Page 56 of Forbidden Dance
At first.
I never want you to feel a second of fear. Not ever.
I won’t.
Is it time yet?
I have to finish my work!
Okay, I’ll just sit here and pine for you at the apocalypse park.
He’s already there!
I quickly tap out:
Be there as soon as I can.
And sort the mail literally as fast as my fingers will fly.
Within minutes, I’ve created a stack for Irma and hand it to her.
“See you next week,” I say. “Unless you need me before.”
“We’ll get by,” she says. “Tell your mother hello.”
My feet can’t move quickly enough as I hurry down the street. I don’t want to cross in front of my own house, as it’s too risky, so I duck down a block, then come back up to get to the park.
The red Ferrari sticks out, sitting against the curb like a Christmas ornament. I walk up to it, but Blitz isn’t inside. He must be in the park.
I shade my eyes from the afternoon sun and walk up the path. There are box hedges that obscure parts of the playground.
Children shout on the swings. I walk that direction, planning to take a quick circle of the park and then text if I don’t spot him. He can’t be too far away, since his car is here.
As I approach the playscape, I spot an empty wheelchair. Then Daisy’s mom, holding a toddler squirming in her arms. She’s talking to another mom.
When I see Blitz, my heart swells like it might burst.
He’s pushing Daisy on a swing.
Her mother sees me. “Livia!” she says. “Imagine finding you here! We saw Blitz already. He’s playing with Daisy.”
The toddler kicks her way to the ground. The other mother scoops her up.
I’m speechless for a moment. For one, to see Blitz hanging out with children. And also, because we’ve been seen by a parent who could mention it to Danika.
“Livia!” Daisy shouts. “Look who is here!”
Blitz spots me and waves, continuing to push Daisy. He’s in jeans and a long-sleeved fitted shirt. He’s like a billboard for fatherhood, good looking and hands-on. I would imprint the image on my brain if I weren’t so panicked about seeing people we know.
Daisy says something to him and he nods, carefully stopping the swing. He lifts her out and sets her in the chair. Soon she’s speeding across the dead grass to us.
“Did you come to see Blitz?” Daisy asks. “He was sitting all alone when we got here!”
Her mom snaps her head around at that, as if considering whether or not this is a coincidence.
Blitz saves me. “Livia told me about the park,” he says smoothly. “It’s nice to have a place to chill out near the academy.”
He leans down to give Daisy a squeeze. “I’ve got to get going.” He pulls his keys from his jeans pocket. “See you all at the academy!”
