The Running Series Complete Collection: 3-Book Set plus Bonus Novella (45 page)

“I’ll come with you,” Evan offers.  He excuses himself from his conversation, takes me by the hand, and lets me lead the way.

The crowd in here is even thicker than the crowd on the patio.  It’s no wonder, really.  Through the masses, I can see a few people posing for pictures.  As I look closely, I recognize New Jersey natives Zach Braff and Kirsten Dunst getting their pictures taken with fans and signing autographs.

Near the entrance, another crowd has gathered.  Garnishing a great amount of attention are Jon Stewart and Brian Williams.  Rumor has it that both men have vacation homes nearby.  Jon Stewart is numero uno on my fantasy celebrity dinner party guest list, along with Ellen DeGeneres and Robert Downey, Jr.

As we walk through the crowd, Evan gets many requests for pictures and autographs, too.  It’s hard for him to go far without being noticed.  He’s taller than nearly everyone here and his bright red Sentinels football jersey is an attention getter.

The press is here, too.  Their large, high-resolution cameras and press passes hanging around their neck set them apart from the regular guests.  The stars are posing for pictures with their fans, and I’m fairly sure a few of Evan and me have been snapped, too.  I can only imagine what the tabloids will make of that.  Everyone believes he’s back with Averee De-Ho.  They will probably make Evan look like a two-timing Lothario. 

Impervious to it all, Evan just carries on, meeting, greeting, and chatting with his fans when they approach. 

“Juliette, do you know who that guy is over there?”  Evan points out a young man across the room who is around his age, just shy of six feet tall with sharp features, and a dark, brooding expression.  Women are hanging all over him, and it’s obvious he’s someone recognizable.  I know immediately who it is.

“Sure, that’s Paul Wesley.  He stars in one of those vampire shows on T.V.  He graduated from Red Bank Catholic.  I think that’s where Marcus went to school.  I can’t wait to tell Reese that I was in the same room as Stefan Salvatore.  She’s going to be so jealous!”  Reese is a diehard fan of the show.

“I thought you said his name was Paul.”

“Yes, Stefan is the character he plays on T.V.”

Evan has never met Reese, although he’s heard me speaking with her several times.  I explain to him how Reese used to make me watch episodes of the show with her and how she is totally infatuated with both Salvatore brothers on the show.

This night is turning into everything I’d hoped it would.  The amped up security is keeping all the guests in line and the celebrities comfortable.  I’ve gotten my fair share of star sightings.  Now, here I am, walking around with this strikingly handsome man on my arm and I couldn’t be more content than I am at this very moment. 

Evan and I make our way through security to the back so I can get some citrus for the bar.  There’s not a quiet place in the entire building, dishwashers, barbacks, runners, and security are everywhere.

“See, Evan? I told you not to worry.  Look at all the security here tonight.  We’re safer here than anywhere else right now,” I tell him.

“Looks like you’re right.  But still, I’m not taking any chances.”  Evan looks at me with his smoldering eyes and kisses me, not caring who else is in the room with us.  It is a deep, possessive kiss that still overwhelms me.  As we break from our embrace, he gives me a playful slap on the ass.  “Now, let’s get you back to work,” he teases.

As we make our way through the crowds and back to the patio, I take the long way towards the small stage where the band is playing.  I’d love to get a glimpse of STP before the night ends. 

I can hear her before I see her.  The unmistakable voice of Averee freaking DeVeau is echoing throughout the bar, accompanied by Stone Temple Pilots.  She has absolutely no business being here.  She’s not from New Jersey.  She’s never lived here.  There can only be one reason why she would show up. For Evan.

I become a woman on a mission.  I need to get closer – to see her face-to-face.  This is going to end here and now.  She has most definitely crossed a line in the sand.  This is my turf and my man she’s messing with.

The crowd is thick as we squeeze through, weaving our way toward the stage.  I can feel my anxiety growing with each step.  As we get nearer, her eyes lock on Evan’s and she sings right to him.  She crosses the stage to get as close to us as possible, holding the microphone in one hand and pointing to Evan with the other. 

I feel him pull me closer, almost protectively.  Her eagle eyes watch his every move.  Then, slowly, the lyrics of the song she’s singing start to materialize in my brain.  I know that song, and it’s not one of hers. 

She’s singing the classic rock ballad, “I Hate Myself for Loving You.”  It’s a song about unrequited loved by Joan Jett, and the irony of it is not lost on me.  She’s got a whole catalog of her own hit songs to choose from. Why would she choose to sing a song by Joan Jett of all people?  My creep meter is registering off the charts. 

She’s also completely changed her look.  Averee’s trademark thick, curly blonde hair is gone, replaced with sleek and straight brown hair that rests on her back, just like mine.  Why would she do that?  If she’s trying to intimidate me, it’s definitely working! 

But it’s not just her new hairstyle that’s got me alarmed, it’s what she’s wearing that’s sending a cold shiver down my spine.  “Evan, I think she’s wearing my new red dress that you bought at Saks.”  It can’t be.  My dress is hanging safely and securely in my closet at Evan’s.  But the closer we get, the more certain I am. There’s absolutely no doubt.  That IS my red bandage dress she’s wearing.  Holy Hell!

Off Your Rocker

“J
uliette, listen to me very carefully.”  Evan takes my chin and tilts my head back so I am forced to look right into his eyes.  He’s concerned, I can see it.  There’s a cloud covering the sparkle that was in his eyes just a moment ago.  “That’s not Averee up there.  I mean it
is
her, but it’s not
her
.  I don’t think she knows what she’s doing right now.  Go get Marcus.  He’s my security for the night.  You stay at the bar with Derek, he’ll make sure you’re safe.  Then, I want you to call Adam and tell him what’s happening.  Go!”

“No, I’m not leaving you, baby.  I’m not going.”  I look up at Averee and she’s still singing to Evan.  She’s vigilantly watching every move we make.  When she sees the fear in my eyes, she smiles, and it’s a smile that makes my skin crawl.

“Baby, I need Marcus.  Please go get him, and then call Adam.  Tell him everything.  I’m not asking, I’m telling you. Go!”  I don’t like it, but if this is what he needs, then I’ll make sure he gets it.

I grab his face and bring his lips down to mine.  “I love you.  Be careful.”  I turn and run to the patio.

As soon as I see Marcus, I tell him that Evan needs him by the stage.  He takes one look at me, and he knows it’s serious.  Without asking any questions, he turns on his heels, and heads directly to find Evan.

My phone is right where I left it behind the bar.  Frantically, I call Adam.  “Adam, please come to the bar.  Now!  Averee is here and she’s gone batshit crazy.”

“Jette, is Averee there with you right now?”  He’s not surprised.  His voice is flat and steady.  Something is wrong.  He knows something.

“No, I’m on the patio with Derek.  She’s on stage at the main bar singing a twisted love song to Evan.  Marcus is with him.  Why?”

“We were able to trace the license plate on the car the vandal drove last night, and it’s a rental car.  We called the agency, and they told us they rented the car to Averee DeVeau.”  He pauses for a moment to let me digest that last piece of information.  “Do you understand what I’m telling you?”  It takes a moment for the enormity of it all to sink in.  If Averee vandalized my car last night, what else has she done?

“Adam, are you saying that Averee DeVeau is the one who has been tormenting me the entire time?  That she’s been behind
all
of this from the beginning?”  It never even entered my mind.  Evan’s been with a lot of women, and I guess the odds are that one of them would be unstable.  It’s hard to believe someone so talented and fortunate could also be so broken and damaged.

“Yes, Jette.  That’s
exactly
what I’m telling you.  You need to stay away from her.  We don’t know what she’s capable of right now,” he warns. 

“What do you mean ‘we’, Adam?  Does Evan know all this?  Does he know it’s Averee who’s been stalking me?”

“Yes, he does.  We were putting the pieces together right before Evan left to meet you tonight.  I’ll explain more when I get there.  Stay away from her, Jette.  Have someone tell Evan I’m on my way.”

I can feel the adrenaline running through my veins, causing my heart rate to quicken.  I hang up and turn to rejoin Evan.  I need to know what’s happening.  Before I can set one foot out from behind the bar, Marcus is back, breathing heavily.

“Jette, I can’t find him.  Where did you say he was?”

I grab him by the wrist.  “Come on, I’ll show you.”  Together, we waste no time making our way through the crowd to the stage.  The band’s singer has taken over and Averee is gone.  So is Evan.  There’s no sign of either of them.

Marcus drags me away from the crowd so he can talk to me.  “What’s going on?  Jette, tell me what’s happening so I can help.  Why did Evan need me?”

Quickly, I tell him the entire sordid story, leaving out no details, and he looks every bit as shocked as I am.  “From what you’ve told me, Adam’s right.  We don’t know what she’s capable of right now.  We have to find Evan.  Let’s go talk to the guys at the door and see if they saw anything.”

I follow him as we navigate our way to the front door.  Marcus makes his way right over to Jay, the head bouncer.  “Hey, Jay, tell me something.  Did McGuire come past you in the last few minutes?”

“Yeah, he did.  You just missed him.”  He looks right at me with an apologetic look on his face.  “Sorry, Jette, but he left with that rock star ex of his, Averee DeVeau.  They seemed to be in a bit of a rush.”

The blood drains from my face and I suddenly feel light headed.  Evan left with an unstable crazy whack-job.  I look at Marcus.  “We have to find him.  She could hurt him, Marcus.  I just know it.”  Evan promised me he would stay with me all night.  For him to break that promise, he must have sensed that something was terribly wrong.

“OK, I’ll take you.  But I’m not having a repeat performance of Thursday night.  First we go back and tell Derek and Emmy.  You grab your stuff while I tell Jack what’s going on.  Got it?”  I want to leave now, this very minute, without wasting one more precious moment.  But I know he’s right.  Besides, I have no car with me tonight, and that leaves me at the mercy of others.

“Agreed.  I’ll meet you right back here in five minutes.  Let’s go.”  We split up and spread out.  He goes to search for our boss and I head back to talk to our friends.

“Emmy, Derek – Marcus and I have to leave.  Evan’s in trouble.  We have to go find him.”  I give them the abbreviated version of what happened.  They both look concerned, too.  “Don’t worry.  I’ll text you as soon as we know anything.” 

“We’re coming with you,” Emmy proclaims.  “And don’t say no.  Evan is our friend, too.”

I never thought about that.  I guess they have all become friends.  Momentarily, the thought makes me happy.  But right now, there’s no time for sentiment.  I have to find him, quickly, before things spiral further out of control.

“You have to stay here,” I tell them both.  “Adam’s on his way.  When he gets here, tell him that Evan left with De-Ho and Marcus and I are heading straight to Evan’s house.” 

“Why Evan’s house?” Emmy asks me.

“We have to start somewhere,” I tell her.

They don’t like it, but they agree to stay behind.  It’s almost midnight and the bar won’t be closing for a few more hours.  They make me promise to text them immediately if anything happens.

The streets are packed with parked cars lining both sides of every block.  I’ve never seen it this bad before, not even on the fourth of July when there are fireworks on the beach.  We’re walking down block after block, and it feels like we’ve walked for miles before we reach Marcus’ car.

I give Marcus directions to Evan’s house, which is just a short distance down the road from here.  The traffic is absurdly heavy, too, so what should be a two-minute drive turns into a fifteen-minute ordeal.  I want to jump out of the car and jog to his house. I think I would get there quicker if I did. 

As we drive, I call Evan’s phone over and over again.  Each time, it rings a few times, and then goes to voicemail.  A thought hits me like a bolt of lightning.  “Marcus!”  I shout, “Evan’s phone is on.  We can find him!  I know how to find him!”

“You do?  How?” Marcus asks. 

“As soon as we get to Evan’s, I can track exactly where he is using his laptop,” I explain.  “Evan’s got an iPhone.  We both have the
Find My iPhone
app on our laptops.  It’s supposed to be used to find your phone if it gets lost or stolen.  But as long as he has his phone with him, we can use it to find him.  Even if he leaves, we can track him in real time.”