As soon as she finished, she scooped her keys up and headed for the door.
"Will you lock up?" she asked him.
Vane nodded.
She blew him a kiss, then left him alone in her apartment. Outside, he could hear her calling for the wolf as she made her way to her store.
He cringed at that. "I'm going to have to tell her."
The longer he put it off, the harder it would be.
"Okay. I'm going to do it."
After he showered.
And dressed.
And cleaned.
An hour later, while Bride was dusting in her store, she felt the hair on the back of her neck rise.
She turned around expecting to see someone behind her.
No one was there.
She rubbed her neck and glanced about. Still, the feeling was there. It was almost evil.
How weird was that?
Frowning, she went to look out the store windows. There wasn't anyone out there.
"Bride?"
She screamed and whirled about to find Vane coming from the back room.
He quickened his steps to reach her side. "You okay?"
Bride laughed nervously at her childishness. "I'm sorry. I didn't hear you come in the back door. You just startled me."
"You sure that's all it was?"
"Yes," she said, taking a deep breath.
Vane was dressed in his black slacks and shirt. He must have left his jacket in her apartment. Stepping back from her, he had an odd look of discomfort about him.
Oh Lord, here it comes
"You need to get back to your life, huh?" she asked, trying to be brave while inside she struggled not to cry.
"What life?" He looked confused by her question. "What are you talking about?"
"Isn't this the part where you tell me we had fun and you break up with me?"
He looked even more confused. "Is that what I'm supposed to do?"
"Well, no. I mean, I don't know. Isn't that where you were heading?"
He shook his head. "No. I was just going to tell you that I" Vane's voice trailed off as he looked past her, to the door.