He released her hand, and they both turnedtheir attention back to the yard and the flickering fireflies. “So,you live with your sister?” she asked after a couple ofminutes.
“Not anymore. She recently moved in with herfiancé, but I still live with my older brother and his girlfriend,Aida.” Aida was so much more than a girlfriend to Julian, but hecouldn’t tell her that. “What about you, any roommates?”
“I live with my friend Lucy.”
“On campus?”
“No, we have an apartment not far fromhere.”
“How long have you been friends with Lucy?”he asked.
“Most of my life.”
And without Lucy, she never would havesurvived the worst times of her life. That reminder was a cold doseof reality on what was turning into an amazing night.
She set her cup down and yawned beforerising. She doubted she looked as casual as she was trying to act,but it was time to get out of here. “I should probably headhome.”
“I’ll walk you.”
“Oh no, that’s okay; I’ll be fine.”
Kyle rose to stand beside her. “It’s late,and I’d like to make sure you get home safe.”
But am I safe with you?She’d seenenough true-crime TV—she was a bit too obsessed with watching stuffon serial killers—and she’d witnessed enough crazy inherlife to have some serious trust issues.
However, she didn’t get any creeper, bad guyvibes off Kyle, but people thought Ted Bundy was a good guytoo.
Still, as much as she preferred not to faceany more questions, she wasn’t ready to say good night to himeither. She’d had enough self-defense training over the years tohold her own, even against a guy who was almost a foot taller thanher. And she also had a stake and some mace on her.
She didn’t think he’d try anything. She’d ledareallyscrewed-up life until she turned eighteen, but ithad also made her a good judge of character, and Kyle seemed like atruly decent guy. Which was why she should stay away from him, butfor the first time in her life, she wanted to be a littleselfish.
That might be the cheap tequila talking, butit sounded reasonable enough to her.
“Okay,” she relented. “I have to find Lucybefore we go.”
“Lead the way,” he said and waved his hand atthe back door.
CHAPTER 5
She found Lucy waitingin line for the upstairs bathroom. Shifting from foot to foot, Lucylooked anything but happy as she scowled at the bathroom door.
“Kyle is going to walk me home,” Melanie toldher.
Lucy’s eyebrows shot up, and her eyes dartedfrom her to where Kyle stood ten feet away. A smile tugged at thecorners of her mouth, but she managed to suppress it. However, heramusement remained evident.
“Do you want to come with us?” Melanieasked.
“I’m not getting out of this line. I’ve beenhere for twenty minutes already,” Lucy said.
“We’ll wait for you.”
“No, go ahead. I’ll be fine… as long as mybladder doesn’t burst. Do you want me to come with you? Is he afreak or something?”
“No, he’s perfectly normal. Are you going tobe okay walking home alone?”
“You know me; I can kick someone’s ass if itbecomes necessary.”
Someone in line chuckled at this boldstatement, but Melanie didn’t. She was tiny, but Melanie had seenLucy take down guys who were a hundred pounds heavier than her. Shehad no doubt Lucy could take care of herself. Besides, like her,Lucy was armed and ready to take on anyone who tried to attackher.
