Page 3 of Lock

“I know,” I whisper. “I didn’t mean to.”

We stare at each other in silence for a minute before Sam dissolves into laughter, dragging me with her. My hands cover my face.

“He’s gonna be so mad.”

“I know!” She nods.

“You two would have argued, and it would have gotten worse and worse, and I just thought it was best to you know”—I swipe my hand through the air—“cut it off.”

Sam slumps back into the corner of the sofa, all laughter forgotten. “Something needs cutting off.”

“Want to talk about it?” I ask again softly.

“No.”

“I’m here when you want to,” I remind her, nudging her foot with mine as I settle into the other corner of the sofa.

Sam checks the time on her watch. “I should go.”

“You’re really not coming tonight? Since when do you listen to the word no?” I raise a brow in challenge. She knows I’m right, and her smirk says it.

“It’s different this time.”

Not wanting to push, I let it go.

“Maybe I should cancel.”

“No, don’t. I’d feel even worse than I already do. You hate this time of year, so if you want a party, have a party. Besides, even if you cancel now, people will still turn up.”

True.

“You ever going to tell me why you hate Halloween? It was your favorite holiday when we were kids.”

My blood heats. The past few Halloweens have been . . . different. “Sure.” I nod. “Right after you tell me about this thing between you and Kaleb.”

“Oh, look at the time,” Sam exclaims, glancing at the wrist that doesn’t have a watch on.

My laughter booms out. Following her lead, I stand.

At the door, the blonde pulls me in for a tight hug.

“You sure you’re going to be okay?”

I nod and open the front door. “Besides, like you said, people will just turn up, so I might as well be here. A few scary movies and a glass of wine might get me out of this funk.”

Sam pauses in the open door of her car. “Soon, you, me, a bottle of wine each, and no secrets,” she yells over the roof of her car.

Stepping onto the drive, I nod. “Sounds like a plan.”It really does.

Waving, I watch her reverse out onto the street. Sam returns the gesture before pulling away. I twist quickly when she waves at someone to the right of me.

My cheeks heat at the sight. Dr. Leonard Moore. By far the most attractive man in town, and that’s saying something.

Good-looking, hardworking, smart, stern, sweet, and most of all, a devoted father. The man will do anything to make his daughter happy, which explains the costume.

My brows furrow. “What are you?”

His head pulls back, like he can’t believe what I just asked. “A Pokémon ball.”