5
CHARLI
Twilight had settledover Santa Cruz as we left the beach house and headed back to the city.
At the thought of going back home, I wondered if my mother was back from her heartbreak cruise. She’d been gone for over two weeks after her most recent divorce.
Darn. I needed to get an apartment sorted out ASAP. I liked having my own space, and besides, with separate living accommodations, my mother and I got along much better. More, I prayed this trip would make her take a step back from her usual divorce-and-marry-again mode. But she’d promised, so…
I exhaled deeply and hung on to the hope.
“Tired?” War asked, breaking the silence between us.
“No.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
I could feel his stare like a tangible touch. Yeah, like I was going to tell him about my shaky relationship with my mother. “Nothing. I’m okay.”
He had the window open. The breeze had already dried his freshly showered hair, and now it ruffled the sun-kissed strands. How could he still look so alert when I knew after the tree chopping and roots excavation, he had cleaned out the area, then started trimming the shrubs bordering the property? And here I sat, like a wilted weed, not that I’d done anything strenuous, except sit on my ass and work.
I refastened my hair, still damp from my shower, into a topknot and frowned as he slowed the truck and took a road that was definitelynotthe way back to San Francisco.
My gaze veered from left to right, then to him. “Where are we going?”
“Our date, remember?”
“What?” I leaped upright, but my seat belt kept me restrained. “Oh, no! You can’t be serious?”
“I don’t say things I don’t mean, Blue,” he said, his attention on the busy road. “Besides, you don’t need to dress up for the Boardwalk. Your shorts and tee—shit! You are tired. And I’m an ass.” He slowed to the curb, waiting to make an illegal U-turn.
“I’m not tired.” I sighed. Well, maybe a little. My fingers ached, as did my numb ass, but still. This morning when he saida date, I assumed maybe when the week was up, and I could find an excuse and weasel out. Not hours later.
He cast me a contemplative stare as if debating whether I was telling him the truth. Then he nodded and drove on, heading toward the busy parking lot.
Minutes later, we joined the crowd surging through the entrance, the blaring music, loud laughter, and noisy chatter welcoming us. But damn, with the breeze and fog coming off the ocean, it was chilly here. I slid my hands into my hoodie pockets, grateful for the warm layer.
“Food first, then we enjoy the attractions and rides,” he said, ushering me along.
“The rides are closed.” I pointed to a notice at the entrance. “Only the arcade’s open now.”
“So?” He quirked an eyebrow. “You can still show me what I missed out on. We can do the rides another time.”
Wait,what? Anotherdate?
I stopped walking. He grabbed my arm, dragging me out of the way of the incoming crowd, his brow creasing. “Do you want to go have dinner elsewhere?” he asked, mistaking my gaping. “I wasn’t going to take you home without food, Blue. We can leave and go to the city, if you like.”
“I prefer not having a sit-down dinner, thank you very much.” I sniffed. “My ass will not appreciate it since it’s still traumatized from sitting on the ground weeding for long periods with sporadic moving from patch to patch,” I grumbled.
His mouth twitched, his gaze lowering to my butt. “Stop!” I groaned before he said anything like, he’ll massage it for me. “Let’s go get something to eat. I’m paying.”
I marched off, then stopped, looking for the food signs or stalls.
“Blue—” He caught up with me. “Ibrought you here for the date.”
I wasn’t gonna argue with him about that. “We aren’t a couple. Youdroveus here. And we’re not sitting down to eat.”
“Noted.” Amusement lit his eyes. “I never met a girl who could argue so much.”
