Destiny (Absent Shadows Trilogy Book 1) by S.M. Spencer Read Free Book Online

study. If you want my opinion, just do what feels right—trust your intuition. Take a year off and live a little, learn about yourself. You know you’re welcome to stay here with us for as long as you like. You’re absolutely no burden. Do you want me to talk to your mother about it?’
    ‘Oh, no. Please don’t say anything to her. Not yet anyway.’
    ‘Okay—well, like I said, the offer is there.’
    I felt relieved. I had sort of forgotten all about not going back to college, what with my mind being so focused on Sam. But knowing that Debs was on my side, if I needed her to be, was comforting.
    After lunch, we did more shopping, and by the time we got back to the apartment it was already getting dark. It was too late for a run tonite, so I’d have to wait until tomorrow to see Sam.
    I settled onto the sofa, and flicked on the TV. They were showing highlights of the Wimbledon Tennis, so Debs joined me and we sat and watched them for a while, then she flicked it over to the six o’clock news.
    The top stories once again included a story about the violence that was becoming such a problem in the city. A man had been accosted by a group of youths carrying knives. They stabbed him even though he’d given them his wallet and phone. He was in a stable condition in the hospital, but everyone was shocked at this unprovoked attack.
    ‘You know, I’m not too sure I’m happy about you working at this restaurant. I don’t want you walking back here in the dark.’
    ‘I won’t be … I mean … I should be out of there by five at the latest. It’ll be just getting dark, but there are a lot of people on the roads … commuters and such. It’ll be fine. Really, don’t worry.’
    She frowned, and shook her head, but said nothing more about the topic that night.
    ~~***~~
    I arrived at work early the next day, and left my change of clothes in the back office while I went across to the gardens for a run.
    As I approached the tree where I’d seen Sam the other times, I looked around hopeful that I’d spot him, but he wasn’t there. I started my run slowly, making my way down the path around to the left of the tree, thinking that maybe if I did a slow lap, by the time I got back around to the tree again, he might be there. As I got further away from the tree, I had a distinct sensation of being watched. Maybe he’d been just out of sight and would be there when I got back to the top of the hill. My heart started to pound in anticipation, and my pace quickened. But when I got back to the top of the rise, he was nowhere to be seen. I did several more laps around the path, each time a bit slower than the previous until I finally did the last lap at a walk, but even though I could swear someone was watching me, there was no sign of Sam.
    Michael was pleased to see me, and took it upon himself to give me the run-down. The kids would be noisy, and probably a lot of work, but he figured I was up to it. He laughed when he said that anyone with hair my colour had to be capable of dealing with energetic school children.
    He was right, they were a handful, and I was exhausted by the time they left. But the hours had passed quickly, and it had been fun. Playing a witch was easy—it was just like Halloween. Hopefully the concept would catch on and I’d have a job for the whole two months.
    I changed back into my running shoes and clothes and walked out the door. It was already getting dark by the time I turned into King Street, but I knew it wouldn’t take me more than fifteen minutes to get home if I walked quickly as it was downhill most of the way.
    As I walked along King Street, I suddenly had that terrible sensation you get when you know someone—a man—is coming up behind you. I sped up, hoping to lose him. I wasn’t overly worried because there were people everywhere but I still wanted to put space between us.
    But it wasn’t working. I could still feel him just behind me even though I’d sped up. I felt my teeth clench,