“It’s the one you were interested in yesterday. Go get the table before someone else does.” He pats my ass as I pass him. I’m certain I’m blushing, but he’s already turned to face the counter, because it’s almost his turn to order.
I step through the door and get a little closer to the couple than I usually would. As soon as both of them take a single step back, I place my hand on one of the heavy metal chairs and drop into it. A couple with a tray quickly approaches but then they come to an abrupt halt. I get a slight thrill from winning before a wave of guilt hits.
I avoid their direction and make a show of looking back inside to find Boone’s large figure, but it doesn’t stop the itch between my shoulder blades. I swear it feels like they are staring holes in my back.
Thankfully, it doesn’t take Boone long to get through the line and join me. The feeling of being watched doesn’t fade right away, but it’s easy to ignore when Boone is standing across from me. “I got a few slices for you to try.” He places the heavily laden tray, which is overflowing with pizza, on the table.
“Did you get one of each?” I marvel.
“Two of the spinach one in case you really like it. They don’t have Hi-C, I already checked. What would you like to drink?”
“Cream soda,” I answer quickly, having already looked at the drink options.
“Dig in, I’ll be back.” He heads back into the shop. I finally get the nerve to look around, but the couple I thought was watchingme isn’t anywhere in sight. As a matter of fact, no one seems to be paying me a lick of attention, but the eerie feeling of being watched doesn’t abate. Clearly, I’m still paranoid.
Boone returns with a cream soda for me and a clear plastic cup of beer for himself. I try a bite of each slice, but the white pizza with fresh ricotta ends up being my favorite. I push back from the table when Boone offers me yet another sample.
“No, I can’t. I’m stuffed.” I shake my head, feeling a little miserable already. Hopefully the walk back to the car will help work off some of the heaviness.
“Lightweight,” Boone teases before finishing off his fourth slice. Let him tease me all he wants. I’m more than aware he only has one bathroom, and while I know everyone poops, I really don’t want to have to deal with that at his apartment with him in it.
“I’m going to use the restroom. Do you want another beer?”
“No, I’m good. Thanks.” He tips back the cup, finishing off the last of his drink.
Thankfully, I don’t have to pee too badly, because there’s a short line for the bathroom. When I exit a few minutes later, I notice a woman start to walk past the table then stop abruptly. The smile she gives him seems familiar, but Boone’s back is to me, so I can’t see his reaction. I step out of the door behind two couples. It feels awkward to just walk up and retake my seat, since she’s standing right next to it. That’s when I notice a dog on a leash near her legs. She’s slim, in fitted leggings and sneakers, with a cropped jacket to match her purple pants. Her hair is an expensive shade of blonde that looks natural but has way too much dimension and varying tones. Her eyes are dark, most likely brown, but it’s hard to be sure from this distance, or maybe it’s tough to tell because she hasn’t taken them off of Boone.
“You left me hanging last night. Too busy to text back?” she says with an easy smile.
“Last night?” He tilts his head to the side, then as if he can feel my eyes on him, he looks over his shoulder and finds me hovering a few feet from the table. “Harlyn,” he says a little loudly and forced, and my stomach drops. I make a show of curling my lips into the smile I’ve perfected over the past two years, but I quickly avert my gaze from his. He will see right through the façade. What are the odds we would run into her in a city this size and with this many people?
The woman, realizing Boone isn’t alone, takes a step back from the table, making room for me to get to my chair. “Hi, I’m Chloe. We work—” She looks at Boone for confirmation, then finishes with, “Adjacent?” as if it’s a question.
“Different teams, same league.” He nods. I notice the way his eyes can’t seem to meet either of ours as I lower myself into the hard metal chair. I wish I had an excuse to head back inside, but I think that would only make this more awkward.
“Well, I’ll let you two finish up. I was just taking Bear for a walk. Have a good night.” Chloe makes a graceful exit, of which I’m jealous.
“You too,” Boone says too softly for her to hear over the sound of the traffic and other people at nearby tables. I don’t even think he notices, because he seems preoccupied with something else. He’s probably wondering what Chloe meant when she said he left her hanging last night by not responding to her text. I don’t think he knows I heard the comment as well.
Should I play dumb and act like I didn’t see her message or confess now?
Not giving me time to think, he pulls his phone out of his pocket and thumbs through the screen. In a telltale sign, his eyes flare wide for a millisecond before he lowers the phone to his lap and looks directly at me.
“I was texting Parker when she messaged you. I didn’t mean to hit the notification when it popped up. I really didn’t, but I didscroll back through your messages.” I lift my shoulder, feeling embarrassed and angry all at once.
“I—”
“I’m sorry, I know it was wrong,” I interrupt, “and boy do I wish I didn’t see it, but I did.” The entire mood at the table has shifted. Boone’s face is completely unreadable. There isn’t a trace of understanding, or dare I say remorse.
“Are you done?” His voice isn’t cold, but it isn’t giving me the warm fuzzies either. I’m not sure what else he wants me to confess, so I sit here blankly.
“Harlyn, are you done?” He touches the tray with the tip of his finger, which now holds just a few remnants of crust at this point.
“Yes, yeah.” I pick up the red plastic and walk it back into the shop, pushing the trash into the small hole then stacking the tray with the others. Boone is out of his seat, but it isn’t hard to spot him standing near the exit.
I contemplate my next move. I could leave through the other door, the one that would take me into the hallway with the other stores, but I don’t have anywhere else to go or a way to get there. This is the last time I will be caught without cash and a phone.
Head high, I leave the pizza place with lead in my belly that has nothing to do with eating too much.
