Hooking Him (How to Catch an Alpha #3)(59)

Just then the doorbell rings, and I force Bane to stay outside so he doesn’t trample the designer with love. I put my coffee cup on the counter, then head down the hall and look out the glass pane on the side of the door at a woman standing on the porch. Even though her image is somewhat distorted by the etched glass, I can still make out her large mass of hair and her full face of makeup.

“Hi.” I smile as I open the door, then hold out my hand, trying to place the familiar-looking woman as she steps into the house. “I’m Anna. Calvin said to tell you he’s sorry he couldn’t be here. He had something come up with work, but I can show you around the kitchen and walk you through our plans for the space.”

“Oh.” She looks slightly surprised. “That would be great.”

“Great,” I say with a smile. “The kitchen’s just down the hall.” I turn, listening to her heels clicking on the hardwood as she follows me.

“So you and Calvin are together?”

I smile at her over my shoulder. “Yeah.”

“It must be serious if he’s trusting you with the task of helping design his kitchen.”

“Do you know Calvin?” I ask, trying not to get annoyed by her nosy comment, especially since she’s here to do a job.

“We went to school together,” she says as I stop near the sink. “I’ve known him for years.” Calvin never mentioned that the designer was a friend when he told me about the appointment this morning. “Do you live here?” she asks, looking around.

“I’m moving in.” I rinse out my coffee cup and feel her move behind me.

“Why you?”

“Sorry?” I turn to face her and notice she’s much closer than before.

“I just don’t get it.” The anger in her tone and the odd glint in her eyes put me on alert. “He was so closed off after his ex left him; then you two cross paths, and all of a sudden he’s throwing himself at your feet?”

“I don’t know why he chose me,” I tell her softly, hoping to calm her as Bane starts to bark at the back door, pawing it to get inside.

She shakes her head, taking her eyes off me to look around. “I don’t get it either. I tried to get his attention, but he barely even spared me a glance whenever we were in the same place.” She turns back to me. “It’s not supposed to be like that, you know. Everyone knows that when you see the person meant for you . . .” She pauses, looking at me expectantly. I’m not sure what she expects from me, so I simply nod. “You know it; you just know it. I knew he was supposed to be mine the first time we met. I just needed to wait until he noticed me.” She runs her fingers along the edge of the counter. “He didn’t; he never did.”

“I’m sorry . . .” God, why didn’t I ask her name when I let her into the house?

“Sandy,” she says, and I take a step back from her when she moves closer. That is not the name of the designer Calvin told me.

“I’m sorry, Sandy, but maybe you should come back when Calvin is home and talk to him about this.”

“It’s too late.” She starts to pace back and forth as pink spreads up her cheeks. “It’s too late to tell him how I feel. I’ve already done too much. I-I-I didn’t mean to . . . I just wanted his attention and thought that if he had a reason to spend time with me, he’d finally feel what I feel. He will never love me now. He won’t love me now, but that’s okay. It’s okay—we have the next lifetime to get it right.” She locks eyes with me. “That’s how it works, you know.”

“How what works?” I ask, my voice shaking as I spot my phone on the counter across the kitchen and move closer to it as Bane’s barking gets louder.

“Soul mates—you meet them in each lifetime, over and over and over and over. You just have to be able to recognize them. He didn’t recognize me this time, but next time I’ll make sure he does . . . I’ll make sure.”

Oh God, she’s crazy.

“Sandy, I think . . .” I lick my lips nervously. “I think you should leave and come back when Calvin is home and explain all this to him.”

“He’ll be here,” she says, taking her purse off her shoulder and pulling something out of it before dropping her bag to the floor. “He’s a good cop. He’ll figure out it was me and go to my house and see my note. He’ll be here.” She glares at the back door. “I can’t think with that barking.”

“What are you doing?” I rush toward her when she walks toward the back door, but then she turns and lifts her arm, and that’s when I see the gun. It’s so small that it almost looks fake, but I know it’s not. It’s the same type of gun Lucy used to carry in her purse.

“Don’t come any closer,” she demands, and every inch of me freezes in fear.

“Okay. It’s okay.” I hold my hands up in front of me. “I won’t move, I promise. I won’t move, but don’t open that door. Bane is just a puppy, and he’s excited that someone is here and wants to come in to say hello. He doesn’t know any better.” My voice hitches as tears clog my throat.

“Tell him to shut up.” She raises the gun higher and aims at the center of my chest.

I close my eyes as a tear tracks down my cheek; then I pray that Bane listens. “Bane!” I shout as loud as I can, and he stops barking at the sound of my voice. “Quiet, and place,” I order, and he must be obeying because the barking doesn’t start back up. I take a breath and remind myself that she’s right about one thing: Calvin is a good cop, so he’ll be here soon.