Page 114 of Love Me in the Dark

Why did it bother me so much that he’d never mentioned her or the fact that he had a girlfriend? He shouldn’t be spending time with me if he’s got her.

What was I thinking coming over here?

A big bright smile spread across her face. “Hi, can I help you?”

“Yeah, no,” I shook my head. “I’m sorry to bother you. I… I thought I forgot something, and Slade might know where it is, but then I just remembered where it is. I’m sorry to bother you.”

“Who is it?” Slade called out from somewhere in the house.

“A girl?” She shouted back with a question.

I saw his dark head coming my way before I could duck out of the way and run for it.

“What are you doing here, Harley?”

“I was just coming over to ask if… I forgot something, but then I remembered. I’m sorry to bother you. I’ll let you get back to your girlfriend.”

Both their eyes went wide and then they started fake gagging while laughing. What the hell was going on her?

Once he got control over himself, Slade pushed her out of the way with a not so gentle nudge. “That’s my sister, Payton. I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“Oh,” I drew the word out. “I’m sorry. I forgot you told me you have a sister. Well, you have a good night. I’ll see you at school on Monday.”

His hand clamped around my wrist. “Where are you going?” He pulled me closer, and spoke quietly enough for only me to hear. “You haven’t been running.”

“You seriously need to stop stalking me.” I tried to laugh, but stopped short when my stomach let out the loudest and most embarrassing growl known to man.

Slade’s eyes went round as he pulled me into his house. “We were just about to have dinner. It’s nothing fancy. Just pizza, but one of them is only cheese. You can eat that, right?”

It was sweet that he worried what I could and couldn’t eat even when still didn’t understand why I didn’t eat meat.

“I don’t want to impose.” I tried to pull my arm free even though I had come over in the hopes of being invited for dinner. But I’d never expected to embarrass myself right out of the gate.

“Nonsense. You can be the tiebreaker on what movie we watch. We can’t decide whether to watch the latest Spiderman movie or the new Batman.”

“Spiderman all the way. I can’t imagine Edward Cullen as Batman. It’s just… wrong.”

“Yes,” Payton cheered.

Slade rolled his eyes good naturedly and chuckled. “Girls.”

“I like her already,” Payton chimed in.

I liked her too. I could see us becoming friends if I wasn’t planning on leaving.

The buzzer of the oven went off and both Slade and his sister jumped to their feet. “We’ll be right back,” he said, throwing down the remote on the couch beside me.

Did he think I had any idea how to work his TV? I wasn’t exactly technology savvy. I could work my phone and do simple things on my computer like write a paper and watch YouTube, but if it took more than that I had no idea.

I could smell it the second the pizzas were out of the oven. The aroma hit me straight in the stomach and it protested at not having food for the last three days.

“I wasn’t sure what you wanted to drink. Hopefully Dr. Pepper is okay with you.”

“It’s perfect.” I took the drink and sat it between my legs. I was sure I’d crash once my belly was full. I just needed to make sure I made it home before that happened.

Slade handed me a plate with three slices of cheese pizza on it with a smile. For some reason he liked feeding me. Or maybe he liked that I finally gave in and came over. I took one bite and my whole body hummed with the melted cheese goodness.

“Thank you.” I kept my gaze fixed on the TV.