Misty Reigenborn Romance Boxed Set (92 page)

"I hope so.”

"So," Alicia said after they had transferred the clothes from the washers to dryers.  "We've been blabbing about your night with Nick all morning and we haven't talked about why you went over there in the first place.  What did this Angela girl tell you about Gabe?"

Ami sighed and as if in response, her cell phone chimed a text message.  She had a feeling she knew who it was.  She dug it out of her purse and confirmed it.  It was Gabe.  She almost wanted to read the message out loud to Alicia but she didn't.  Instead she silently read ‘Ami, you seemed tense when you wrote me last night.  What's wrong baby?  Whatever it is I'll take care of it for you.  I miss you and can't wait until our next night together.  I'm counting the minutes but they're too long, Gabe’

She didn't know how to answer but knew she had to.  She sighed again.  Maybe she would show Alicia the message after she'd told her about Angela, but she was going to answer him now.

‘Gabe I'm fine.  Please don't worry about me.  I'll see you soon.’

She didn't know whether it would get him off of her back or for how long, but she was already very tired of whatever game Gabe was playing.  She wanted it to be over.

"Sorry.  Well, it was practically a horror story.  Gabe lied to me about a lot of things.  Including the fact that his kids aren't really his.  I guess Angela happened to see the papers where he'd made his wife get DNA tests and they're both his."

"Wait." She had a feeling with this story Ali was going to be interrupting her a lot.  "He made his wife get paternity tests on both his kids and he found out that they're his but he still told you they weren't?"

"Yeah.  There's more.  A lot more.  According to Angela, he did sleep with all the women that worked for him.  He gave her a $1.50 an hour more than he said he was going to start her pay out at because she gave him head the day he hired her.  They had sex like everywhere in the bar.  She said that he gave her the same line that he gave me about putting me in a better paying job at one of the other places he owns.  Talked about leaving his wife for her, marrying her and having kids with her.  Then he sent flowers and a necklace to her house when he knew she was at work and her boyfriend was home.  She said he was parked across the street and watched her boyfriend drive away when he left her.  That he used to sit outside her house and just watch her.  He wouldn't leave her alone until he found another girl and decided he was done with her."

"He sounds downright certifiable Ami.  That man is scary.  Yeah, so there are a lot of men that are married and play around.  I'm sure a lot of women have heard that sorry line about leaving the wife on a day that never comes.  But he was stalking her.  He did something to make sure that her boyfriend knew they were messing around.  Honey, you've got to quit.  Like right now.  Start working for Nick.  He may drive you crazy but at least he's safe."

"I'd feel bad quitting.  I really like Candy and Rick."

"Honey, there is no feeling bad.  We are talking about your safety."

"Well, Angela said that might not work.  If he doesn't think he's done with a girl she said that he'll do things to mess up her life.  Spread rumors and stuff."

"Rumors don't mean shit.  Idiots who take rumors as the gospel need to get a life.  And it doesn't matter.  Nick's got enough pull with Bobby that no matter what kind of bull was going around about you, he'd still be able to hire you.  Nick's the glue that holds that place together.  He may act like it's nothing, but Nick ain't no assistant manager.  Bobby may own the place but Nick takes care of everything."

"I don't want to quit yet.  I like my job.  I'll be okay.  I already promised Nick that I'd quit if anything happens."

"It's already happening.  You're in a load of shit already; you just don't want to see it.  Who was that that texted you a few minutes ago?"

She looked away from her friend.  "Gabe."

"Did he text you last night?"

"Yeah."

"Did you let Nick read it?"

"Yeah."

Alicia sighed.  "If that man wasn't so damned stubborn and scared he'd already have you working at the bowling alley and living in his spare bedroom.  He's just afraid that if you're so close he won't be able to control himself.  Damn Ami you sure know how to pick ‘em."

"Yeah."

"I didn't mean it like that sweetie.  It's frustrating to see you caught up in this mess, especially with all that you’ve already been through.  I don't want to hear that you said no and Gabe raped you.  Nick would end up in jail because if he really did something there wouldn't be any holding him back.  You take all that frustration he's building up every second he plays the gentleman and won't let himself have you and it would explode.  It wouldn't surprise me if he killed that sick fuck.  I'm surprised some jaded boyfriend hasn't taken him out already.  Promise me that you'll be careful.  Promise me that if anything happens, I don't care what is it, you'll call me.  Call Carson and Nick, too.”

“I will.”

Dryers were starting to buzz.  They talked as they folded their laundry but it wasn't as serious.

There was no more talk about Nick or Gabe.  Ami was glad.  Her head was already way too full of the men in her life.

By the time they got the car unloaded back at the apartment it was after one.  She parted ways with Alicia and went upstairs to put her clothes away.

She took a shower and then made herself soup for lunch, spending the remainder of her time before work reading.

Chapter 13

She was glad to see that Gabe wasn't around when she got to the bar.  He had said he wouldn't be but then again she was going to take Angela's advice and not take anything he said as the complete truth anymore.

Rick seemed glad to see her.  Though the night was slow she was finding herself more at ease behind the bar. 

She and Rick didn't talk much about her when they were cleaning up.  She let him talk about Candy and his unborn child and his aspirations in his nursing career.  It wasn't that he didn't ask her questions; it's that Rick took the cue that she didn't want to talk about herself.

Gabe left her alone and she was relieved when she pulled out of the parking lot.  Her phone had been silent all night until she was stopped at a stop sign halfway home.  She picked it up and was happy that it was Nick.

"Hello."

"Hi.  How'd it go at work tonight?"

"It was fine.  Rick's a sweetheart.  Gabe didn't show."

She was pulling into the parking lot by then.  The light was off at Carson's so she figured either Ali wasn't getting any late night phone calls or she was too tired and had taken the night off.

She got out of her car and locked it.  Nick said "Did he text you again?"

"Yeah." She looked across the street, hoping she wasn't seeing what she thought she was seeing.  "Hold on a second Nick."

"Ami, what's going on?"

"I need to look at something." She shielded her eyes from the glare of the streetlights and looked harder.  Yes, it was what she thought it was.  Gabe had left her alone at work but he was sitting on the side street across from her apartment.

She wondered if she should confront him.  She could hear Nick asking her a question but she had no clue what he said.  She dropped her purse because her hands were suddenly shaking and decided to go upstairs.

Only when she was in her apartment with the door locked behind her did she turn her attention back to Nick.  "I'm sorry.  I'm here."

"What's up Ami?  How come you didn't answer me?  I was about to get dressed and come over there."

"It's nothing.  He was probably making sure I got home okay.  It's not a big deal Nick."

"What are you talking about?" His voice had an edge to it.  "Who followed you home?"

"He didn't follow me home.  Or at least I don't think he did." She got up and peeked out her window.  Yes, he was still there.  "Gabe is sitting across the street from my apartment."

"I'm coming over."

"No, you're not." Much as she wanted him to, she wasn't going to let him she thought.

"Why not?"

"Because you know what will happen if you come over here.  Gabe will probably be gone and we'll end up doing something you don't want us to do."

He sighed.  "Fine.  But if he's there again, you call the cops."

"A lot of good that did Angela.  He's not doing anything wrong.  Technically."

"He's stalking you."

"Not really.  He's just.  .  .  I don't know what the hell he's doing Nick."

Her phone beeped in her ear.  It was either call waiting or a text message.

"Ami, if something bad happens to you I'll never forgive myself."

"I promise I'll be careful.  I'll try to put him off.  Maybe if I tell him no enough, he'll give up."

"I doubt it.  Has he followed you home before?"

"Not that I know of.  He wanted to Saturday night but I wouldn't let him."

"That was the night you.  .  ."

"Yeah." She looked out the window again.  He was gone.  "He's gone Nick."

"Good.  Make sure your door and all your windows are locked.  Call me if something comes up no matter what time it is."

"Okay."

"Goodnight Ami."

"Night Nick."

She wondered if he was going to call her every night.  The thought was a comfort.  She sat down on the couch and lit a cigarette.  The beep had been a text message.  It was from Gabe.

It said ‘I had to see you.  I need to touch you, to taste you.  Don't make me wait too long.’

Again, she had no idea how to answer him.

She didn't want to say the wrong thing, but she didn't want to encourage him either.

She thought about ignoring him but she didn't want to find out if what Angela said was true and she didn't want him to show up when she was working either.  She didn't want Rick in the middle of this.  Rick wasn't stupid.  He might have a lot of respect for their employer, a lot more than a lot of people seemed to, but he had enough to deal with.

Finally she said ‘I’ll let you know.’

It might piss him off but she hoped that he'd at least give her some space until the weekend.

She was trying to take everything a day at a time and not worry too much.  Her sleep was uneasy that night.  She dreamed that Gabe was peeking in her bedroom window, watching her sleep.  She knew it couldn’t happen because of the way her apartment was situated, but it wasn’t hard to see where the dream had come from.

After breakfast, she went downstairs to talk to Ali but her friend wasn't around.  Before she headed back up-stairs, after having stopped to check her mail, she felt a need to look across the street.

He was sitting there again.  She could see his blonde head leaned against the back of the seat.

She fought an urge to call Nick, and instead hurried back upstairs.

Less than thirty minutes later there was a knock at her door.  She thought it was going to be Gabe, knew it was going to be Gabe.  She almost didn't answer.

Finally she opened it and stood face to face with a delivery man.  He was holding a large bouquet of roses and a blue velvet jewelry box.

"You Ami?"

"Yeah."

"Here ya go."

"Thanks," she said, not wanting to take the flowers that he practically shoved into her hands.

"You have a nice day Ami."

"Thank you.  You, too."

She shut the door and debated throwing it all in the trash.  She went back to the window.

She could see the delivery guy getting into his truck but it momentarily blocked her view to where Gabe had been parked.  Once the truck had moved, she saw that Gabe was still there.  But he left as soon as the delivery truck had cleared the corner.

The flowers were already in a nice vase, so she left them there.  She took out the card and read the words.  ‘Yours Forever, Gabe.’

She didn't want him forever Ami thought.  She didn't want him at all anymore.  Whatever stupid notions she'd had about any kind of a relationship with him had been blown out of the water when Angela had started talking the other night.

This was it she thought.  She was going to give him her two weeks’ notice.  Tonight.  She couldn't do this.

She figured it was safer to text Nick than call him since he might be at work.  She said ‘Can I work for you in two weeks?’

He replied quickly ‘What's going on?’

‘I’ll tell you later.  Can I work for you?  I'll do whatever you need me to.’

‘Of course.  I'll let Bobby know.  Are you okay?’

‘I'm fine.  Thank you Nick.’

‘You don't need to thank me.  You work tonight right?’

‘Yeah.’

‘I'll call you after okay?’

‘Okay.  I'm off at 12 a.m., clean up puts us out at a little before 1.  You sure it's not too late?’

‘Won't be able to sleep anyway.  Worried about you.  Is Ali home?’

‘I don't think so.  Why?’

‘Fill her in if you can.  Gotta get back to work.  Call if you need to.’

‘Thanks.  Will talk to you later.’

‘Be safe Ami.  Promise to be careful.’

‘I will.’

‘Bye Ami.’

‘Bye Nick.’

She shut her phone and stared some more at the box on the table.  It might as well have been a bomb for as much as she wanted to touch it.  Finally she opened it.  There was a very expensive looking necklace inside.  She remembered what Angela had told her and wondered if he had a bunch of them at home stashed in his underwear drawer.

She almost laughed then.  She was close to panicking, wondering if Gabe would ever let her go.

She was tempted to call Angela and ask her if anything he'd sent her had said 'yours forever'.  There was a folded over piece of paper in the jewelry box.  She picked it up and read 'Only You.'

She dropped the note like it was a snake and felt sick to her stomach.  Maybe she wouldn't go back to work at all.  But Rick and Candy needed her.  Even when it was just steady, the work was too much for one person.  And maybe in two weeks Gabe would have found his next victim.

She wanted to run to Nick and hide out in his apartment, never come out again.

It was a little after one when she went back downstairs, after having checked to make sure there was no sign of Gabe.  She was carrying the flowers and the necklace was shoved in her pocket.

The flowers she took straight to the dumpster.  Ali and Carson were outside when she walked by.  Ali gave her a strange look and said "You okay?"

Ami shook her head and continued to the dumpster.  She couldn’t speak.  She was having a hard time concentrating.  She was wrapped up in a nightmare that reminded her all too much of Corin. 

When she was back to where they were standing, Alicia said "Ami.  What's going on?  Who were the flowers from?"

"Gabe sent them." She pulled the note that had been in the flowers and the necklace out of her pocket and handed it to Alicia.  "With these."

Alicia frowned when she opened the box.  Carson whistled.  She gave him a dirty look.

"What?  That thing must have cost $20,000."

It was worse than she'd thought then Ami thought.  She'd figured the necklace was worth about $5000.

Alicia bit her lip.  "It does look expensive."

"Jenny wanted me to buy her one kinda like that once.  It was a knock off but it was still way too much money.  I told her hell no."

Alicia shot him another look but then her eyes were on the notes.  She locked eyes with Ami.  "Did you tell Nick?"

"Yeah.  Right after they came.  I'm giving Gabe my two weeks' tonight, going to work at the bowling alley."

Ali breathed a little bit easier.  "Good.  Are you moving in with him?"

"No.  Hopefully me quitting will be enough for Gabe to decide he needs to find another plaything."

Carson picked up the notes, reading them aloud.  "Yours forever.  Only you.  Fuckin' fruit loop."

"He was here.  Across the street.  Last night when I got home.  Today when I came down to see if you guys were around.  He didn't leave until the guy brought the flowers."

"Great," Alicia said.

"He comes back; me and Nick will take care of him."

Knowing that what Carson meant was probably violent Ami said “You can’t do that.”

"Don't you dare," Alicia said at the same time.

"I was talking about busting up his truck a little, not taking a two-by-four to his face.”

"What men think of as logic." Alicia shook her head.  "Babe, if you and Nick smash up his expensive truck for sending Ami flowers you'll end up in jail or with a hell of a fine.  You two will be the ones the cops look at as dangerous, not Gabe."

“He’s the one that won’t leave her alone.  Gabe can afford to buy a new truck anyway.  Hey, why don't you marry Nick when me and Ali get married on Sunday?  Then he'll leave you alone."

"I'm sure Nick would love that," Ami said.  “Besides that, I have a son.”

Carson shrugged.  "Nick likes kids.  Makes sense to me.  Nick wants a ring on your finger anyway.  Why not put it there sooner rather than later?"

"He'd never go along with it.  He wants everything to be right.  Oh Ali, what am I going to do?"

“We are going to help you through this Ami.  Don’t worry.”  Alicia reached out and squeezed Ami’s hand. 

"Uh uh," Carson said.  "Your pretty little pregnant butt is stayin’ out of this shit."

"Carson, Ami is my closest friend.  I'm not going to sit back and let Gabe harass her.”

"If that asshole hurts you or the baby, I will kill him.  It's not up for discussion.  That son of a bitch is crazy.  Nick and I will take care of it.  Leave the man's work to the men."

Alicia rolled her eyes.  "How very sexist of you."

"Babe, I can't lose you.  We have no idea what the hell that psycho is going to do.  If someone's going to get hurt, it's going to be me or Nick.  Not you, or the baby or Ami.  “

“We are grown women Carson.” Ali said.

“Yeah, and he is a grown up fruit loop.  No more hanging out outside either.  And if you need to go someplace, you're going to have to wait until Nick or I can go with you."

"How am I supposed to get to work?" Ami said.

Carson frowned.  "I guess you'll have to drive yourself but Nick will call you to make sure you get home okay.  He goes in later than I do.  If either of us have a day off while you're still working there we will take you there and pick you up.  Well, if I'm off I can take you and Nick will pick you up.  You make sure that someone walks with you to your car, okay?  It'll be a lot better when you're working with Rick since even Gabe's not dumb enough to pull anything when that big mother fucker is around."