Page 102 of Shade
“Oh uh, well I didn’t have anything tying me to Seattle, so I thought it’d be a good opportunity.”
“No family?”
“Nope. Dad’s gone. Mom’s in Vegas I think. Not much else.”
He nods, twisting his earbuds around between his fingers, the phone in his other hand. It’s then, probably because he started talking to me first, my mouth decides it can’t shut the fuck up.
“What about your parents?” Stupid question Scarlet. You know the answer to this one. Give me a break though, I panicked.
He sighs, a heavy inhale, then exhale. “That’s kind of a public story. My mom might be with yours in Vegas. I don’t really know. Dad died when I was younger.”
“I knew that,” I admit softly, staring at my drying shirt. It’s a good thing I wore a dark-colored shirt to mask the wine. But then again, I only drink white wine. Less of a mess that way because guess who spills everything? This girl.
“Why’d you ask then?” Shade asks, seeming annoyed now as he shifts around in his seat next to me.
“Not sure. What got you into racing, your dad?” See what I mean? Rapid fire. I’m actually trying to stop myself by drinking the rest of my wine, but it doesn’t work because it’s now gone.
“It’s in my blood,” he answers, his attention now on the window.
“What’s your favorite food?”
This one earns me a chuckle, and he actually looks over at me. Probably wondering who this crazy person is seated next to him. “What?”
I offer a smile, twirling my hair around my finger nervously. “I need to know personal things about you if I’m going to do my job properly.”
He glances over at me. “I’m not that interesting.”
Our eyes catch. He lowers his sunglasses a fraction of an inch. “I think you are.”
“I like shrimp,” he mumbles.
“Are you allergic to anything?”
“Drugs and liars.”
Would keeping the fact that we slept together already and I took the job because I think you need me be considered a lie?
Maybe don’t ask that part, Scarlet.
“Noted.” No, really, Iactuallywrite it down in my notebook.
He snorts. “Are you seriously writing this down?”
“I’m learning?” Yep. Totally came out like a question.
“Just search the Internet.” His attention drifts back to the window, flipping his phone around in his hand. “I’m sure there are stories out there to give you everything you want to know about me.”
Oh believe me, I know already. I’ve done my research. “I’d like to hear it from you. That’s the Shadeyouwant them to see. I’d like to know the one sitting here with me.”
Reaching up, he adjusts his sunglasses, cutting off my view of him. “That makes two of us. I don’t even know who that is. Enough questions.”
“Okay, but one more—”
He puts his hand over my mouth and shakes his head. “Listen, I’m not really into this rapid-fire question me bullshit. I’m sorry, but I don’t want to talk.” And then he hands me his earbud, just one of them. Or rather places it in my ear and hits Play on his phone.
The song?
The Black Keys “All You Ever Wanted.”
Take a look at him. He’s not looking, but now’s a good time because I’m staring at him. I can’t help it with the meaningful lyrics floating through the earbuds.
Watching his index and middle finger tap to the beat of the drum against his thigh, I know I’m screwed. Literally. I’m going to fall in love with him. Not like the Instagram love I’d had before, but the deep shit. I can already feel the bubbles of infatuation bursting inside my chest. Goddamn him.
But guess what?
There’s more to the man behind the shades.
