Page 45 of Great Pretender
“I’ll let you and Chad get on to your plans for the evening.Give my best to your father.”
“I will.”
Richard looks back to Georgiou and Murray, who are already making their way over.While Georgiou ignores me, Murray tips his head toward me for a curt nod, to which I smile.
As soon as they’ve left, Chad rushes over to me and scoops me up in his arms, spinning me around with an excited smile.
“Woman, you rock,” he says, setting me down.I giggle when he leans in close and smells my hair.“Jesus H., you smell damn good.”
“Thanks, it’s that peach and rose set I got from the apothecary.”
“Well, tell them I said thanks.” He proceeds to look me over with approval and nods.“You look amazing. No one is going to believe you’re with me.”
“Did you seeThe Chronicle?”
“Sure did.”
“They liked us. They liked me.They thought I was classy, beautiful, and sophisticated.”
“An angel,” he adds with a twinkle in his eyes.“They called you that too. For once, the papers are right.”
“Well, let’s see if I can tame you.”
“You look like you’re taking me someplace.” He arches a brow.
“I am. Dinner at the Thai place in town, then we’re going to the movies to watchLabyrinth.”
“I like it.”
“Come on, then, mister. Date number two awaits.”
Date…It sounds weird, but I can’t deny there’s a thrill of excitement that races through me.Especially when his eyes take me in with keen fascination, I’ve only ever seen when he looked at other women.
* * *
“Tell the truth. You still get freaked out by the goblins,” Chad taunts, spinning around on the sidewalk so he can walk backward and face me.The streetlights beam down on him like he’s on stage getting ready to give a performance.
“I just don’t like how they look.Loads of people hate those creepy little things,” I complain.
We just finished watchingLabyrinth,and the crazy argument we always have followed as soon as we stepped out of the movie theater.
We’ve seen that film a total of one hundred times.That includes tonight’s viewing.It was our favorite while growing up.Aside from the creepy, scary look of the goblins, I love that movie.
“You grabbed my shirt twice,” Chad points out.
“Fine, you win.” I accept defeat.“Happy now?”
“Yes. Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.” He playfully slips an arm around me, and I notice something out the corner of my eye.
It’s a man across the street.To the casual observer, he might seem as if he’s simply resting against the lamppost while he skims through a newspaper.But I think he’s watching us.
After last night, I think I might have an idea of how these reporters act and shuffle themselves around to get a picture.
Last night, there was a lady I caught looking at us.I thought, given the recent attention Chad got, she was probably staring at us because of that.I think she had a camera on her, and if I remember correctly, that article inThe Chroniclewas written by a woman.
“You see him too?” Chad whispers into my ear.
“I see him. Do you think he’s a reporter?”
