More Gifts?
RENEE
“Have you considered what to do with the gifts?”
My busy hands froze. I turned to face Nicole with a raised brow, dropping the hairbrush I held on the dressing table.
“What do you mean?”
“You heard me, Renee. What plans do you have for the gifts? The flowers and the greeting card. Are you going to call him? You realize Robert is sending you these things, right?”
“I am aware.” I said, annoyed.
“Why don’t you call him? Remember you never thanked him for the ones he sent you in Miami? He was hurt because you never called.”
“I know, I know, I know! I called him last night.” I exclaimed a little too sharply as I continued, “I dialed his number, the one I’d been keeping, but it didn’t go through. So I’m confused, Nicole, and I’m not sure what to do.”
I returned my gaze to my best friend, expressing my concerns, and her brow furrowed. I could tell she was concerned about me.
She wanted what was best for me, and I wanted to do the right thing too, but it was all too complicated.
“The call didn’t go through?” Nicole inquired, and I shook my head negatively.
“Do you think he’s in the city?”
I shrugged. “I don’t think so. Perhaps he’s trying to mess with me. You saw from the card he misses me. He’s probably doing all of this to stay in touch and-”
“In touch? He’s doing that to keep in touch? What are you talking about, Renee? He wrote that he’s coming to get you in that same card. Did that sound like a man who only wants to keep in touch?” Nicole added sarcastically, “What did you think he meant when he said his patience was running out? Girl, I think he’s having some post-nut clarity and is only now realizing it.”
“What do you mean by post-nut clarity?” I asked, folding my arms and leaning back on the dressing table as if I hadn’t just been preparing to go to work earlier.
Nicole gave me a smirk. “Post-nut clarity is when a man realizes what he’s done after fucking a woman. Sorry, I’m crude, but I think your hot daddy Robert, has been doing a little rethinking. I think you’re going through it too. It’s been weeks, but still, I know you miss him. It’s evident in how you stare for hours at the portrait he gifted you. It’s why you’re always wearing the necklace he bought you, and you haven’t taken it off.”
My hands instinctively went to my collarbone, and a small smile stretched my lips as I caressed the shiny jewelry.
Nicole was right. I missed him, and I’d already acknowledged that. It was just…
“You yearn for him so much that you touch yourself every night when you think I’m asleep, and I hear you screaming for Robert and….”NôvelDrama.Org content rights.
“Nicole!” I blurted out, embarrassed. My cheeks burning red hot.
She laughed lightly and looked away with an amused smirk playing on her lips.
After I composed myself, I sighed. “So what should I do? I have no idea if he’s here in Orlando or if he’s playing some prank on me and sending me these gifts because he knows where I live.”
“How did he even know where you… oh.” Nicole trailed off, remembering why I’d quickly cut ties with Robert.
He’d done some background checks on me, so of course, he knew where I lived.
Besides, he was a billionaire with lots of instruments at his disposal, and he could do whatever he wanted. He could get whatever answer he needed.
“I don’t know anymore, Renee.”
“Exactly! I should forget about this and get ready for work. I’ve tried contacting him, but the line isn’t going through, so I’ll leave it at that. Maybe this is a sign.”
“And you don’t think he’ll come for you?” Nicole asked.
I just shrugged my shoulders for the umpteenth time that morning as I swiveled about, facing the dressing mirror. Dusting my face with some brown powder, I said, “Let’s get ready for work, Nicole. Time won’t wait for us, you know.”
“Hmmm, if you say so.” She obliged and the bed creaked as she got up.
Well, there goes that.
~~
I wiped my brows and stretched as I dumped the used dishes in the sink, yawning.
I was exhausted, my entire body ached, and my only relief was that my work time was over.
I’d gotten my extra tip from the manager, and now all I had to do was pack the dishes, grab my bag, wave goodbye, and exit through the back.
I continued to pack the dishes and leftovers, a small smile on my lips.
However I froze when I felt something-or someone-staring at me.
I could feel their eyes on my skin. Who was it?
It was boring a hole through me and my hands trembled.
I looked out the building’s transparent glass walls scanning the busy street, but I didn’t see anyone.
Nothing looked suspicious. Everyone appeared to be going about their typical day, walking around as they worked for their daily bread.
But even with everything appearing normal, I could still feel someone looking at me, and the stare was becoming more and more intense.
“Ouch…” I cursed as my palms brushed against the sharp edges of the knives I was putting away. Looking down, I quickly arranged everything and walked back to the kitchen.
My feet carried me as fast as they could. I stopped looking out the window. Instead, I focused on finishing my tasks and leaving the building as soon as possible.
It was getting late, and I needed to get home.
“Goodbye, Miranda. Goodbye, Sally.” I waved to the servers working the evening shift, and they waved back.
Whistling away as I exited the restaurant, I had on a cheery face as I tried to forget about the eerie feeling of being watched.
Walking through the busy road and whistling, the piercing ring of my cell phone had me faltering instantly.
My eyes darting around the street, I then stared down at the device and saw a familiar number flashing through.
The number I’d gotten rid of yesterday.
Dylan! He was calling me, and how did I know? Well, I’d memorized his number back when we were dating, and he’d been my emergency contact. He was my go-to person when I had trouble.
Too bad he never had any solutions.
I contemplated picking up the call for a second but it suddenly stopped ringing.
“Good riddance! Why the heck is that fool calling-”
Before I could finish my sentence, the phone vibrated in my hands. Staring down, I saw he was calling me again.
“What are you doing calling me, you moron?” I cursed rhetorically, my hands shaking. Clearing my throat, I straightened my shoulders.
I was going to pick up, and give him a piece of my mind, I was startled by a voice from behind.
“Good day, miss.”
A young lady, perhaps 18 or 19, waved at me with a smile.
With blonde hair and green eyes, she had a nice striking feature, but that wasn’t what intrigued me.
Her eyes seemed to dart about like she was looking for something.
Even though my phone was still ringing, I completely forgot about it. Instead, I faced this mysterious stranger on the busy streets and raised my brows in question.
I opened my mouth to say something, but before I could, she spoke. “Here. I was told to give you this.”
The lady held out what appeared to be a black gift bag. Instead of handing it to me gently, she thrust it into my hands and curtly stated, “That should explain it.”
“Wait? What do you mean? Who sent you? What exactly is this?” I asked, my lips quivering.
The lady took a few steps back, smirked, and pointed behind me. “There. He was standing there earlier, and…”
I didn’t get the final details of what she was saying because I abruptly turned around to see who she was referring to but saw nothing.
I turned back to face the lady and noticed I’d been tricked. She’d left.
I desperately searched for her amongst the multitude of people strolling the busy street, but she’d disappeared.
“What the…” I muttered, and the sound of my cell phone ringing again cut me out of my trance, but this time I was too distracted and angry to check who was calling though I highly doubted it was Dylan.
He rarely called more than twice, and even if he was the one calling, I was in no mood to talk, especially to him.
My whole body trembled as I swiped the decline button on the screen and stared at the black gift bag in my hands.
There could only be one plausible explanation for this, and it came in the form of a man who seemed to enjoy playing games with me.
I vaguely remembered someone watching me all day at the restaurant, and the dots were starting to connect.
Robert was in the city. Nobody could convince me otherwise.
He was having a fun time stalking and sending me gifts.
He did miss me, and likely ask me to meet him soon.
But for now, he wanted to watch me from afar like some crazed stalker Shockingly, my thighs tingled crazily at the thought.
“Cab!” I called out, waving my hands, and soon enough, a taxi stopped in front of me.
Gripping the gift bag tightly, without telling the driver where I was going, I opened the car’s door and blurted out sharply, “Just drive.”
I needed to leave. I needed to go home, and I needed to see whatever was in this bag.
I couldn’t wait any longer.