“No,” she lied. She spied the playground and tried to relax. She glanced at the path, searching for some sign of Greg. No need to panic surrounded by a dozen mothers, nannies, and twice as many children. “His father is meeting me here.”
Pale blond brows rose. “Is he? Some guys have all the luck.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. No, the look was the opposite of friendly. Alarm turned to fear, though she tried not to let him see it. She stopped by a crowded bench, hoping he’d walk on.
She glanced inside the stroller. Oscar wasn’t fussing. He’d curled into a ball, absolutely quiet and still.
“I hate to sound cliché here, but do we know each other? Maybe a club? Or the gym? I feel like I…know you.” He had an accent. Eastern European? Nordic? She wasn’t sure.
“No,” she said, worrying over Oscar. And there was still no sign of Greg.
He stepped closer. “You sure? My instincts are normally spot-on.”
“Probably walking here,” she answered, eager to send him on his way. Was he sniffing her? She sat, fighting the urge to run. Running would be bad. He would follow. She glanced at her phone, pretending she was getting a call. Where was Greg? “Need to take this.”
He stepped back, looking inside the stroller once more. “I’ll see you next time.” He tipped his head her way and walked slowly down the path.
He was leaving. So why was it still so hard to breathe? Her heart was hammering, her panic relentless—even as he wandered farther away. She wanted to run but was too frightened to move.
Her phone rang, startling her so much she almost dropped it.
“Yes?” she answered, her voice odd and high.
“Where are you?” Finn snapped.
“Finn. Thank God. I mean, hey.” She glanced down the path again, embarrassed when the woman on the bench beside her shot her a look.
“Jessa?”
“In the city park,” she said, watching the pale blond man saunter slowly down the path. “By the old brewery.”
“Something’s wrong, I can hear it in your voice.” Finn pushed.
“It’s nothing,” she clarified. “I think.” She was overreacting.
There was a pause. “What’s nothing?”
She glanced down the path, but the tall blond stranger was gone. Oscar began to wail. She scooped him up, holding him close to her. He quieted instantly. “It’s probably nothing—”
“Then tell me.”
“A man,” she murmured into the phone. “He was just—a little too curious, too friendly.”
“Where’s Greg?”
“I don’t know. He disappeared. It’s just…I’m scared. This sounds stupid. Forget it, okay?”
“No. I’m sending Brown to you. Stay there.”
“Who’s Brown?” she asked.
“Head of my security team.”
“Finn, I don’t think that’s necessary.” She was mortified. What if the man had just been hitting on her? It could happen. But…she knew it was something more. She’d never been so afraid.
“I do.” He paused. “What did he look like?”
“He was big. Tall. White-blond hair. Pale blue eyes.” She shivered.
“I’ll be there in five minutes. Do not move.”