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me.
    I get up and take the stairs two at a time. I find my phone in the bathroom on the counter, where I left it after my shower. I look at the screen to see that I have a new text. I open it to see who it's from.
     
    unknown   11:42am
    U looked beautiful, by the way. See u soon. <3
     
    "Fuck," I say to myself. I don't know how the hell he got my number. I made sure it was unlisted after everything that dick wad put me through. Now what? I need to call Detective Ryan and let him know what is going on. I dial his phone and listen to it ring. I was about to hang up when I hear it click.
    "Hello, this Detective Ryan."
    I clear my throat, "Um, yeah. This is Jaylah, um Dean."
    "Yes, hi. Is everything okay?"
    "Actually, no. I saw my ex, Ben today."
    "Did you talk to him or just see him?"
    "I actually talked to him. He was the one parking down the street from my house."
    "Alright. It will probably be a good idea that I talk to you in person and get a statement. Are you going to be home tonight?"
    "Um, yeah."
    "Do you mind if I stop by tonight? This way we can talk and I can check out your house, to make sure you're safe."
    I smile, "That would be great. What time?" I'm actually excited at the thought of him coming over.
    "How about around 8pm?"
    "Sure. Thanks again Detective Ryan."
    "Trevan and your welcome. I will see you later."
    Before I can reply, I hear the phone click. My heart skips a beat and I frown at myself. "What is wrong with me?" I say out loud. I shake my head. I need to stop all this shit. First I don't act like this with guys and second I need to stop talking to myself.

    After I clean up my lunch dishes, which helped to calm my nerves. I walk into the living room, to see if Anne is home yet. I see Wyatt's truck in the driveway and decide to leave them be. It will be a few hours before Trevan comes over, so I decide to take a nap. I turn on the TV, grab the afghan off the back of the couch and lay down. I flip through the channels for a while, until I decide to put it on Food Network. I fall asleep to the sound of rain hitting the window.
     

    I could hear the worry in Jaylah's voice. It took all my will power, not to run to my car and go to her house right then. I was thankful she agreed to let me come over tonight. I can't help the excitement I feel with the idea of seeing her again. I only wish they were for better circumstances. I haven't been able to keep her out of my thoughts and dreams.
    The dreams I'm having about her are making me crazy. I have never been like this with any woman. She is not who I normally would date, she has a wild side. Not that I don't like to spice things up, but I am usually attracted to a more clean cut woman. Maybe that's what my problem has been.
    I shake my head at where my thoughts have gone. I can actually hear my mother in my ear, asking when I'm going to find a nice girl and settle down. She wants more grandchildren, before her and dad can't enjoy them, as she likes to remind me. I smile at myself, I love my mother but she can wear on anyone's nerves. She has eight grandchildren, already. My sister Jennifer, has five kids, she always wanted a big family. And my brother Mark, has three kids. 
    Being the baby of the family, I thought my mother would lay off. But I guess that was wishful thinking on my part. I've only had two serious girlfriends, that I actually took home to meet my parents, Sylvia and John. My mother wasn't to fond of either one of them. So once I turned thirty, she hasn't let up on asking me every chance she gets about marriage. I turned thirty-two in March and it only got worse.
    I try to clear my thoughts of my mother and look to see that it's almost 6pm. I really need to finish up my paperwork and get home to shower and change to see Jaylah at 8pm.

    As I finish the last of my paperwork, I clean up my desk. I look up to see Jason Turner, walking towards me. He is a great guy and we use to be partners when we started off on the force.  I nod my head to