Page 52 of The Ghost of You

“Going somewhere?”

She jumps. “What the fuck, Noah?”

“Where you headed?”

She looks around and I follow her eyes as I see Niko get out of the car and walk toward us.

“Am I in trouble?”

“Have you been drinking?”

She digs her toe into the ground as she looks down. “I had a rough night, okay?”

“You can’t drive if you’ve been drinking. I could arrest you.”

She looks up at me, piercing me with her hazel eyes. “You would really do that?”

Before I can answer Niko cuts in. “It’s his job, ma’am. And since I am also a witness, I would have to support his decision.”

“Fuck me.” She fumbles in her bag and pulls out her phone. “I’ll call a cab.”

I push her phone down. “I’ll drive you.”

She looks at me, then Niko, then the cop car. “Umm, no, that’s okay.”

“Come on, Mayberry. It’s your safest option.”

Something softens in her eyes when I call her by her nickname I gave her the other night. “You don’t mind?”

“Of course not.”

“Can you bring me to my car tomorrow? I mean, if you aren’t busy.”

“Of course.”

She nods. “Okay.”

Niko sticks his hand out. “I’m Niko, by the way. Lover boy’s, partner.”

She shakes his hand. “Lover boy?”

“Oh my bad. I thought you two were… you know.”

Her cheeks go red. “Um no.”

Niko is on my list now. He just had to say something. I should put in a request for a new partner.

“Oh well, then I should give you my number. Show you what a real gentleman is like.”

I roll my eyes. “She isn’t going to learn from you, asshat.”

I put my hand on the small of her back as I direct her to the cop car. I open the back for her and by force of habit, place my hand over her head. “Sorry, I’m used to putting criminals in here.”

“I’m pretty sure you’ve role-played with a few girlfriends,” Niko chimes in.

Anna’s cheeks flame even darker as she slides in.

“Don’t worry about him. He’s obnoxious. And on my shit list now.”

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