues.”
There’s clear worry etched on his face. “What’s going on?”
I tell him the whole story, leaving no stone unturned. He listens as I explain everything happening with Paisley and our company.
When I finish he takes a sip of his drink. “I can’t believe this is happening to her. And you guys have no clue?”
I shake my head. “None. Is there anyone at work? Or someone you know?”
Colby thinks for a long second and then scoots a little closer. “Chat with Paisley about her boss.”
“Her boss?”
“He’s got a very jealous wife, maybe something is going on there.”
“Thanks, I’ll look into that.” I sit and debate on if a jealous wife could be the reason Paisley is having issues. But, what kind of person could cost Spencer and I work?
I bid Colby a good night, and head out after dropping some money on the bar to cover the drinks.
I walk out of the bar and head to my truck in the lot. Before I even make it there, headlights flash in my direction.
The next thing I know, a car hauls ass in my direction. I stop, wondering which way I should go, knowing I’m blocked in between a wall and a car.
The car at the last second turns, and I try to get the license plate, but there’s too much dust and dirt flying up from the parking lot.
Fucker.
Well, I now know Colby isn’t our guy.
I rush to my truck, starting up the engine as quickly as possible, trying to follow the black car.
Once I get onto the main street it’s like it’s up and vanished. Instead of heading home, I head in the direction of Paisley’s parents’ house.
I just have to see if she’s ok.
