Stolen Heart

Chapter 5

Hours had passed, and Lana still hadn't dared to respond to the mysterious man's text. She thought about asking for Chloe's advice... but hours before the most important moment of her art career? Better not bother her.

Lana pulled out the lavender dress she bought for Chloe's art show. She had to admit it did look super cute with the satin material clinging to her. She also loved the cowl neckline that accentuated her figure even more. Will Jack like this dress?

Yet her thoughts were quickly steered back to the man at Goodwill. She stared at the text again and decided it was time to respond.

Lana: That depends. Will what you took from me be there?

Not even ten seconds had gone by before she got a response:

Goodwill Guy: That depends. Will you turn me in?

Lana: Who's to say I haven't already turned you in? I have your number now.

Goodwill Guy: Who's to say that this is my real number?

Lana giggled at the cheekiness of it all.

Lana: Ok, ok, you win. I won't turn you in. Now can I have my box back?

Goodwill Guy: Thank you. I sincerely appreciate it. And yes, Lana, you will get your box back. I made a promise, didn't I?

Lana: Yeah, well can you blame me for not totally trusting someone who has a questionable moral compass?

Lana fixed her gaze on her phone waiting for his response. Three dots... he's typing...

But the three dots went away. She waited another few minutes for him to respond. Nothing. She looked at her last text: "questionable moral compass."

Was that mean? But he does have a questionable moral compass...

When she saw the three dots come back once again, she took in a sharp breath. She waited patiently, but like before, the dots disappeared with no response.

Shaking her head, she threw her phone in her purse. She was already feeling jittery thinking about meeting up with handsome Jack; she didn't need Goodwill Guy to complicate things. What a load. He's probably some psycho anyway.

***

Lana arrived a couple of minutes late to the art show and as soon as she entered the building, saw Jack standing on the carpeted grand lobby. He was dressed in a dark blue suit with a white button-down shirt. Butterflies filled her stomach at the sight of him.

"Hey, Jack." Her voice cracked as the words escaped her mouth.

Jack turned, and he seemed to be pleasantly surprised. "You made it," he said as he hugged Lana. "You look stunning."

It was subtle, but Lana swore she saw Jack steal a glance at her body. I knew this was the right dress.

"Thank you!" Lana said, blushing. "Shall we go in? It's in one of the rooftop areas."

Lana led the way as Jack placed his hand on the small of her back. She relished the warmth growing inside her.

The rooftop was magnificent. Chloe's paintings hung against the walls of the garden room, and various industry personnel admired her work. Supplementing the beauty of the art was the stunning night sky above them. The moon and stars seemed especially bright as their glow through the glass-lined ceiling added to the room's ambiance. Chloe outdid herself.

"Wow. Your friend did all of these? They're incredible!" Jack voiced exactly what Lana was thinking.

"I know. She's amazing. She's been painting her whole life, and it just sort of took off when we roomed together in college."