Page 59 of The Spider Queen
“Hey, Poppy. Just got your message. What’s up?” Francis asked.
“What’s up?” I repeated, voice strained. “Tell me what happened Friday night.”
“Um. We went out. John and Jacky started macking on each other so they left. You and I stayed for another drink and then I went home with the bartender.”
“Yes, but what happened to me?” I demanded.
“What do you mean, ‘what happened to you?’ I asked if you wanted me to walk you home first, but you said no. When you assured me you were sober, I left. But I didn’t ditch you. I swear.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. Only then was I aware that I wasn’t wearing my glasses—and that I could see just fine without them.
“Okay. Thanks, Francis.”
“I swear, Poppy. If I thought you weren’t safe, I never would’ve left you—no matter how hot the bartender was.”
I let out a laugh. “How hotwasthe bartender?”
“On a scale of one to chili peppers?Muy caliente!”
After hanging up with Francis, I shoved my phone into my pocket. “Let’s get out of here,” I said, tugging on Hunter’s hand.
“What did he have to say?” Hunter asked, weaving through a crowd. The first mild day in a long time and people flooded the streets. It made having a private conversation difficult.
“He said I was fine when he left. So somewhere between the time when he left and when you showed up, I got roofied. And I have no idea if it happened to the drink I was drinking, or if someone bought me a drink and then tampered with it. Oh, and I’m missing my glasses.”
“I thought you were wearing contacts,” he said.
I shook my head. “Nope. No contacts.”
“Then you don’t need your glasses to see?”
“That’s the thing. Idoneed them to see.”
“So, I don’t get it,” Hunter said. “If you’re not wearing contacts and you’re not wearing your glasses, how are you not walking into anything right now?”
“No idea, Hunter,” I said with a sigh.
He peered at me like he was debating on whether or not to push the subject, but he surprised me when he asked, “You like sandwiches?”
Chapter 20
Hunter took me to one of is favorite sandwich shops for a late lunch, a tiny hole in the wall with the best meatball sub I’d ever tasted. I tried to keep up a steady stream of lively conversation, but my mind was preoccupied with my suddenly changed eyesight.
Eyesight didn’t get better with age, it got worse. And I’d been wearing glasses since I was thirteen.
Hunter paid and then we headed outside. He’d scored a parking spot right out front. I climbed into the passenger side and buckled up. He jammed the key into the ignition and put the car into gear. “So, Spring Break is coming up.”
“Yeah.” I stared out the window, distracted.
“Any grand plans? Are you and Anita going to hit Daytona?” he teased. Hunter was trying to pull me out of my reverie.
I let him. I laughed and turned to look at him. “Yeah, no. Do I look like the Daytona type?”
“Oh yeah, totally. Your fair skin screams your wicked ability to tan.”
“Hey, I tan…burn. Whatever.” I shook my head and grinned. “I’m not sure what my plans are.”
“Not going to go home?”
