Page 15 of Even If the Sky is Falling
3
“Fuck!” Maya grabbed her phone and faced Tarek.
“Maya? What are you doing here?” He had a flashlight—a real one, not his phone. His voice sounded concerned.
Maya stood, brushing off her black leggings. “I was looking for security.”
Tarek looked amused. Not at all panicked about the wholespace debris falling from the skysituation. And he looked hot. Him looking both calm and hot was incredibly irritating. He wasn’t wearing that yellow chef’s jacket anymore, but a gray long-sleeved Henley and jeans. “I was looking for Percy,” he said. “Did you see where he went?” He pointed his flashlight down the aisle.
Maya looked, but did not see a cat. “Why is there even a cat here? Where’s security?”
“I’ve been in the antique hall looking for Percy instead of at my truck, so Angela probably left without realizing I was still here. Or you. She did this to someone last week, too.”
“But the alarm! Didn’t you hear it? Where did Angela go? She’s going to getfiredfor leaving during the alarm...and you...why are you even here? What the hell is going on?”
He laughed, leaning on the back of an ornate velvet chaise. Maya couldn’t believe it. The world was ending, and this man waslounging. “I told you, I don’t know where Angela is. And yes, I think sheshouldget fired, but the door locks from the inside, so she’s not normally locking anyone in when she does a half-ass final sweep.”
None of this explained why he wasn’t panicked about the world ending.
“Youdidhear the alarm, didn’t you?” Maybe she’d imagined it?
He shrugged. “Yeah, it’s why Percy’s freaking out. Don’t sweat it. The three blasts should happen any minute now.”
“So, we’realone? Is your phone working?”
That dumb grin never left his face when he shook his head. “Nope. Service cut out when the alarm went off.”
“Fuck.”
He raised a curious eyebrow at her. “You swear a lot more than you used to.”
Nah, only difference was now she said it aloud instead of under her breath. “Sorry I’m offending your delicate sensibilities.”
He snort-laughed. “No, I like the new swearing, sarcastic Maya.”
She scowled. “Whose cat is that, anyway?”
“How do you not know Percy? He lives in the antique hall. Vendors take turns feeding him.”
Maya had spent so little time in this hall because of the gloomy vibe, but if she’d known there was a cat here, she might have been willing to deal with dead people’s dusty stuff.
“Hey, how’s your family? I still can’t get over seeing you again. Still living in Atlanta?”
Didn’t he know that their fathers weren’t speaking to each other? “Is this an interrogation?”
He snorted. “I mean, we’re stuck here together. We may as well catch up.”
Maya closed her eyes.Focus on the positives. One—there was a cat somewhere here. If she could find the cat this whole experience would be bearable. Two—she was alive. Three—she was not alone.
This last point, as much as she hated to admit it, was a positive. At least she wasn’t alone. She’d prefer pretty much anyone else was here instead of Tarek, but Maya’s own thoughts had never comforted her in her life, so she wouldn’t enjoy being alone with them for the end of the world.
She sighed. “Look, I don’t want to be here. I am assuming you don’t, either. We have no idea what’s going on... The world outside could be...” Her breath hitched. She paused to collect herself. “There could be a serious disaster out there, so excuse me if I’m not in the best mood on what could be our last night on earth.”
He blinked, looking at her. She remembered those lashes well. Even as a child they were thick, dark and full. Luscious. “Isn’t that an evenbetterreason to get reacquainted with each other?”
Her eyes narrowed.
He chuckled, rubbing his chin. “Okay, fine. Let’snotget reacquainted. If it’s easier, we can pretend we’re strangers and that you don’t hate me because of tikka sauce.”
