Livin' Off Love

Chapter Seven

There was a sudden increase inactivity at the office and Samantha didn't get back to their talk. Jennifer was barely aware of the time flying by until the crews started to leave for the day. She did, however, notice the silver van that passed the office three times. It wouldn't have caught her eye but every time it passed, it slowed. It was as if the driver was looking for someone in the yard. Unconsciously, she shivered each time it neared the drive. The windows were tinted to dark for her to see the driver. She didn't know if she wanted to.

"Time to go," Samantha said walking through the office. "I still want to know about your weekend so I'll call you tonight. You are staying in tonight, aren't you?"

"Sure am. Promised Duncan I'd be good this week," Jennifer replied.

"And you're sticking to it! He must be something else."

"Sure is. I could really be falling for him."

"Like you always tell me, take it slow and easy."

"Right," Jennifer said locking the door. "Call me."

Samantha waived her acknowledgement as they parted. Jennifer left the drive. She stopped at the stop sign and played with the radio. Her favorite station wasn't coming in properly. A horn blew behind her. She started to make a gesture until she saw it was the silver van.

"Please turn the other way," she said as she started toward her house.

After another car passed she saw the van pull out. It was going the same way. She turned another corner and held her breath. Her hand began to shake as the van fell in directly behind her.

"It has to be him," she told herself. "Got, now he's following me to work."

Her eyes were on the rear view mirror when the blinker of the van went on. It turned into a shopping center. Jennifer began to laugh.

"You're driving yourself crazy," she told herself. "It wasn't following you. You're getting paranoid."

A few minutes later she pulled into her drive. Duncan's car was gone and the house looked deserted. Still, she was cautious as she approached the front door. Her key slowly entered the lock and twisted. The tumblers seemed to echo through the entryway. Her senses had never been this acute. It was as if every sensory organ was increasing in strength. As soon as she walked through the door, she thought she could still smell Duncan's cologne. It made her want to hold him all over again. The door was kicked closed and she started upstairs to her room. Her shoes were dropped as she fell onto the bed. She closed her eyes and pictured Duncan as she had seen him in the morning light. The phone on the nightstand began to ring. She answered it moving only her arm.

"Samantha, can't I even have a few minutes to relax and fantasize before you call?" she asked.

"Only if the fantasy's about me," came Duncan's voice.

"Shit! Duncan I..."

"Hey, calm down. I just called to see if you were satisfied with the door."

"I haven't even looked at the door and yes you were on my mind."

"Good," he whispered. "Now what have you got planned for tonight?"

"Nothing. I'm in for the night," she replied.

"With whom?" he asked jokingly.

"You really can be a prick at times, can't you?" she retorted.

"Just checking. It's going to be hard to stay away from you until Thursday."

"You don't have to. My door's always open for you," she said softly.