Chapter 013

~ Michelle ~

“Excuse me?” I finally said after a few seconds, stepping back cautiously.

This was… unsettling and so damn scary.

He raised a brow, adjusting his shirt while his eyes darted to the company entrance behind me, as if expecting someone.

“I suppose you don’t know me since we haven’t officially met,” he said. I took another step back, unease tightening in my chest.

The coincidence was unnerving. Just as I’d received another cryptic note from my stalker talking about “our meeting,” I ran into a stranger—one who apparently knew me.

“I’m Richard, Jack’s boyfriend. I’m guessing you’re Michelle?” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips. A wave of relief coursed through me, and I placed a hand on my chest.

“Christ, you scared me. I was thinking of calling the cops. Yeah, I’m Michelle,” I muttered. He laughed, shaking his head.

“That’s definitely not necessary,” he replied, his gaze still flickering behind me.

I raised a brow. “How did you know it was me?” I asked, genuinely curious. As far as I remembered, I’d never met Richard, not even after he started dating Jack.

Jack and I had once planned to meet him during lunch, but life had gotten too busy for us to follow through.

Richard gave a nonchalant shrug. “Jack talks about you a lot—vividly. The moment you walked out of the building, I just knew,” he said, and I laughed nervously.

Wow. That was... flattering? Strange? I wasn’t sure.

“So, I guess you’re waiting for Jack?” I asked, and he nodded, slipping his hands into his pockets.

“Yeah. I didn’t tell him I’d be here because he said he’d be leaving work early today. I wanted to surprise him,” he said, a faint blush coloring his cheeks.

“That’s sweet. He’ll definitely be surprised,” I said with a laugh. It was clear Jack had found someone who cared deeply for him. He must’ve told Richard how much he loved surprises.

A small ache tugged at my chest, but I shoved it aside. I was happy for Jack—I really was.

“Rich?” Jack’s voice came from behind me, and I turned around to see him staring at us, his eyes lighting up.

“What are you doing here? You didn’t say you were coming,” he said, his tone a mix of surprise and delight.

“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I did,” Richard teased, pulling him into a hug. Jack poked his arm and then turned to me.

“I see you two have met,” he said, his brows raised in a silent question.

“Yeah. Your boyfriend recognized me from all those vivid descriptions you’ve apparently been giving,” I teased.

Jack rolled his eyes. “Oh, please.” He looped his arm through Richard’s, and the two exchanged a silent look—a private conversation passing between them.

“We’re grabbing dinner. Want to come along?” Richard asked, breaking the moment.

I shook my head so fast I feared it might snap off. “No, no. I’d just be a third wheel,” I said quickly.

Richard raised a brow. “Who said you’d be a third wheel?”

I let out a laugh. “We all know that’s what happens when a friend tags along on a date.”

Jack mumbled something I couldn’t make out, but I waved them off with a polite smile.

“Thanks for the offer, but I need to head home and rest. Maybe another time.”

The truth was, I was drained. Two notes from my stalker in one day, an unexpected pitch at work, and a new project to manage—it was all too much. At this point, my bed was calling louder than anything else.

Richard shrugged. “Alright, peach. See you tomorrow. Sweet dreams!” he said, blowing a kiss my way.

I flipped him off playfully as the two walked away, arm in arm.

I watched them board a cab and leave before letting out a long sigh and heading to my car. Home. I just needed to get home.

\---

“Sweetie!” Barbara’s voice rang out the moment I stepped into the living room.

I had braced myself for anything, which was the only reason I stayed standing when she launched herself at me.

“I missed you!” she said, finally letting go and sniffing the air. “And you smell amazing.”

Rolling my eyes, I asked, “You’re cooking? What’s on the menu? I’m starving.”

As if on cue, my stomach growled loudly. When last did I eat? I wasn't even sure I'd eaten anything for the whole of the day.

“Ouch. Nothing for me? No ‘I missed you too, Barbie’?” she said, closing the door behind me while I walked farther into the living room.

I flopped onto the couch with a sigh. “I missed you too. Now, what are you cooking? It smells really amazing.”

Her pout was almost comical. “It was supposed to be a surprise!”

I raised a brow. “You made it pretty obvious when you commented on how good I smelled.”

“Fine. But you weren’t supposed to know!” she huffed, planting her hands on her hips.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in the kitchen?” I asked suspiciously. Barbie never left the kitchen for a minute if she was cooking, so this was... Surprising.

Her grin widened. “So, I found out we have a new neighbor—and he’s gorgeous.”

I arched a brow, dreading where this was headed. “We? Last I checked, you moved out.”

She waved me off dismissively. “That's not necessary,”

“Were you going to tell me?” she pressed, narrowing her eyes at me.

“Yes. Now, can we talk about this after dinner? I’m literally having a foodgasm right now,” I said, leaning back on the couch.

She smirked. “Well, I’m not the one cooking. Your neighbor is.”

I stared at her, certain she’d lost her mind.

“Barbara. Please tell me you’re joking.”

“Do I look like I’m joking? And P.S., he looks really sexy in an apron,” she added with a wink.

Before I could respond, a chuckle came from behind me.

I froze. 

“Dinner is ready, ma’am. I’ll be your chef tonight. What would you like to eat?”

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. For fuck’s sake.

Not again.

\-