“Oh my God! Thank you-thank you-thank you!” Kira flung her arms around me, almost knocking us into a passing family. “Aiden is going to be so happy!”
I pat her arm, struggling to breathe a little but happy to know I would at least be getting Kira out of the metaphorical doghouse Aiden seemed to have her in. I would just have to deal with the repercussions of him knowing where I worked.
When she finally released me, we walked on, Kira with more bounce in her step while I was stuck on another thought already. One that had been stewing in the back of my mind since last Saturday.
I nibbled at my cotton candy as I frowned at the ground.
I didn’t like keeping big secrets from Kira (white lies about her boyfriend not included) and I needed to vent. Or bring at least one other person into the loop of what was happening in my life before I drove myself crazy. Plus, she had a right to know who had slept on our couch. That way I could explain why Dean had done the things he did to help me, and she could stop looking at me like she suspected more was going on.
“I need to tell you something.” The words came out before I could hesitate any longer.
Kira’s head whipped around in my direction. Almost as quickly, something popped into her head that made her gasp and slap a hand over her mouth. “Wait. Hold on. Is it about you staying in his bed? Should I be sitting for this?” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Did you two, you know—”
“Oh my god, no!” I pushed her hand down before someone saw the hand gestures she was doing.
“Then what?” she laughed.
It was too late to back out now as she looked at me with anticipation and excitement shining in her brown eyes. With a deep breath, I pulled her aside to stand between a tree and the school library and explained everything. Finding Romeo, him sleeping on the couch, the Mafia, Marcus Woods murder, that I stitched up someone’s head earlier this week, and that Romeo’s real name was Dean. When I was done, all Kira could do was stare at me.
Kira hadn’t said a word the entire time, but her expression had said a lot. Ranging from shock to intrigue as her mouth formed an O.
“You can’t repeat that to anyone, okay?” I whispered.
“Holy shit,” she blinked. “I don’t even know what to say.”
I smiled awkwardly. “That’s my life now.”
She shook her head in bemusement, “You take the cake for the most unusual meet-cute.”
“Seriously? I just told you I’m working for a,” I lowered my voice, “mob boss and that’s what you think of?”
“Well, it’s not like you go on heists for them. Or do you? Because that’d be amazing, but I’d be lowkey disappointed I wasn’t invited—”
“There’s no heists. Not for me anyway. The boss wants to keep an eye on me.”
“Well, that’s...”
“Terrifying.”
She smiled sympathetically. “I’m so sorry you had to go through this alone.”
“I mean, it’s not like I’m a threat to what he does.”
“Until he finds out your dad’s a detective,” Kira added.
“Let’s just hope that never happens then,” I smiled nervously.
“Wait!” She gripped my upper arm as her eyes flashed with excitement. “So, Sunday morning, when I came home and Aiden was waiting in the car, Dean was where?”
“Hiding in my room,” I cringed.
“Lily!”
“What?” I spoke quietly. “He was hiding from the police. I don’t think a meet and greet was on the cards.”
“Okay, true. Still, the best meet-cute I’ve ever heard of.”
“It wasn’t a meet-cute. Just my crippling anxiety going into overdrive.”
