Page 11 of Blocked Score

My gaze ticks to the entrance to see Scarlett disappearing inside. The pinched expression of suppressed laughter I caughton her face while she scurried in is more than adequate reward for my efforts.

Now that I know our mission is complete, I turn on the jets, pumping my legs closer to my full-on sprint speed. It’s enough to drive home to the bouncer that his pursuit is futile. When I look over my shoulder again, his back is turned and he’s lumbering back to his place at the entrance.

I slow down as I approach the end of the next block, where Scarlett and I agreed to meet. Passing a trashcan, I toss the bottle of mustard into it. I round a corner and lean against the wall. Didn’t even expend enough energy to make me need to catch my breath.

But later tonight?

A smirk tilts my lips.

Maybe I will.

5

SCARLETT

The look on the bouncer’s face istotallyworth it.

As I leave Vortex with Demi and the guy I found her with her lips latched onto trailing behind me, the bouncer already had a sour expression chiseled on his face thanks to the big yellow stain decorating his shirt.

But when we make eye contact as I pass by, furrows of shock dig into his large and prominent brow.

“You?” he sputters. “How did …”

I cut him off by flipping my wrist at him in a haughty goodbye wave. “Toodles,” I sing, passing with my head held high.

The triumphant feeling that expands in my chest is only sweeter for how truly petty it is.

Demi and her new friend—they’ve been too busy sucking each other’s faces for a formal introduction yet—follow me as I walk to where Lane and I agreed to meet.

I’m relieved to see him without any bruises and sporting an unbroken nose.

He pushes off the wall he was leaning against, and not for the first time tonight I’m struck by his towering height; his powerfulfigure that’s broad and thick at his shoulders and chest but that tapers sleekly at his waist.

“Mission accomplished?” he asks. He hasn’t even broken a sweat.

I smile. “Mission accomplished,” I demonstratively hold up my phone.

I catch the way his gaze ticks to my phone, along with the interest that flares in his eyes.

I decided not to give him my number a couple days ago because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to jump right back into a fling while my breakup with Caleb is still fresh.

As many times as I’ve told myself I’m better off without him, and as true as the rational part of my brain knows that fact to be, the breakup is still a raw wound on my heart.

But with our paths crossing again so soon—by me literally falling into his arms—maybe fate is giving me a push in Lane’s direction. And maybe I shouldn’t ignore her hand.

I nod over my shoulder, knowing without having to look that Demi’s still got her lips locked with the guy she just met. “That’s my friend, Demi,” I tell Lane. “And, uh, some guy.”

“Hi, Demi,” Lane calls past me to them. “Hi, some guy.”

Without unlatching their mouths, Demi spares Lane a little wave of her hand while Some Guy holds out a thumbs up in Lane’s general direction.

There’s a beat of silence as Lane and I regard each other, each seemingly unsure of the next move. Having two people making out a couple paces behind us does kind of add a tinge of awkwardness to the scene, too.

But Demi breaks the silence before either of us has to.

“Scarlett, Garrett and I are going to go back to his place,” she tells me, giving me his name for the first time.

I walk over and huddle with Demi for a minute, telling her to make sure to text me when she arrives at Garrett’s place alongwith his address, so I know she’s safe and where she is. Then they’re walking off together, and I turn back to Lane.

---