Page 29 of Blind Trust
“You tried to hug Nicolás?” She could only imagine how that looked, and she pressed her lips together to suppress the giggle. “Why would you do that?”
Kekoa wiped his mouth after taking a swig of water. She didn’t need him to say what was clearly readable in the arch of his brow.
“Just to drive him nuts, huh?”
“You know it.”
Lyla sighed. “I know he’s upset with me and this entire situation, but it feels like something else is going on.”
“You can always”—Kekoa sucked in a breath of air, eyes wide with fake shock—“ask him.”
A voice cleared behind Kekoa. He twisted, revealing Nicolás standing in the hallway. “Ready?”
“Yeah.” She grabbed the coffees and ignored Kekoa, who was giving her a double thumbs-up as she followed Nicolás out.Such a dork.
Dork or not, Kekoa’s intel took Lyla and Nicolás toward the Galaxy Bowl-O-Rama in Prince George’s County, where Terrel and Shondra were supposed to be. The sky had darkened and the wind was picking up, but Nicolás had made sure the temperature in his truck was comfortable. A John Mellencamp song played softly in the background.
“Thank you.” She hoped her gratitude didn’t sound shallow. “I know it’s been a long day and you had plans this evening.” Hermind went immediately to Naomi. “Maybe Terrel won’t be there, and we can call it an early night.”
“I hope he’s there.” It sounded like a growl. He looked over at Lyla. “My only plans are to make sure you and your family are safe.”
“Um”—she cleared her throat—“if you want to bring Naomi to the drag hunt, I can make sure we have an extra horse.”
“Lyla.” Nicolás shut off the radio. “Naomi is a friend.” He looked over at her. “A friend who showed me the stunning ring her boyfriend put on her finger when he proposed and she happily, eagerly said yes.”
“She did?” There was far too much enthusiasm in her voice. “That’s exciting. Wait...” She was confused. “When did you see her?”
“I rearranged our time at the range so I could accept your invitation if it was still available.”
Lyla suddenly felt hot. Really hot. She reached for the vent and adjusted it away from her face. “I’m sorry, Nicolás. I didn’t mean to make you change your plans. I shouldn’t have assumed you didn’t have plans and put you on the spot like that.”
“You didn’t make me change my plans.” He sent her a sideways glance. “I was hoping your father could regale me with more of your childhood stories, Stinkerbell.”
Lyla tried to look appalled at Nicolás’s use of her childhood nickname, but one tilt of his lips and she couldn’t resist the giggle that erupted. “I still haven’t forgiven him for revealing my secret identity.”
“Secret identity?” Nicolás chuckled. “Not sure the DC mayor is going to be sending up a signal for the fairy on wheels.”
“Hey!” She shot him her fiercest look, which only made him snicker more. “I was one of the toughest girls on my roller derby team. Other teams were scared of me.” She lowered her voice. “My teammates wanted to be me.”
Nicolás held his laughter in for a solid three seconds beforeletting loose, and Lyla relished the sound of it. It was the best sound. It instantly wiped away all the tension she’d been carrying since she drove up to her parents’—Oh no.
She’d completely forgotten about the lie she told Mrs. Davenport about Nicolás. Ugh. “Nic—”
“We’re here.”
A giant neon sign in the shape of a pin and a bowling ball glowed brightly from a pastel building, welcoming them to the Galaxy Bowl-O-Rama and postponing her confession.
Nicolás found a parking spot in the nearly full lot and shut off the engine. “I didn’t realize bowling was still a thing.”
“This place looks amazing.” Lyla unbuckled her seat belt. “I’m booking it for my next birthday. Eighties themed. Or maybe yours since it’s the next one up.”
“Lyla...”
She faced him, and beneath the neon-pink light shining on his face, she could read the hesitation—or was it doubt?—in his eyes.
“First sign, if you see anything that sets you off, we’re out of there.”
The skin between his brows tugged together. Definitely doubt.
