I think it’s sweet, those two.I hope they get to keep what they’ve found so young, but growing up can be an angsty, sometimes messy business, and it’s not often these young relationships stand the course of time.
Of course, there are exceptions, like Tate’s father and Savvy, but even though their love survived the decades, their relationship was nonexistent for most of those years.Plus, there’s a lot they had to overcome to get where they are today.
Then there are some of us who never had much luck in love at all, and almost give up on it completely.Until one day the opportunity is right there, ready to grab, if they can overcome their mistrust.
“You sure are thinking hard on something,” Hugo says softly, covering my hand resting on the table with his.
“Never mind me, I’m still trying to figure out how you managed to win three times when it is well known I’m the queen of Crazy Eights,” I tease to deflect.
“Could’ve fooled me,” Carson mutters, teasing a snort from me.
“Sorry, Bess, you were pretty brutal,” Hugo adds, clearly laughing at me.
“We can always play one more so you can claim your crown,” Tatum offers with a grin, already shuffling the deck.
Since I was the one who indicated the third game would be the last because I wanted to get home, the challenge is for me.It is a little after ten, which is already beyond my regular bedtime, but tomorrow is my day off.Besides, this has been such a surprisingly fun and relaxing night—I’ve barely given any thought to my troubles—I don’t really want it to end yet.
“Fine,” I concede.“But don’t say I didn’t warn you; I’m not going to go easy on you this time.Start dealing.”
Twenty minutes later, I’m about to get clobbered for the fourth time—this time by Tate—when my phone rings.
I’m instantly apprehensive, and I can feel Hugo’s eyes on me when I check the caller.
“It’s Lola,” I announce, relieved when her name pops up on my call display.“Excuse me for a minute.”
I get up and walk across the room to the front window as I answer her call.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“Where are you?”
Her question jars me, and I get an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.
“Um…at a friend’s place.Why?”
“I’m just driving down Main on my way home from arguably the worst date ever—remind me to tell you about it later—I passed the coffee shop and glanced over, and I could’ve sworn I saw a flashlight or something inside.I thought maybe the power was out, or the breaker tripped, but it was probably just a reflection of headlights.I can go back and make sure.”
That uneasy feeling has grown into sour churning, and I almost jump when a hand lands on my shoulder.
Hugo.
“Everything okay?”
“Yes,” I answer him.
“Okay, I’ll go check it out,” Lola responds in my ear.
“No,” I quickly tell her, alarm bells going off in my head.“Don’t go in alone.I’m leaving now.”
I turn to Hugo as I end the call.I’m probably overreacting—hopefully—but my gut tells me not to try and handle this on my own.
“Are you going to tell me what is going on?”he asks, his jaw set.
“Lola thinks she saw someone inside the coffee shop with a flashlight.She thought it might’ve been me.”
I haven’t even finished my sentence when Hugo is already on the move.
“Stay here,” he orders, grabbing his phone off the charger in the kitchen and snatching his keys from the table.
