Hayden reappeared at the counter. “I’ll have a cappuccino.”
“Coming right up.” I made his drink quickly and efficiently, hoping to get him away from the counter. Lord, but he was distracting. “That’s four-fifty.”
“Keep the change.” He handed me a ten, spun on his heel and went to the far corner of the room where he could see everything that went on in the place. I stared after him. Hayden had already bought lunch and paid for gas earlier. No way would I let him tip me that much. He’d get it back later.
My phone went off. Beep. Beep. Beep. A text. My boss was in the back so I snuck a peek. It was a message from Chait. Who the hell was he? Sorry abt earlier. That was Rena, not me. Still on for 2nite?
So that was his name. Mr. So-perfect-he-must-be-a-mannequin. He’d programmed his number and I’d never checked to see what he put in there. Mr. Mannequin was crazy if he thought I’d willingly meet with him alone after the abduction. I’d prefer 2 talk in a public place. Come by my work b4 9:30. Then I could bypass Hayden’s house altogether.
Only four people populated the deli, which left me with little to do. I busied myself cleaning the cappuccino machine. The door chimed and I turned to see Nadia and Corinne. The cavalry had arrived. Or not… They weren’t very supportive of my rejecting Hayden. When they saw him watching me, they’d get the wrong idea. My shoulders drooped.
“Hey.” Hayden rose from his chair and waved them over. “What do you drink?”
They glanced over at me, clearly baffled. I shrugged. They sat at his table and gave him their order. Hayden approached the counter and repeated the order but I’d already begun making the drinks. The place was small and my hearing had improved over the last few days. My sense of smell, too. Earlier, I could smell the delicious aroma of roasted beans from the parking lot and the door hadn’t even been open.
Hayden waited patiently and when I sat the drinks on the counter, he handed me a twenty-dollar bill. I didn’t take it. “Are you going to wait for change this time?”
He grinned.
“You have five-fifty on account.” I gave him a fake smile. “The total here is five even. Cheap dates, huh? So I guess I still owe you fifty cents.” I reached into my pocket. He rolled his eyes and left with the drinks.
The next half hour passed pleasantly enough. Skyler and Brad arrived with three pretty girls. I didn’t recognize them so they didn’t go to our school. The boys stole chairs from nearby tables and they all crowded around Hayden and my friends. Too many girls. Hayden was probably in heaven.
The brunette clearly liked Brad, and Skyler seemed quite cozy with the blonde. That left the auburn-haired girl for Hayden. She seemed to know it too. Her hand somehow kept finding its way to his thigh. She smiled frequently and he returned it easily, as though talking to a pretty girl was the most natural thing in the world.
My self-lecture that Hayden wasn’t meant for me hadn't helped. I still wanted him.
A half hour later, he seemed completely engrossed with the striking auburn-haired girl. That was good, right? Maybe he’d go off with her and I’d be free from that onslaught of flirting. Hell, I’d bet anything that I’d fallen off his radar as soon as she had walked in the door.
I busied myself wiping down a table to keep from glancing their way — and sensed Chait behind me.
“Do you have time to talk?” he asked.
“No, she doesn’t. And I can’t believe you have the nerve to show up after your little kidnapping stunt earlier,” Hayden hissed.
I whipped around to see Hayden, and was genuinely surprised that he’d noticed anyone else other than the girl. “Down boy. I knew he was coming. We’re just going to talk.”
Hayden ignored me, eyes trained on Chait.
“Go.” I shoved at Hayden’s shoulders but he didn’t budge. “Hayden, give us a minute.”
“Fine. But I’ll be right over there.” He backed away. “I’ll be watching.”
A glance around told me that our little scuffle went unnoticed and everyone in the deli was taken care of. The boss was in the back. “We can talk right here.” I pointed at the table next to us and sat. But not before I snuck a peek at Nadia and Corinne who stared at Chait as though he were a double chocolate mousse cake drizzled with hot caramel. There would be an interrogation later, for sure. “But if you don’t drink something, the boss might come in and think I’m slacking.”
“Espresso would be good.”
“Coming right up.”
When I finished making his drink, we sat at the nearby table.
“I’m really sorry about that kidnapping business.” He kept his voice low. “You have to know I had nothing to do with that. If my superiors had understood the situation, they wouldn’t have signed off on that order. Rena manipulated the facts.” He scratched at a hardened piece of something on the table that could only be fossilized pie crust.
I checked Hayden’s table. He and my friends were still staring when I turned back to Chait. “I want to believe you. I do. But you’re still guilty by association. She’s your partner and part of the group you want me to join. If I can’t trust her, I can’t trust the entire group.”
“I get it.” Chait focused on the table surface again. “I think you should come over and meet the others though. It might be good, you know, to see them, talk to them. Might balance out your impression of Rena.”
The chair on the other side of me scraped and swiveled. Hayden straddled it backwards, his chin resting on his forearms draped over the back of the chair. “Time’s up,” he said.
“If I meet with these people, I want Hayden to come with me,” I told Chait.
“That won’t work.”
“He knows everything,” I said.
“Everything?” His voiced had dropped even lower.
“Everything.” My chin tilted up.
“That’s against the rules.” Chait eyed Hayden and sighed. “Frank and Lila didn’t tell you about keeping our abilities secret?”
“Yes, they did. But you’ve already informed me that they can’t be trusted. I already know your people can’t be trusted. Him, I trust.”
“Fine,” Chait said reluctantly. “Keep this between us, okay? Don’t tell anyone that he knows, especially not Frank and Lila.”
“It’ll be difficult to keep it a secret if I’m at your meeting,” Hayden added. “You’re trying to convince Tessa how upstanding you guys are. If your conversation is limited so I don’t learn something, the meeting is pointless.”
“I’ll… I’ll find a way to fix it. They might be forgiving since you’re new. Tomorrow?” Chait gulped the last sip of his coffee and pushed the cup away.
“At my house.” Hayden stood. “I’d say it was nice meeting you but that would be a lie. Time for you to go.”
Chait scowled at Hayden and rose.
“And no more late night visits to her bedroom. Tessa won’t be there anyway. She’s staying at my place now.” Hayden’s shoulders squared as he folded his arms over his chest.
I shrugged when Chait looked to me for confirmation. When a vision rushed me of Hayden and I making out, I realized my reply wasn’t necessary. By Chait’s face, he got Hayden’s picture. Literally.
“I’ll call you tomorrow and we’ll set up the time. Good night.” He nodded at me, then Hayden.
“Wait.” Hayden’s brows furrowed. “My parents are having a dinner party at my house tomorrow.”
“We’ll work it out. Maybe we could use the abandoned building Rena took you to.”
Memories of being kidnapped and taken there rushed me. “I don’t know…”
Chait jerked his head toward Hayden and grinned. “He can bring his gun. You guys will be fine.” He gave a quick wave and headed to the door.
I watched Nadia and Corinne drool as he disappeared then saw them focus on me. Great. How was I going to explain that whole thing? My friends could be relentless.
“Tell them you met Chait the other night and I’m the possessive type. You know, I’m insanely jealous.” Hayden grinned. “They’ll totally buy it.”