Page 25 of Then There Was You
When I glance up at her window, I see a shadow moving across the cracks of the curtains as if the person inside is pacing. It’s her room. Logically, that should be her, but why would she still be in her room when she knows I’m out here?
I don’t sweat much, assured in the choices I make, going after what I want, and determined to make things work in my favor. I’m not feeling that same confidence right now. Did I read her cues all wrong? A few more minutes have passed, so I press the intercom button again. “Excuse me?”
This time, no one answers. The front door opens instead, and her father fills the framework.Shit.He stands on the top step, glaring at me as if I’ve interrupted his good mood. Watching him pull on each of his leather gloves in an excruciatingly measured gesture suggests that intimidation might be his MO in this situation. Unoriginal, but not entirely unexpected. What kind of father would let just anyone take his daughter out? But once he gets to know me, I’m sure it’ll all work out.
He grabs the lapels of his suit jacket, tugging them together to keep the cold out, as he descends the steps. “How may I help you, Mr. Matthews?”
Mr. Matthews? Of course, he knows my name. Rubbing a gloved hand against the back of my neck, I stand taller, and figure if we can share niceties, it will make seeing Sosie more regularly a lot easier. I hold the phone in the air in surrender. No need to go to war with the father of the woman I can’t stop thinking about. “I came to return Sosie’s phone.”
“You stole her phone?” he accuses, stopping on the other side of the towering wrought-iron gate.
The allegation stings, and I lower my arm to my side again. “No.” I steady my breath and even my tone even though the anger has managed to slice through my calmer demeanor. “She left it with me, so I’m delivering it to her.”
“Why would she leave it with you?” His eyes narrow, examining mine as if he’ll find lies hidden in there.
“She left it behind,” I reply, telling the truth. Do I want to go into the details of where and why? Not really. And I’m certainher dad doesn’t want to hear about the night his daughter and I shared. “I’m sure it was an accident.”
He’s tall, almost matching my height. Distrust filters through his expression. I’m sure it’s a trait that's helped him get to where he is in business today. He must be shrewd and have some talent for getting his way since he’s on one side of this fence, and I’m on the other. His hair is graying, but he still has a full head of lighter brown fighting to hold on. The lines in his face aren’t deep. I’m sure he could pass for younger if he wanted to. Apparently, it works quite well on other women, according to Sosie’s understanding.
“Give me the phone, Mr. Matthews.” He holds his hand out as if I’m supposed to give away my only lifeline to his daughter.
I refuse to cower to his attempt at strong-arming me with demands. I’m not scared of this guy. He’s got nothing on me, but I worry about Sosie and how an encounter gone sour could fuck things up for the two of us. I tuck her phone back into my pocket, and ask, “Is Sosie here? I’d like to personally give it to her.”
“That’s not a good idea,” he says with his hand still held out. “I’ll take it.”
I stare at him through the opening between two large iron bars. Something’s off and raising red flags too fast for me to grab my armor. “We’ve never met, so how do you know my name?”
“I make sure to know who’s invading my peace and threatening my family.” What the hell? What does that mean? I shake my head as confusion rattles my game plan. His words don’t just smack of arrogance; they’re meant as a warning.A warning to me or for me?
“Sir . . .” I take a breath to compose myself from glaring at him. His antagonism is winning, and I can’t let him. “I’m not a threat to your family, Mr. Stansbury.” I catch a shift of light in the upper left window in my periphery, and it pulls my attentionin that direction. The curtains sway like someone was watching, and now they’re hiding from sight.
Dread sets in. Have I been fooled? Played by Sosie? No. She wouldn’t do that. I may not know her well, but I know her well enough to know she didn’t only reveal her body to me last night. She revealed her soul. That look in her eyes when I was inside her showed me we were something more than one night.
The pounding of my heart reaches my ears as it begins to feel like the opportunity to see her is slipping through my fingers. I take a step closer and lower my voice. “I come with good intentions.” I keep the desperation out of my tone, but it’s racing in my veins, trying to hold on to anything that keeps me connected to the best night of my life. This can’t be all there is for us.No.
His silence is unsettling, the empty palm still waiting to be filled. I shift, my gaze volleying twice between the window and the man standing in front of me. “If she’s home,” I say, my words staggering. “I’d, um, like to speak with her.”
Shoving his hand through an opening in the gate, he demands, “Give. Me. The phone.” The words are as cold as the weather, leaving no room for misunderstanding. Warming up to the guy isn’t an option. He’s closed off that opportunity.
My hands fist, but I keep them at my sides. “Please, Mr. Stansbury?—”
“I’m going to call the police if you don’t give me the phone.” Silence burrows between us as we stare at each other.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five.He doesn’t blink, but I do in hopes of appealing to his humanity, if there is any. “Your daughter means a lot to me?—”
“Don’t talk about my daughter. Don’t contact her. Don’t come to my home. Do you understand, Mr. Matthews? If you so much as look in her direction, I’ll destroy you. NYU willbe a failed memory. Your scholarships will be wiped from your accounts. That mother of yours?—”
“I’m not a threat to you or your family, Mr. Stansbury. With all due respect, I care about your daughter?—”
“You don’tknowmy daughter. You might think you care, but Sosie is careless. You’re just another guy she spent time with to piss me off.” The sharp blade of his words pierces my heart. “She loves to play these games, and you fell for it. I feel sorry for you, Mr. Matthews . . .” Sorry for me? He feels bad for me, looking down from the marble pedestal that he’s built on the backs of others like me?
Fuck that.I slam my hand against the gate, rattling it. “Fuck you.”
“Temper. Temper, Mr. Matthews,” he says, under a stilted chuckle. “We’re filming you.”
“Film me all you want. I’m not doing anything wrong. I’m here because?—”
“You came here to return her phone. So return it and go.”
