Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 110360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 441(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 441(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
Enough that when Lofton laughed, I could actually hear it instead of calculating how quickly I could get to her if something went wrong.
It wasn’t going to be a permanent position for him. With Lofton wanting to go back home and the security system already in place, I wasn’t sure what kind of permanent solution we’d need. Hell, if the LAPD did their fucking job and finally caught this guy, we wouldn’t need anyone at all.
“Devon, come on!” Brooke flashed me a wicked grin. “I know you didn’t keep Levee waiting like this.”
Lofton slapped her shoulder and immediately began scolding her.
It was pointless. I’d wronged her best friend. All I could do was endure her wrath until I could finally prove her wrong.
The drive to the restaurant was much the same.
Zoey had attempted to pass me her tablet at every red light, fiending for another hit of the stars on her puzzle game.
Brooke had critiqued my driving, complained that I’d missed turns, and then had been adamant that I was lost even after I told her I was giving Alex time to do a sweep.
Lofton had anchored her hand on my thigh and defended me as best she could—which, admittedly, wasn’t all that well, considering I was almost positive she was enjoying the ration of shit Brooke was doling out.
But I sat there in silence, eyes on the road, a smile on my face, counting down the minutes until I could get Lofton alone.
I tagged Alex’s SUV in the tight, poorly lit lot at Sushi Fever. To say it was a dive was being generous, but that was probably exactly why Lofton loved it. It was sandwiched between a dry cleaner and a parking structure on a side street two blocks from the main drag. One entrance. One exit. I backed into a spot near the back wall that let me see both. My gaze drifted through the front of the restaurant where I spotted Alex sitting at a table by the window, chopsticks heading toward his mouth. He’d given the all clear a few minutes earlier but said he’d stick around until we headed out. I hadn’t thought much of it at the time. Though the giant boat of sushi in front of him made more sense now.
Brooke leaned forward, elbows on the center console, her smile so sugary it was like she hadn’t spent the last twenty minutes heckling me. “You put the order under my name, right?”
I feigned horror. “What? No. I put it under Lofton Beck. Couldn’t remember her phone number, so I gave them her address and alarm code instead.”
Lofton slapped a hand over her mouth, but it did nothing to stop the laugh that broke through.
“Hilarious,” Brooke deadpanned.
“It’s under Cindy Clark.”
Brooke rolled her eyes. “So… Devon Grant?”
“No, it’s actually under Cindy Clark,” I said, scanning the parking lot out of habit. “Generic name. Doesn’t flag. Doesn’t stick. Can’t be tied back to Lofton in any meaningful way.”
She blinked. “You’re joking.”
“Nope. I also used a company card registered to a holding account that cycles through three shell vendors. No personal identifiers. No recurring pattern.” I shrugged.
“Okay,” Brooke said slowly. “That’s a lot for some sushi.”
“I also ordered six extra rolls.”
Her brows shot up. “Why?”
“So if anyone’s ever paid enough attention to memorize her usual order, they won’t be able to pick it out from the noise.”
Brooke leaned back in her seat, staring at me like she was suddenly disgusted with herself for not being disgusted with me.
“Wow, you are thorough.”
“Occupational hazard.”
I chanced a side glance at Lofton.
She was just staring at me.
Soft.
Dreamy.
Like I hung the moon instead of ordered takeout.
Christ. I could get used to that.
Brooke put her hand on the door. “Okay then, I’ll be right—”
“I have to pee,” Zoey announced.
“Of course you do,” Brooke said.
Zoey flared her eyes. “I have to pee bad.”
Brooke shook her head. “And it has nothing to do with the fact that Sushi Fever keeps a bowl of lollipops next to the register.”
Zoey shook her head so slowly that there was no way she thought she was fooling anyone.
Brooke unbuckled her booster seat and helped her out.
Just before she closed the door, Zoey darted back into the car. “Wait, I need my purse.”
“Baby, you can’t pay in melted ChapStick or dirty tissues.”
“I have money!” Zoey defended.
And she did. The change in that rainbow backpack had been jingle-jangling on my nerves all afternoon.
The door shut, and I hit the lock immediately, sinking deeper into my seat as I watched them, hand in hand, cross the parking lot.
Lofton angled in her seat. “You remember how I proposed last night.”
I let out a low whistle and rolled my head against the headrest. “Boy, do I. You didn’t ask my mom’s permission first or anything.”
She playfully slapped me on the chest. “Smartass.” She jerked her chin toward Zoey and Brooke. “Where do you stand on having kids someday?”