Blind Date(38)

He keeps ignoring me.

"I'm speaking to you!" I snap.

He glances at me again. "I'm keeping you safe, Hartley."

"No," I growl, frustrated. "You're acting like a jealous, overprotective boyfriend right now. That isn't protection. You could have spoken kindly to him, or let me answer the phone with you nearby. Instead you took the jerk route … "

He makes an angry sound in his throat. "Be careful."

I shake my head. "You're out of line."

He narrows his eyes and we glare at each other for what feels like a solid minute, neither of us breaking. I'm angry, and I have the right to be. A knock at the door distracts me from wanting to throttle Ace, and I walk over to it, swinging it open to see Jacob standing outside. The second he sees me, he steps forward and wraps me in a giant hug. "Are you okay?"

I let my arms fall around his waist, and I glance over at Ace, who is glaring at us, mostly me.

"I'm okay. I just had a bit of a long night."

Jacob pulls back and looks down at me, and I adjust the casual white halter dress I'm wearing to make sure it hasn't ridden up. "You look exhausted. What happened?"

"That's police business," Ace says from his corner in the kitchen, not saying hello or even trying to use manners.

Jacob scowls at him, before looking back down at me. "Can you at least tell me if you're safe?"

"I'm  …  safe as I can be," I answer.

"I don't like this, Hartley. I don't like being kept in the dark about your safety."

Okay.

This is a little intense, considering the man and I barely know each other. I do feel a little guilty though. I haven't spent a good deal of time with Jacob, and I haven't actually thought a great deal about him when we aren't together. I know, deep down in my heart, that my emotions aren't truly there for him. Granted, I'm hardly making a big effort, but when I'm with Ace, I feel it, right down to my toes. I don't feel that with Jacob. Will that come? Is it just because I'm not getting enough time to truly know him?

I'm not sure. It's a little confusing.

"Not your concern, I've got her covered," Ace throws in again before I even get the chance to answer Jacob.

Gosh.

This is getting weird. Anyone would think it's a competition between the two men, but that isn't the case, since Ace barely likes me. 

"I'm sorry, I wish I could tell you more but I can't," I say to Jacob.

"You should have called and told me something was wrong."

I give him a "whoopsie" expression, and chew on my bottom lip for a moment before answering with, "Sorry. I've just been really stressed."

What a terrible, terrible answer.

Even I wouldn't believe it.

It sounds like I'm palming him off. Hell, maybe I am.

I don't know.

"I understand," he sighs, eyes flicking to Ace again before coming back to me. "Please at least keep me updated. I'm worried."

I nod. "Of course, thanks for checking in on me."

He leans down, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "I have to get to work. Call me later, okay?"

"Okay."

He gives Ace one more look, then disappears out the door. I turn, and Ace is already opening his mouth. I put up one finger and mutter, "Don't even start."

He closes his mouth.

Smart man.





FIFTEEN


Stretching, I walk out of the hospital where I just did an eight-hour training shift with some senior midwives. I'm exhausted, after such a short time, and I know it'll take years to build up the stamina some of those older ladies have. It's incredible how they can work around the clock, on their feet all day, using their hands constantly. I take my hat off to them, it can't be easy.

I walk out the front doors and turn left, making my way towards the parking lot a few blocks down where I'm parked. I don't use my old car a great deal, because I'm so close to everything and finding a parking spot can be difficult at times, but Ace prefers me to drive instead of using public transportation at this time so I agreed. I'm looking forward to going home and getting a good night's sleep. I haven't slept for the past week and even though Ace has put new locks on, and I've had no more strange occurrences since, I still don't feel at ease. I still find it hard to settle in at night.

Ace thinks it's a good sign nothing more has happened since the locks have been changed, but I still don't feel right. I always feel as though someone is watching me. Jacob told me I'm imagining it, and that it's probably just leftover paranoia from the scare I had, but I just can't shake the feeling that it's more than that. It doesn't matter how hard I try to rationalize it in my head, I don't feel any better.

It's been raining again tonight, and the sidewalk is slippery as I walk down towards the parking lot. I reach it and am just moving around to the driver's door of my car when I step in something that looks a little like oil. I slip right away, hands going out to try to stop myself. I miss and come crashing down onto the hard ground, my ankle twisting angrily beneath me.