Page 8 of Lies Beneath Secrets (Skeleton Crew #1)
CHAPTER EIGHT
Lauren
When Piper and Lucas finally show up at the restaurant, I’m still standing outside, waiting for Eli. “He’s not here yet?” she asks. I catch a glimpse of red in her eyes and know right away she’s been crying.
“Nope.” This was a thing last time we went on a date. I waited for thirty minutes until he texted me, telling me he was on his way. I hold up my phone. “No text either.” I can’t say I’m surprised. I’m actually relieved in a way but being stood up by someone I don’t even like still annoys me. When you say you’ll be there, be there. That’s how I function anyway.
“Let’s go inside. He’s a cop. Maybe he ended up working late?” Piper gives the man the benefit of the doubt. I shrug and follow her and Lucas, who still hasn’t said a word yet, inside.
We get seated right away and are just about to order our food when Eli walks over to our table. “I’m so sorry.” He leans down and kisses me on the cheek. It’s so fast I don’t even have time to realize what’s happening. “I got stuck writing a report that took forever to finish.” He pulls out the chair right next to me and sits down. “Have you ordered already?”
“Nope. We just got here. This one couldn’t decide what dress to wear,” Lucas says, breaking his silence. Piper glances over at Lucas, then fakes a smile followed by a nervous laugh.
“Too many to pick from I guess,” she says, then examines her menu.
“Because your favorite hobby is shopping. It sure isn’t cleaning,” Lucas lets out a burst of laughter that Eli joins in on, and I decide that’s the time for me to examine my menu as well. I tune them both out as I look through the choices until something catches my eye.
Or rather, someone does. It’s the man and his little girl. What was his name? Mathews? At least that’s his last name anyway. I covertly watch as he walks over to the hostess all the while holding the little girl’s hand. He talks to her for a moment before she walks away. Not long after, she comes back holding a plastic bag. He must have ordered takeout. I hide behind my menu until he turns to leave the restaurant, then I glance over at Eli who I find watching me with raised brows.
“Hiding?”
“Nope.” I sit up a little straighter. “I think I’ll get the Wisco burger and fries,” I state and put down my menu.
“Wow!” Eli lets out a whistle. “Fried onions and cheese curds on it. You sure you should eat that much?” I do my best to not let the question affect me. It isn’t the first time I’ve heard something like that, and it won’t be the last.
“I’m hungry,” is all I say and take a sip of the water the waitress brought to us when we sat down.
“All right.” He holds up his hands in surrender.
The night goes on and after nearly two hours, I’m exhausted. Eli and Lucas seem to hit it off really well and by the time their fifth beer comes, I’m ready to knock them both out so Piper and I can leave. “I can give you a ride,” Eli tells me as we step out of the restaurant. Piper takes the keys from Lucas and walks toward his truck after a brief goodbye. I watch for a moment while they get into the tall, black vehicle and drive away.
“Ah, that’s okay. I live just down the block. And I have a burger to walk off,” I say sarcastically.
“Suppose you do,” Eli tells me as his eyes drop to my butt. I know my butt is on the bigger side but not so much to where it would deserve a comment like that.
“Well, thank you for a nice evening,” I lie and walk toward my apartment. I need to cut down an alleyway behind the restaurant so when I start walking and catch the sound of footsteps behind me, I nervously glance back. Eli is following me.
“I’m walking you to your place. I should probably sober up anyway before I drive. With me being a cop and all.” He clears the space between us and walks alongside me. “That Lucas is a pretty cool guy. Haven’t met him before tonight.” Oh yes, Mr. Lucas is the best.
“Yep, they make a really cute couple,” I lie and pick up my pace a little.
“How long have they been together?”
“Almost two years maybe?” I answer, unsure if I’m correct.
“And they aren’t married yet?”
“Why would they get married?” I ask, pausing my steps.
“Because they’ve been together for a while. I assume they’re living together. That’s what people do. They move in together and get married,” he says as if it’s the most normal thing in the world to do. I suppose on some level, it is but not to me.
“Not everyone should get married,” I assert and walk again, staring longingly at my building when it comes into view.
“I guess not, but they seem to really love each other.” Was this man at the same table I was? All Lucas did was make backhanded compliments and snarky comments about Piper. Eli didn’t do much better toward me either, especially with the remark about what I was eating.
“Yep,” I force the word out of my mouth, then decide to keep it shut for the remainder of the walk. Eli, however, doesn’t do the same. I tune him out the rest of the way and when I reach the foyer door, I let out a little sigh of relief.
“What happened there?” Eli points at the inside door that has a piece of wood screwed to it.
“The glass broke. They’re replacing it soon.” I take my key from my purse and turn to look at Eli, who’s standing right behind me. Way too close. “Thank you for walking me home.” I turn and unlock the now wooden door and go to push it closed behind me, but Eli has already crossed the threshold and is next to me before I can.
“Don’t be silly. I’ll walk you to your apartment door.” Reluctantly, I nod and start toward the stairs. “This is a nice building,” he comments when we get up the first flight of stairs. “No elevator though?”
“There are only three floors,” I tell him with a shrug and keep walking. My apartment is on the third floor. Below me is a couple who moved in about a year ago who seem to argue an awful lot. Across from them is Mrs. More, an eighty-year-old woman with the most annoying lap dog who has bit me on the ankle three times. The place across from me has been vacant for over a month. Before that, an older man lived there who I don’t think ever bought anything other than beer. I know he didn’t pay rent; that’s for sure. He was escorted out of here not long after he moved in. My landlord, Stanford, has the apartment on the main floor. The laundry room is down there as well as the mailboxes.
“Seems to me a three-story building should have an elevator,” he complains again, and I nearly jump for joy when I reach my apartment door.
“This is me.” I go to grab my keys and inwardly panic when I don’t see them in my purse. “Crap,” I say and dig around in my purse, only to have the thing drop out of my hands and fall on the floor in my haste to find my keys. Before I can reach down and pick it up, Eli is already after it. He extends the purse over to me, and I catch the smirk on his face when he glances down into it. I have three condoms stuffed in there because Piper insisted I have some on me at all times. She’s getting an earful tomorrow. I’m about to open my mouth and blame everything on Piper when the door to the supposedly empty apartment across from mine opens. There, standing only feet away from me, is Mr. Freaking Mathews. Dark amber eyes keep me pinned in place for a moment before they fall on something behind me.
The silence in the small hallway thickens and closes in on me until pattering footsteps break the tension. The little girl bounces out of the apartment holding onto what looks to be a small stuffed horse. “Gabby,” he says when she starts walking my way. She pauses for a moment to turn back at him, then she looks over at me again.
“Do you remember me?” I ask, dropping down to her height. She smiles and continues over to me. “Have you colored some pictures with your crayons?” She doesn’t answer, but she does smile and, I think, nods a little.
“That’s Gabby,” her dad says, coming a little closer to us.
“Well, hi, Gabby. My name is Lauren. Are we neighbors?” I ask her but then look up at the man towering over both of us.
“Yeah. I’m Conner. We just moved in today.” I suppose I would have known that, but I’ve been avoiding being at home all day.
“Well, welcome to the building.” I smile at Gabby one more time, then stand. My sister has a son that could be about the same age as Gabby, but I hardly ever see him.
“Thank you.” Conner gives me what I think to be an attempt at a smile, then focuses on something behind me. Eli’s body brushes up against mine, and I nearly jump because I actually forgot he was there. His hand comes around my shoulders in an almost possessive stance. My body moves over on its own before I can even think about it. “Do you live here as well?” Conner asks.
“No,” I blurt out before Eli has a chance to speak. “This is Eli. He was just walking me to my door.” I turn and suck in a deep breath through my nose in an attempt to calm myself. I take that moment to find my keys and stuff those darn condoms down further into my purse.
“It was very nice to meet you, Gabby.” I turn to say to the little girl after I pull my keys out. “I look forward to seeing some of those pictures.” I give her a smile, then look over at Eli. “Thank you for a nice evening.” As quickly as I can, I unlock my door and go inside.