Chapter 3: Love with a Sprinkle of Fear
“You did what?!” Riley’s voice was a mix of disbelief and amusement as she collapsed onto the couch. “You totally zoned out in front of him?!”
Dana groaned, burying her face in a pillow. “I swear, I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life. He literally had to shake me to snap me out of it.”
Riley erupted into laughter, clutching her stomach. “Oh my God, I wish I’d seen it. What did he say?”
“He asked for my number,” Dana admitted, cringing at the memory.
“No way!” Riley squealed, bouncing on the couch. “And you gave it to him?”
“Of course I did!” Dana shot back, rolling her eyes. “But then things got weird. Last night, I got these creepy texts from an unknown number. Angry emojis, laughing faces… and then this morning, I thought I saw someone outside my window.”
Riley’s grin faded, replaced by concern. “Wait, seriously? Someone’s messing with you?”
“I don’t know,” Dana muttered, hugging the pillow tighter. “It’s probably nothing. But it felt… intentional.”
Riley frowned, leaning forward. “You need to be careful, Dana. Maybe check your security cameras or something. Don’t ignore it.”
Dana nodded, though unease lingered in her chest.
The next afternoon at the bakery was slow, the kind where time seemed to stretch endlessly. Dana sat by the window, sipping coffee and replaying Riley’s words in her mind. She glanced outside occasionally, half-expecting to see the man in the leather coat again—but the street remained empty.
Until she spotted movement.
Her breath hitched as she noticed a figure darting behind the bushes near the bakery. It was him—the same heavy coat, the same sunglasses. He moved quickly, almost too fast for her to catch. Her pulse quickened.
Before she could process it, a familiar voice pulled her from her thoughts.
“Mind if I sit?” Corey asked, gesturing to the empty chair across from her.
Dana blinked, startled. “Oh! Of course, sit down.”
He slid into the chair, his smile warm and easy. “How are you?”
“I’m good,” she replied, forcing herself to relax. “What about you?”
“I’m good,” Corey said, nodding. Then came the awkward silence—the kind that hovered between them, stretching just a moment too long.
Corey cleared his throat, breaking the tension with a sheepish grin. “Okay, this is awkward. How about we ask each other questions and get to know each other better?”
Dana smiled, relieved. “Sure, why not? You go first.”
“All right…” He paused, scrambling for a question. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-four. What about you?”
His brows rose slightly. “Wow, you’re quite young.”
Dana gasped theatrically, hand flying to her chest. “Are you saying I look old?”
“No, no!” Corey stammered, panic flashing across his face. “You don’t look old at all. If anything, you look… youthful. Beautiful. Perfect.”
The words tumbled out faster than he could catch them, and his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Dana felt her own face heating up, unable to meet his gaze.
“You blush easily,” he teased, leaning forward with a smirk.
Dana groaned inwardly, covering her cheeks with her hands. “Stop making fun of me.”
“My turn now,” she said quickly, eager to change the subject. She thought for a moment. “Do you have any siblings?”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she noticed a flicker of something in his expression. His smile faded, replaced by a shadow in his eyes.
“Oh no,” Dana said, instantly regretting the question. “Did I say something wrong? You don’t have to answer if…”
“No, it’s okay,” Corey said softly, though his voice carried a weight she hadn’t heard before. He ran a hand through his hair—a nervous habit, perhaps. “It’s just… sensitive.”
Dana waited quietly, concern knitting her brows.
“I have a sister,” he continued after a pause. “Her name’s Sophie. She’s fourteen.”
“That’s sweet,” Dana said gently, encouraging him to continue.
Corey took a deep breath, his gaze drifting toward the window. “Last year, she was in an accident. A really bad one. She’s… in a coma.”
Dana’s breath caught. Her hand instinctively flew to her mouth, her eyes filling with sympathy. “Corey, I’m so sorry. That’s… awful. I hope…” Her voice faltered. “I hope she wakes up soon.”
He offered a small, sad smile—one that didn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah, me too.”
The silence that followed was heavy, laden with unspoken emotions. Dana didn’t know what to say, how to make it better. But Corey cleared his throat, visibly shaking off the melancholy.
“I’ve got a brother, too,” he said, his tone lighter now. “Elias. He’s a senior in high school. Pretty smart, too. Loves correcting me every chance he gets.” A faint laugh escaped him, though it lacked genuine amusement. “Plays football. The kid’s going to be taller than me soon.”
Dana smiled, grateful for the shift in mood. “He sounds like a handful.”
Corey grinned. “You have no idea.”
She studied him for a moment, sensing there was more he wasn’t ready to share. For now, she let it go.
“What about you? Any siblings?” Corey asked, steering the conversation back to her.
Dana’s face lit up instantly. “Just one! My older brother. He adores me, though you’d never guess. He doesn’t seem all that nice on the outside, but trust me, he is.”
Corey chuckled softly. “I can see why he adores you.”
“Hmm?” Dana tilted her head, catching his gaze.
He shook his head, smiling softly. “Nothing. Just thinking.”
Before she could press further, her phone buzzed loudly on the table. Both of them glanced at it. The screen displayed another unknown number.
Dana hesitated, then opened the message. "You can't trust him."
Her hands trembled as she stared at the screen. “What is it?” Corey asked, noticing her pale face.
“Nothing,” she lied, forcing a smile. “Probably spam.”
But as she stood to clear her cup, something caught her eye—something tucked into the sleeve of her apron hanging by the door. She froze. Slowly, she approached it and pulled out a folded paper.
It was a photo of her in Corey's car on the day he drove her to the hospital.
Dana’s breath hitched. She turned back toward Corey, who was watching her with growing concern. “Dana, are you sure you’re okay? You look… scared.”
She hesitated, clutching the photo tightly in her hand. Should she tell him? Would he believe her? Before she could decide, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen, frowning slightly before answering.
“Hello?” His voice was calm, but Dana noticed the subtle shift in his posture—his shoulders tensed, his jaw tightened. Whoever was on the other end clearly wasn’t delivering good news.
“Yeah, I understand,” he said after a pause, his tone clipped. “I’ll be there soon.” He hung up, avoiding her gaze for a moment.
“Everything all right?” Dana asked, trying to mask her unease.
Corey hesitated, running a hand through his hair. “I… uh, I have to go. Something urgent came up.”
“Is everything okay?” she pressed, her voice softer now.
“It’s fine,” he said quickly, though his expression betrayed otherwise. “Family stuff. I just need to take care of it.”
Corey stood, grabbing his jacket. “Listen, I’ll text you later, okay? And… be careful, Dana. Don’t stay out too late.”
The warning felt oddly specific, almost like he knew something she didn’t. She forced a small smile. “Okay. Thanks for stopping by.”
As he walked away, Dana watched him leave. What had that call been about? Why did he seem so guarded all of a sudden?
Her gaze drifted back to the photo in her hand.
Whoever this person was, they weren’t playing games anymore. They were watching her every move. And Dana couldn’t shake the feeling that she was running out of time.