Because for the first time, I recognize that reaction, that need to protect someone else.
When I turn back around, all four of them are staring at me.
But I do what I’m good at. I keep my feelings to myself.
“Changed my mind,” I say to Cam. “Let’s go out.”
* * *
Leleila
When Phillip finally calls to tell me that he can’t leave the lab for another two hours, I nearly lose it.
“Could you do the rest of the experiment at home?” I hate that I sound like I’m whining. “I really would like to get into our house before midnight.”
“Wish I could, Lei,” he says. “But the lab’s got the equipment—with the industrial scope, the lighting is so much better. You know that. If you need to go home that badly, you can come by the lab if Sophia doesn’t mind driving you…”
Because Phillip always talks three volumes higher than needed on the phone, and Sophia is sitting literally right next to me on her couch, she hears everything.
“Leleila can wait another two hours!” Sophia says loudly. “We’ll go have some fun.”
“That’s a great idea,” Phillip says through the phone. “Maybe you and Soph can go out. I know you don’t like socializing, honey, but try to enjoy yourself. I haven’t seen you smiling much lately.”
I nod even though he can’t see me.
“I promise to send you a text the minute I’m leaving. But stay out as late as you want, okay?”
“Okay.” I hang up and turn to Sophia. “I guess we’re going out.”
“Yay!” She breaks into a big smile. “Let’s get you dressed.”
* * *
An hour later, Sophia is still smiling as she hustles me into a little black dress that she’s beendyingto lend me.
“That dress just looks so damn hot on you, Lei,” she says as we look together into her full-length mirror hanging inside her walk-in closet.
I refuse the light coat she’s offered me. “I’m fine. It’s not that cold out, and it’s stopped raining. But I feel weird dressing up for no reason.”
“And that’s why you never dress up,” she contends. “You and Phillip don’t go out on dates unless you’re attending one of his boring work functions.”
“That’s true. I don’t know when we stopped doing stuff just for the fun of it. I miss that, you know?”
She gives me a hug. “That’s what tonight is about, Lei. We’re going to have fun.”
“What bar are we going to again?” I ask her as we head for her front door.
“The Cowboy Saloon on the edge of town. Near the Mexican restaurant we’ve gone to loads of times before.”
“Oh, right. I know where you mean.” I glance at her mini-skirt and fitted pink top. Then I take a closer look at her heavily made-up face. “You’re wearing a lot of makeup. Who else is meeting us there?”
She hits me playfully on the arm. “Don’t be silly, Lei. Why do you say that?”
“Because you look like either a hooker or a Broadway star.” I touch my finger to the excessive amount of rouge on her cheeks. “You’re so gorgeous without all of this. You only wear this much makeup when you have a date with some guy you already know isn’t nearly good enough for you.”
Sophia sticks her tongue out at me.
We step outside the house, and I lock it behind me before following Sophia down the path to her car.
