GIRL WATCHING YOU by J.A. Schneider

Author:J.A. Schneider [Schneider, J.A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-06-26T16:00:00+00:00

31

I disconnect, grab my knees and heave deep, deep breaths. It’s crazy, he can send his pheromones over the phone.

Crisis averted. Now what?

I straighten and turn on the path, decide I need to think. Can’t do it here among kids and parents and bleating baby animals, so I head south through the main zoo, past the skating rink, and across most of Sheep Meadow. The grass is lush and cool, and with the sky turning darker people are gathering up their blankets and leaving. I find a spot near some twentysomethings playing a stubborn game of Frisbee. I sprawl on an elbow, and get out my phone.

Worse than jealous, he’s after revenge? Peter’s comment seems credible because I saw Nick Jakes’s nastiness. I start to research him more carefully.

Tap and scroll…

He’s had his problems, Nick has. A comment in Bloomberg about his “brief foray into finance” contains a linked note, which I click and find my way to another article. Three years ago his new hedge fund tanked after just twenty months. He blamed “bad intel” from his brother-in-law, star financier Peter Greer; threatened legal action but never followed through.

Did Chrissy plead for peace, or was angry Nick just one of those losers who blames others?

He’s after revenge…

I glance up. A half-formed thought glimmers, then fizzles.

And the Frisbee players have stopped, tired and peering up to the sky. It’s getting darker and a strong breeze gusts. Leaves fly rustling from trees ringing the park; branches stir before looming skyscrapers to the south, solemn apartment houses to the east and west.

It’s almost scary, watching the last warm days slide away into Fall.

I get to my feet, brush off bits of grass stuck to my pants, and start to walk. The thought that niggled moments before creeps back: a wild new suspicion about Nick Jakes.

Could it be?

I let it grow.

Approaching Columbus Circle, the blare of traffic grows louder, distressing after the park. I stop near the subway entrance with my wheels turning and feel torn again; get my phone out, stare down at it.

Shouldn’t do this, but a controlling impulse takes over.

My trembling fingers text: Nick’s jealousy is about his tanked hedge fund?

Oh he’s fast, Peter is, because his answer comes in seconds: Yep. Smart lady. Please come tonight.

I pace, caught between fear and temptation. The latter pulls.

I text back: You’re exhausted.

You’d wake me he answers, and I close my eyes for a moment; text no more.

What is it about women and bad boys? Good-looking alpha cads: maybe something atavistic pulls us to dominant fighter types. In caveman days they could defend and bring the hunt home…

Though my new thought about Jakes also pulls…

I resume pacing, storming at myself. There’s no way in hell I can rationalize this.

Compare Joe to Peter: The bland boy versus the bad boy.

Joe is a good man waiting patiently for me to heal and respond to his affection. So what if his personality tends to range between bland and fretful? He’s kind! Caring! How stupid to throw

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