I nodded, since her relationship to Cal explained his eyes being so similar to hers, or vice versa.“I see.That must be why Lark wouldn’t call the cops like Chad wanted him to before we came back.”
She let out a wry chuckle.“Yeah.”
I didn’t have anything to say to that.
“You’re too quiet.I don’t know you, but you seem freaked out.”
“Not really,” I said.
She laughed.“Lie to me all you want, but don’t lie to yourself.That’s just wrong.”
“I’m not,” I fibbed.I was the off-spring of an outlaw!
“You are, so to keep you from really losing your mind today – Nickel said he’d be at your place, right?”
I nodded.“Yeah, waiting on me.”
She pulled into my neighborhood and parked, then she turned to me.“He’ll be waiting, but he’ll also be inside, Ivy.”
“He doesn’t have a key.”
Her head tilted.“He won’t need one because he’ll pick the lock.”
“He’s gonna break inside,” I muttered.
“Only to keep you safe.”
It struck me that there was more than one kind of safety involved here.Nickel breaking into my home wasn’t dangerous for me.But spending more time with him might lead to him breaking inside my heart – and that didn’t feel very safe at all.
I shook off my thoughts and unbuckled my seatbelt.“Thank you so much for doing this.You’re a lifesaver.”
“Not a problem.Have a good closing.Hopefully, I’ll see you around the clubhouse soon.”
I grinned.“That would be awesome, but I don’t think things are like that with me and Nickel.We got away.They aren’t going to find me.”
At a quarter to one, I met Chad at the Metro Diner.He sat at a table sipping a cup of coffee, and I noticed he’d ordered a glass of strawberry lemonade for me.
As I approached, his lips pulled together and he gave me a stern look.“Ivy.You naughty girl.”
I sat down and returned his stern stare with my own.“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“This ismeyou’re talking to, girlie.You and that man got busy with a capital B.”
I closed my eyes and sighed.“Ifwe did, it doesn’t matter,andit doesn’t make me naughty.”
“You know I don’t mean it like that.”
My head tilted.“Half the restaurant heard you call me naughty.”
He shrugged a shoulder.“Maybe a quarter, and I should have kept my voice down.Sorry.”He leaned forward.“But tell me, was it good?”
“We were interrupted and now I’m thinking that was for the best.”
His eyes narrowed.“You didn’t get busy?”
I sipped my lemonade.“We— this issonot your business.”
“We’re best friends.Tell me.”
