Directly toward me.
Everything happens so quickly I barely have time to react as I scramble, furiously jerking the tarp away from my face. I’m grunting and coughing, stumbling around as it lands on the ground at the same time footsteps hit hard against the pavement, running away.
I’m breathing hard, the back of my hand wiped over my mouth as I stare at his back before he’s out of sight.
“Holy shit,” I pant, my hands coming to my knees as I let out a whoosh of air and shake my head.
“Cameras in place tomorrow,” I whisper to myself before standing and gripping the back of my neck as I head out of the alley, stopping to look around and ensure he’s gone.
He is. But my fucking heart is still pounding.
I grab the door handle of the restaurant, opening it and peeking inside before locking eyes with Eddie. “Hey, I’m cutting out. But heads up, we had a visitor in the alley. A dude and a rat ... I’m more concerned about the latter, so call pest control. But make sure everyone gets out of here tonight without problems. Okay?”
He nods but frowns, so I grin, taking the subject back where it should be. “And don’t call me unless it’s a real emergency. I have a date.”
He looks confused. “What about the girl?”
I smirk, and he knowingly chuckles. “Interesting twist. Good luck.”
What do they say? Success is when opportunity meets luck. Well, here’s hoping that in four weeks, I have the restaurant of my dreams and my dream girl on my arm.
Chapter Four
Chase
“Where are the towels?” I whisper to myself, looking around the spacious en suite for any hint. Shit.
I walk over to the sink and open the cabinet while dripping water over the fancy Moroccan tiles. Goldie and Noah’s house in LA is a definite upgrade from their last place.
I open another cabinet, finding nothing. “Seriously ... no towels, guys. What am I supposed to do ... air-dry?”
When I look up, I spot a standing armoire. I walk over, raking my hand through my hair and shaking off the water, but when I open it, I chuckle.
“One fucking hand towel. You’ve got to be kidding me?”
Beggars can’t be choosers, though. Had I known my friends had nothing, I would’ve brought my own. Then again, all my shit is sitting in garbage bags in their laundry room. A pipe bursting was an understatement.
There was a tsunami in my apartment. When I went by before coming here, I had to make my way through at least an inch of water still on the ground.
I snatch up the towel and start at my shoulders, thinking,God, she’s gonna be so pissed when she sees me here.
I’d hoped Evie would be home when I arrived. She wasn’t. But I know moviemaking can go long into the night, and that’s probably better because it gives me time to strategize.
First off, I need to rectify my misstep. I jumped the gun at the theater when I kissed her. I should’ve waited for a better moment. But she was just looking at me with those pretty amber eyes that make me feel like I’d be willing to do terrible things to keep her attention. And I was looking at her.
And it was a moment.
Until it wasn’t.
Dammit. I have to be smarter this time. Bring out the big guns.
First thing in the morning, I’m going to start with food.
Mainly because it’s my love language, my version of Shakespeare, and like Eddie said, I have to show her how I feel. Plus, everyone knows the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach—I figure it might work on her since she wears the pants in this hopeful relationship.
I just want her to know that I like her. That I like when she mean-flirts and rolls her eyes. And I especially like when she turns feisty and acts like she’s a foot taller than she is.
I’m mid-swipe over my junk when I pull from my Evie thoughts, realizing I should’ve dried off in a different order.Whatever.I bring the towel to the back of my neck, then over my hair, as I head out of the bathroom to change into a pair of Noah’s sweats I stole.
