up.” With that, he turned and never looked back.
Grant grasped my hand, “Let’s go.”
Conor carried our stuff and Lexie scurried behind him.
“Grant, you are seriously freaking me out, what is going on?”
“I can’t tell you now. I will explain everything when I know you are safe. Conor, what do you think?”
Conor paused, he tilted his chin and took several deep breaths. He stared off into the distance but seemed very alert, as if tuning in to his other senses. “He’s moving away. I think he was being honest. Let’s just get out of here. I’m sorry, Grant, I don’t know how it happened. I screwed up big time.”
“It’s not your fault, man. I shouldn’t have jumped on you earlier. I dropped the ball, too. I thought I was keeping an eye on her and he finds her right under my nose.” He shook his head. “I never sensed danger.”
“Don’t beat yourself up, man. You probably didn’t sense it because he wasn’t posing a threat. He hadn’t actually put her in danger...yet.”
Lexie glanced at me. I shrugged and decided to save further questioning until we got to the car. Even I now worried about our safety, from what, I had no idea, but all this talk frightened me.
“So now will you tell me what’s going on?” We piled into the car. The boys both hopped into the front seat, speaking in quick, hushed whispers about something. I couldn’t take the suspense and leaned forward, craning my neck over the front seat.
“Not yet.” Grant lowered his voice. “First we need to get Lexie home.”
I kept my voice low as well. “There is no way she is just going to go home and not wonder what in the world in going on and anyways, her car is parked at my house.”
He muttered something, flipped on the radio and fiddled with the adjustments until it played louder in the back seat. I glanced over my shoulder at her. Her eyes were large as she raised her hand, palm up, waiting for some sort of answer. I shook my head, still just as clueless.
I shifted my attention back to Grant who spoke in a hushed tone, “Okay, when we get to your house I need you to tell Lexie everything is fine and she should go home.”
“And,” Conor added quickly, “that we had fun tonight and you will call her tomorrow.”
I snorted. “You expect me to tell Lexie that and she is just going to go home.” I glanced back and met her gaze. She chewed the inside of her cheek and tapped her hand on her bouncing knee.
“Yes,” Grant said simply.
I sat there in disbelief. “Okay and say this doesn’t work, what then?”
“It will work.” He’d said it with such certainty I didn’t know how to respond. I leaned back against the seat. Lexie looked at me expectantly. I just shrugged.
We pulled into my driveway and slid out of the car. He gestured, urging me to speak to Lexie. I couldn’t believe I was even doing this. I felt stupid even saying this to her. She would demand answers or be hurt at my secrecy and dismissal of her.
I walked toward her. “Hey Lexie, I think–”
“With conviction,” Conor cut in.
Lexie and I both looked at him.
“Lexie,” I started again, and she stared at me looking bewildered. “Everything is fine.” She arched an eyebrow. I took a deep breath and continued with a smile on my face. “Really, everything is okay. Great, actually, and you should go home now.” Her expression became blank, lacking any of her typical flare. “We had lots of fun tonight.” Lexie nodded, her eyes focused on me. “So you can go home, and I will see you tomorrow.”
She remained quiet for a moment. I waited for her response. Finally she blinked hard and smiled. “You’re right, tonight was fun.” She leaned forward and whispered, “You better fill me in on anything I miss tomorrow at school.”
She grinned and took a step back. “Bye Grant. Bye Conor. I had fun hanging out with you guys tonight. We should do it again sometime. Happy birthday, Kylie” She gave me a hug. “Best birthday
Grant grasped my hand, “Let’s go.”
Conor carried our stuff and Lexie scurried behind him.
“Grant, you are seriously freaking me out, what is going on?”
“I can’t tell you now. I will explain everything when I know you are safe. Conor, what do you think?”
Conor paused, he tilted his chin and took several deep breaths. He stared off into the distance but seemed very alert, as if tuning in to his other senses. “He’s moving away. I think he was being honest. Let’s just get out of here. I’m sorry, Grant, I don’t know how it happened. I screwed up big time.”
“It’s not your fault, man. I shouldn’t have jumped on you earlier. I dropped the ball, too. I thought I was keeping an eye on her and he finds her right under my nose.” He shook his head. “I never sensed danger.”
“Don’t beat yourself up, man. You probably didn’t sense it because he wasn’t posing a threat. He hadn’t actually put her in danger...yet.”
Lexie glanced at me. I shrugged and decided to save further questioning until we got to the car. Even I now worried about our safety, from what, I had no idea, but all this talk frightened me.
“So now will you tell me what’s going on?” We piled into the car. The boys both hopped into the front seat, speaking in quick, hushed whispers about something. I couldn’t take the suspense and leaned forward, craning my neck over the front seat.
“Not yet.” Grant lowered his voice. “First we need to get Lexie home.”
I kept my voice low as well. “There is no way she is just going to go home and not wonder what in the world in going on and anyways, her car is parked at my house.”
He muttered something, flipped on the radio and fiddled with the adjustments until it played louder in the back seat. I glanced over my shoulder at her. Her eyes were large as she raised her hand, palm up, waiting for some sort of answer. I shook my head, still just as clueless.
I shifted my attention back to Grant who spoke in a hushed tone, “Okay, when we get to your house I need you to tell Lexie everything is fine and she should go home.”
“And,” Conor added quickly, “that we had fun tonight and you will call her tomorrow.”
I snorted. “You expect me to tell Lexie that and she is just going to go home.” I glanced back and met her gaze. She chewed the inside of her cheek and tapped her hand on her bouncing knee.
“Yes,” Grant said simply.
I sat there in disbelief. “Okay and say this doesn’t work, what then?”
“It will work.” He’d said it with such certainty I didn’t know how to respond. I leaned back against the seat. Lexie looked at me expectantly. I just shrugged.
We pulled into my driveway and slid out of the car. He gestured, urging me to speak to Lexie. I couldn’t believe I was even doing this. I felt stupid even saying this to her. She would demand answers or be hurt at my secrecy and dismissal of her.
I walked toward her. “Hey Lexie, I think–”
“With conviction,” Conor cut in.
Lexie and I both looked at him.
“Lexie,” I started again, and she stared at me looking bewildered. “Everything is fine.” She arched an eyebrow. I took a deep breath and continued with a smile on my face. “Really, everything is okay. Great, actually, and you should go home now.” Her expression became blank, lacking any of her typical flare. “We had lots of fun tonight.” Lexie nodded, her eyes focused on me. “So you can go home, and I will see you tomorrow.”
She remained quiet for a moment. I waited for her response. Finally she blinked hard and smiled. “You’re right, tonight was fun.” She leaned forward and whispered, “You better fill me in on anything I miss tomorrow at school.”
She grinned and took a step back. “Bye Grant. Bye Conor. I had fun hanging out with you guys tonight. We should do it again sometime. Happy birthday, Kylie” She gave me a hug. “Best birthday
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