Page 18 of Sweet Dreams

I cringed, “Good luck with that.”

“Haha, thank you. I might need it.” Lulu said in a sigh, turning her face towards the sun.

“I’m really glad I ran into you again,” I said quietly, unable to stop watching her.

Her eyes snapped back to mine. “Me too.” There was a moment there, hot and tense and strange. And I didn’t know what to do.

Lulu smiled quickly, dropping her chin. “I hope I’ll see you around, Zaldi. Enjoy the caramel.”

I raised a hand as she backed away before turning, “Goodbye, Lulu.”

She began to walk back down the road, my eyes glued to her form for the entire distance between us. My heart ached, my body physically rejecting her leaving me.

“Lulu–wait!”

She turned, letting me jog to catch up with her. “What is it?”

“I want to see you, again.”

Her head cocked. “On purpose,” I clarified.

A dimple popped in her cheek. “You do?”

“Absolutely.”

“Good. You can take me to the movies tomorrow, if you’d like.”

“I’d love that.” I had never been to the movies and desperately needed to do some research before then, but I would gladly do so.

Lulu bit her lip. “Maybe pick me up from work? We can walk together.”

“I’ll be there.”

Lulu smiled broad and then waggled her fingers at me in a swift and sweet goodbye. Leaving me on the sidewalk staring after my mate. But, I no longer felt helpless. I had her coffee, complete with her lipstick print on the edge of the cup, in my hand and a plan in place.

I could fix this.

I was already half in love with her now.

Chapter Five

Lulu

“No way. That’s not what we do here.”

“Grandpa…. come on. You want to know about ETA, I know you do. I can find that out for you!” I leaned back in his office chair, grasping at my fraying temper. “You have to trust me, Grandpa. Let me show you what I can bring to the table.”

My grandfather knocked against the desk, his frustration with me clear. “I know what you bring to the table, Lu, and it is my job–not yours– to make the decisions for the Times.”

My breath shuddered out of me, my fingers wrapping tight around the arms of the chair. “You need help. Let me help you.”

I opened my mouth, ready to tell him about how I was going out with Zaldi tonight. He was Traum’s brother, the perfect source and contact within the ETA. I could’ve established a friendship there. I squirmed at that thought though. At the lie masquerading under the need to prove myself.

Because I didn’t want to use Zaldi. And all night last night I’d been trapped, sleepless, as I replayed our brief interactions over and over again.

I told myself this morning that I’d consider him a source. Nothing else. I didn’t need a relationship right now. Not as badly as I needed my family’s legacy to continue–and to prove that I was capable of making it work here in Salus Glen.

I opened my mouth. But his knuckles rapped again. I watched my grandfather’s beloved face, the way his eyes grew distant – mouth tight as he stared out of the window to the side. “Have the piece about the new school board candidates in my inbox today.”