At the time, Hayley would have dismissed it as a wrong number, except she hadbeen wearing a blue shirt when she received it. Was it all just a coincidence? Another message arrived.
I have a ring for you.
Blood drained from Hayley’s face and her fingers tingled, suddenly numb. She set the phone down and shook out her hands, forcing blood back into them.
“Don’t be stupid,” she told herself.It had to be a wrong number, right?
“Talking to yourself?” Valerie swung the door open and flopped across a couch.
“Valerie.” Hayley sighed. “I asked you not to come in when I’m working.”
“You’re not working,” Valerie retorted. “You’re texting.”
Hayley put her phone away. “I’m writing,” she said, holding up her notebook and shaking it.
“All I see are scribbles.”
“What do you want?” Hayley tried not to smile. As cool as Valerie tried to pretend to be sometimes, she was still just a kid sister in Hayley’s eyes.
“Will you drive me to the movies tomorrow?” Valerie asked. “Mom has book club.”
“Only if you don’t mind Mia tagging along.”
“Yeah,” Valerie said. “Mom is fully committed to this Secret Service stuff, huh?”
“It’s temporary,” Hayley said. “Don’t worry about it.”
“I’m not. Did you see the new guy?” She approached the window, pulling the curtain back to see if the men had emerged from the pool house. “He ishot.”
“You met him?” Hayley asked, a little too eagerly.
“Why?” Valerie cocked an eyebrow. “You saw him, didn’t you?” She smiled mischievously. “You’re into him.”
“I’m not into anyone,” Hayley said, hiding her phone beneath a stack of papers.
“If I was older, I’d go out with him. Even if he is super serious,” Valerie said.
“He seemed serious?”
“Why do you want to know?”
Hayley rolled her eyes. “Never mind.” She doodled on her notepad, picturing the new security guy’s perfect face in her mind. Inspiration could strike anytime, right? She started listing his features next to her lyrics:strong jaw, blonde hair, Bieber haircut…Valerie snatched the pad out of her hand.
“I want to hear your new song.”
“Give that back! What are you, four?” Hayley reached for the pad, but Valerie darted across the room, reading it.
“You ARE into him!” Valerie laughed. “You’re practically in love with him! Did you even meet him yet?”
“It’s just a song!” Hayley protested. “It’s supposed to be generic.”
“This isn’t generic,” Valerie said, handing the pad back. “Can I start calling him my brother-in-law?” Valerie teased, “Or should I wait until after you actually find out his name?”
“Good luck finding a ride to the movies,” Hayley said, turning her back to Valerie.
“Aw, come on,” Valerie whined, “I’m just kidding.”
“Fine,” Hayley said. “But I’m not picking up that friend of yours who tried to smoke in the car. It still smells like cigarettes in there.”
