Save the Date

50

The rest of the evening passed in a blur. After a while of consoling me, Luca and I went back inside. When McKenzie saw me she immediately saw that something was wrong and rushed to my side. "What happened?"

"He was here."

Luca explained further and told her about how Robert had held me at gunpoint and that he had escaped. I sat down at my table numb with anxiety. The shock was starting to set in and I wanted to go home.

"We should take you home," Mckenzie said, getting her coat.

"Let me take her, you stay and enjoy with your friends," Luca said. I looked around the room and saw that it was almost empty. I looked for Shannon and Richard and to my relief, I saw them seated at their table with the rest of their families. I had to say goodbye because the next day was going to be the best day of their lives.

"I have to greet Shannon," I said rising from my seat and passing Alexi who was still dancing away by herself. Viola and her surrogate seemed to have already left and I was quite grateful not to have to answer any questions.

"Shan," I said approaching her table, "I have to go now."

She rose from her chair and Richard looked at me in concern, "Hey Ray, what's the matter?"

"Yeah are you ok?" Shannon asked coming in to hug me.

"Yeah I'm alright. Robert, my stalker, he showed up here tonight."

"Oh no! How did he manage to get in?"

"He dressed up like a waiter. Shannon, I don't think I should be at your wedding. Not with all of this going on." I was again on the verge of tears. Never would I have imagined that I would miss my best friend's wedding especially not this way.

"No way! You have to be there. It would ruin everything if you weren't there. I don't care about some crazy guy. You have to be there..." Shannon was on the edge of hysteria. Richard jumped up and held her saying, "Rachel, I'll organise extra security for tomorrow if I need to, okay? We can't do this without you."

"Okay, all right, I'll be there. I just don't want anything to ruin the day for you."

"The only thing that would ruin it is if you weren't there," Shannon gave me the tightest hug.

It was inconceivable to think that this was what my life had become. Having to watch over my shoulder for danger. Not being comfortable enough to go to my friends' wedding without some kind of police escort. It was terrifying and daunting.

After we had said our goodbyes, Luca and I headed to his car. I had assured McKenzie that I would be all right and insisted that she have some fun with Patrick and Darren. It was only nine o'clock after all. There would be nothing she could do for me and I would be safe at her house with all the security and the patrol cars.

Luca opened the door for me to get in, I was starting to get used to his gentlemanly manners. I could smell the usual peppermint scent that usually followed him but now I knew that the other scent was: whichever flavour Vape he used. I liked it so much, if I could have bottled it I would have. His car even had a hint of the smell and I smiled as I breathed it in.

He climbed in and gave me a puzzled look, "What's with the smile?"

"I just like the way you..." I caught myself before I said it, "...your car, I like the way your car smells," I corrected myself. I still had that awkward, looming question of Luca's to answer and I didn't want to give too much away. Even though I still got butterflies when I thought about our night spent together the thought of confessing my feelings for him made me anxious.

We made our way to McKenzie's in comfortable silence. Driving to her house again it was like de ja vu except this time felt different.

At one point he changed gears and then placed his hand on my thigh like it was second nature. Then I made myself uncomfortable at the thought that this reaction was instinct and my mind began to spin with the possibility that he had done this so many times before that it didn't matter who sat in the front seat. I moved my leg and he lifted his hand sensing a shift in my mood.

"What's wrong?" he asked glancing at me briefly before turning his attention back to the road.

"Nothing," I said but my voice betrayed me by coming out high-pitched and squeaky.

"Come on, don't give me that, surely we're passed playing games." When we pulled up to the gate of the complex, thankfully, I saw a police car with its blue lights on pass on the road behind us. Luca wound down his window and I had to lean over him to stick my thumb onto the biometrics. My side pressed against his chest and I felt his breath catch against my neck. A shiver went through me before the gate opened and I shifted back into my seat. He looked at me and I saw that his eyes were dark with wanting.

He turned back around and gave the security a small wave as we passed through. He made his way to McKenzie's house without me even having to direct him. The shock of the evening was starting to wear off and I felt the inevitable tiredness that came with it. I stepped out of the car and inhaled the cool, crisp air. Luca came around me and pulled me close against him in a hug. His familiar scent enveloped me and for the first time that night I felt safe. As much as my mind tried to make me feel that something was amiss, I couldn't help but feel completely enraptured by this man. I shouldn't have felt the way I did about him but yet I still did. It was difficult not to. We stood like that together for a while, swaying slightly like we were slow dancing at a high school dance. My cheek was against his shoulder and his hands were resting respectfully on my lower back. I didn't want to say good night but I knew that if I invited him inside that it would just be a repeat of the other night and I had promised myself that that was no longer an option.

"Have you thought about my question?" he broke the silence and leaned back against his car, not breaking our embrace but leaning far away enough so that he could look into my eyes.

"I have, but I don't know," I said expecting him to go into a fit of rage. Instead, he just smiled at me and said, "Well I did say you had until tomorrow."

His smile was driving me insane, all I wanted was to kiss him but I restrained myself and merely smiled back at him.

"How did Shannon's dress fitting go?" he asked pulling me back against his chest and stroking my hair.

"How did you know she'd had her dress fitting?" I said pulling away from him. It was true that I had seen him the night of the fitting but I hadn't mentioned it to him. My paranoia was running away from me, before I could stop myself I said, "Are you watching me too?"

"What do you mean?" he said. Immediately I knew I had said the wrong thing, his arms stiffened and I saw the light from his eyes fade and he promptly let me go. "Why would you even say something like that?!" the anger in his voice was too frightening that I took a step back from him, "I didn't really mean it that way," I retaliated defensively. "You're being overly sensitive." I had done it again. "Overly sensitive?!" I thought he was going to explode, "You say shit like that, comparing me to that low life, but I'm the one that's too sensitive?" He looked at me disbelieving, "You still don't trust me and I really don't appreciate the implication."

"I do trust you!" I half shouted at him. I realised at that moment that I had let my paranoia take control. Of course, I didn't mean that he was anything like Robert, I just couldn't help but think of the situation I was in, especially after what had happened tonight.

"No, if you trusted me then you wouldn't accuse me of things like that," he looked so hurt, "I can't believe that you would even put me in that category." My heart started beating uncontrollably. I should have just kept my mouth shut. Of course, he would have known where I was if Shannon had told him, of course, he wasn't the one that was stalking me. Rationally, I knew these things. It was just a thought that popped into my head. I couldn't blame him for getting upset with me. He was laying his heart bare and I was stomping on it with wild accusations, I had to make this right.

"I'm sorry, okay?" I said but he had already turned his back to me and made his way to his car.

"Luca, please don't just walk away, we can sort this out," I said running after him even though he had every right to do so, "You aren't like him."

"I just can't stay," he said climbing into his car, "I'll see you tomorrow." With that, he closed the door and left me standing in the driveway staring at his the backlights of his car.