Page 52 of Blind Date with a #FORMERPLAYER
“I like seeing you happy, Layla. That’s all that matters.” My heart can’t take another moment of this in front of everyone. As if reading my mind, he gestures behind me. “We should go.”
Grinning, I glance at the man standing next to the four wooden steps leading up to the wagon. “Thank you,” I say as I climb the steps. I walk across the wooden trailer and over to the bench seat up near the front where it’s connected to a tow. A large black pickup truck is parked, waiting with its running lights on. My gaze finds Levi. “I’m glad that they don’t use horses for this. I was worried they would get scared.”
“You’re probably right.” He sits down next to me in the corner, his arm resting on the rail behind me. Chloe sits on my other side, with Beck in tow. “Don’t you want to sit next to me, Chloe?” Nora probes, hertone playful.
Chloe shakes her head. “No, Nana. You’ll make me jump before there’s a reason to,” she claims, Nora laughing in response as she sits next to Beck.
Levi’s aunt and uncle take the seat across from Nora, with my mom next to them and Gabe on the other side, right beside Scotty and George, who are sitting directly across from us.
The man at the back, closes the gate and secures it, waving and backing away. “Good luck,” he says, monotone, only some of us laughing.
“Ready?” a driver calls from the window of the pickup.
“All set,” Levi answers, giving him a thumbs up.
Slowly, he starts moving and steers towards the cornfields, the path narrowing as we drive towards the darkness. Chloe huddles into Beck, the darker it gets, her face pressed into his shoulder. Scotty’s eyes remain wide and cautious with George’s focus on him. Gabe’s eyes are filled with amusement as he leans back, relaxed as if ready for anything. Nora glances out of the corner of her eye at Chloe and suddenly stomps on the wood floor, Chloe screaming in response. “Nana!” she scolds, followed by Nora chortling.
Rustling leaves, snapping twigs and sounds of corn stalks cracking get closer. Scarecrows jump out from both sides, reaching through the wooden slats as if to grab us. I squeal, arching away and laughing, listening to Chloe and Scotty both screech.
As we go further, we enter into a constructed tunnel with bats flying overhead. Off to the side, a cemetery comes into view, the fog thick, and the air laced with the scent of dirt and decay. Zombies reach up through the muddied ground, clawing their way out of their graves and trudging towards us.
A tomb opens next to it, a mummy emerging. I lean into Levi, watching our friends and family, savoring this moment. “I can’t believe you came for this,” I whisper in Chloe’s ear.
She glances at me, still clinging to Beck. “Yeah, you definitely owe me big time for this one. You and your boyfriend both.”
Boyfriend. The word echoes in my mind. How the hell did that happen.
I look back at Levi and press a kiss to his lips. “Thank you,” I reiterate, staring at him intently, trying to let him know how much this means to me.
A clawed hand comes down on the wooden slats between us and we both jump, me letting out a small scream. We laugh as I curl into him with a smile on my face and look back out into the darkness.
Strobe lights flicker and chains clatter in the distance as a science lab comes into view, the room splattered with blood on nearly every surface. A man dressed in a bloodied, torn lab coat and his goggles perched on the top of his head steps into the middle of the room cleaning blood from a hatchet. Dragging his gaze towards us, his mouth curls into an evil grin, trudging towards the vehicle making my heart pound.
As we make our way out of the cave, the moment we start to relax, chainsaws ignite, making me jump, and grasp frantically at Levi’s waist. My palm splays on his chest, feeling his heart hammering just as hard as mine bringing a smile to my face. We both chuckle, as familiar horror movie icons step out of the corn from every direction, bloodied and yielding various weapons, stalking towards us.
Shrieks, screaming, and chaos ensues all around us.
It’s absolutely perfect. Thanks to Levi.
Chapter 27
Layla
Slipping a red dress on over my head, adorned with white polka dots, I look in the mirror and frown at my reflection. The dress flares slightly at the waist, falling to just above my knees, but I’m not sure it’s right for tonight. I want to look good for Levi, especially after what he did for me last night, but I rarely wear dresses. Playing with the spaghetti straps, I make sure my breasts are secure and tasteful, but wonder if it’s too much.
Grabbing my phone off my dresser, I snap a picture and send it to Chloe with a short text.
Yay or nay?
Chloe
Absolutely yay! For Levi?
Yes. Who else wouldit be for?
Chloe
He will love it. You look like a 50s pinup model in that dress. Just put your hair up in your usual ponytail and you're golden.
