The Hidden(15)

So he’s an asshole and a whore. Lovely.

Hayley elbowed him in the ribs.

“Ow.” Andy winced as he rubbed his side. “What? I’m just sayin’.”

Josh nodded in agreement. “I’m confident enough in my heterosexuality to say that is one good-looking dude. I bet he bags a different girl every night. I would if I looked like that.”

Beth made a disgusted face and pushed Josh’s legs off her. “Pig.”

Josh didn’t seem fazed. In fact, he didn’t even notice. He was too busy eye-fucking the blond girl. “Who’s she?” he asked Andy.

“I don’t know.” There was a slight hint of dreaminess in Andy’s voice. “I’ve never seen her before.”

God. Apparently everybody loves her.

I barely resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Instead, I popped another grape into my mouth. “So you don’t like him,” I surmised to Andy.

He kind of shrugged. “I wish I could say no, but he’s actually not that bad.”

I snorted in response, which earned me stares from everyone in the group. My phone chose that moment to vibrate, and I pulled it out of my pocket, thankful for the distraction. It was a text message from an unknown number. I opened it and read:

If you’re still interested, I’d love to meet you for coffee this afternoon.

-Gabriel

My excitement wasn’t as big as it would’ve been a few days ago, and I had only one person to blame for that.

I glanced up at Thomas, surprised to see his dark blue eyes already on me. They were intent and heated. Like nothing else existed in the world and it was just me and him. It was dizzying and thrilling.

I didn’t like it.

My stomach somersaulted, and I exhaled a shaky breath as I looked to my lap. My phone’s screen went dim from lack of activity.

I hit reply, the screen lighting up again as I typed:

Sure. When and where?





Why did hearing Emily say my name send a chill down my spine? What was wrong with me?

“Why do you keep look–” Mel’s eyes grew wide when she saw Emily. “Is she…?” Mel lifted her hand to point.

“Yes, and it’s not polite to point,” I said, pulling her hand down.

Her wide eyes quickly turned suspicious. “Do you know her?”

I shrugged. “Kinda.”

“Are you and her…?”

“No. No, it’s nothing like that.”

Mel looked Emily over. “She’s very pretty,” she said, the tone of her voice tacking on “for someone who associates with humans” as clearly as if she’d said it aloud.

I sighed. “Mel, don’t.”

“What? I’m just voicing my approval,” she said. “I’m happy you finally found someone…even if you couldn’t find the time to introduce her to your family.”

“I didn’t find–” I exhaled a long breath. “I hardly know the girl, Mel. You’re getting ahead of yourself.” I wrapped my hand around Mel’s arm, dragging her away before she could cause a scene.





Chapter Eleven

EMILY

I pulled into the parking lot of the small coffee shop in downtown Potomac Ridge. What the locals considered “downtown” was actually about ten blocks of shops and restaurants, centered around the six hundred block of North Main Street.

Gabriel wasn’t there when I walked in. I glanced at my watch, seeing I was a few minutes early, and headed for the counter to order. After I’d gotten my iced mocha, I sat down in an empty corner of the café. I didn’t have to wait long, as Gabriel walked in while I was still getting settled.

Sitting in the plush, dark green chair across from me, he ran his fingers through his hair. “Sorry I’m late. I, uh, got held up at school.”

I set my drink down. “No problem… Aren’t you gonna get something?” I asked, gesturing to the line of customers at the counter.

“Yes,” he said absently, waiving over a nearby barista. She’d been eyeing him as she wiped down a table with a wet rag.

She rushed over to our little corner, beaming the whole way as she subtly tried to fix her curly brown hair. “Can I help you?”

Gabriel smiled at her. It was the kind of smile that could stop your heart–slow, seductive, and flawless. Even I got a little weak in the knees…or vag, but whatever.

“Hi” –he glanced at her nametag– “Lynette. How’s your day so far?”

Her cheeks flushed as she dropped her eyes and smoothed her apron. “It’s good. No complaints here.”

“I’m glad to hear it. My day’s going pretty well too, but you know what would make it perfect?”