Kai leans down and takes hold of my hand like it’s the most natural thing in the world. “It’s probably best that you didn’t. They might have rolled you in Cheeto dust, and then I wouldn’t have wanted to hold your hand.”
“Right,” I say through another laugh.
“I’d have wanted to lick it instead.”
I giggle some more. Kai always did know how to make me laugh. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like the way my hand feels in his.
“The library’s this way.” He leads me down the hall. “I took a small tour right when I got here. Luckily, everything’s labeled.” He nods toward a bronze plaque outside the upcoming door.
And so it is. We walk inside and quietly survey the place. Bookshelves, books, study areas with round tables, and bean bags for lounging. It’s not until I glance around a second time that I see a flashing florescent sign over a rather tall, isolated bookcase by the drinking fountain.
Enter here.
Just as I scrutinize the letters in glowing green, Kai speaks up once more. “Ooh, a magic bookcase, maybe?”
A whir of wonder stirs within me. “I always wanted to step through a secret passageway like that.”
“Who hasn’t?” Kai shrugs, and his oversized jersey inches down his tan and very muscular shoulder.
Stop staring, Nikki.
“How did they find a jersey that was too big foryou?”I ask as we move toward the sign. “I mean, should I be worried that King Kong is going to come tear the roof off this place to get his jersey back?”
“I’m more concerned that the ornery old man with the floating house is going to fly over here and take his glasses back.”
I laugh, knowing that Kai wore similar glasses on our first date to make himself look smarter—a fact he fessed up to on our second date. That explained why I’d never seen him wear them at school.
“Okay,” Kai says once we’re at the green sign. “I’m about to make your wildest dreams come true.”
Hot tingles flare in my tummy. How did he know about my dream?
“Go ahead,” he says with a nod at the bookcase.
Oh yeah,thatdream—the hidden passageway. I clear my throat, reach out, and give the edge a little push. The tall structure gives way like a revolving door, so I push on it some more. “Here we go,” I say theatrically over my shoulder as I walk into the unseen space.
If this place is part school,thisis the giant gymnasium—one with a diner-style booth set up in the corner.
“You made it,” sings that same cheery voice. A guy in a pale blue suit stands there. I’ve seen him before, haven’t I?
“If this were a race between the tortoise and the hare,” the man continues, “I’m the hare, and you’re the tortoises. But wait, doesn’t the hare lose?” He scratches his head, then shrugs.
“My name’s Colt Findley, and I’ll be your host for the next five days. Now, beforebig boygets all crazy-eyed—wait, maybe it’s too late for that.” He laughs under his breath. “Ishouldassure you that I won’t enter the main part of the home. I only show up when it’sdatetime, which is when you’ll require my talent for telling people what to do. You’ll show up here to find the place transformed just in time for the event.
“Tonight, if you haven’t already guessed, you two will be going on your first date again. But since you can’t step outside these walls, we’ve brought Sill’s Diner to you. So, head on over, take a seat at the booth, and enjoy your evening.”
“Okay,” Kai says. I can tell by the sound of his voice that he’s wary, which is good because so am I.
“Oh,” Colt Findley adds. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll just be on my phone hunting for wearable parachutes so I can get my wife one of those.” He nods to my outfit.
Kai shakes his head.
“Whoa, whoa…” The host puts his hands up and steps back. “Don’t pull those eyes at me, man.Please,I’ll be nice.”
I look at Kai once more, trying not to laugh at the hilarious effects of the glasses. One eye looks big enough to belong to the cyclops who owns the giant jersey. The other looks like it came from a shrunken squirrel.
Kai shakes it off and places a hand at my lower back. It feels warm and wonderful and so very familiar.
We head to the booth that looks just like the ones from our favorite burger joint.
