Page 14 of Driving Beats

“Hot damn. Did that hurt?” She stands, leans over, and puts the back of her palm on my forehead. “No fever, so I guess you meant it.”

I swat her hand away and she sits. “Still doesn’t mean I couldn’t buy clothes online and end this charade.” Although, I’d best avoid stirring up any bad blood between UC and the Label. Seems like there’s no choice but to accept her help. I repeat my original question. “What were your plans?”

“Nothing much. I was going to return to my apartment in Gainesville, Georgia and hang out.”

“Is that where you’re from?” I pour us both another cup of tea.

“Yeah.” Her eyes become unfocussed again, then she continues, “I have roommates there, and we could go to different restaurants to complete my Restaurant Bingo card. In Gainesville, I have my favorite clothing shops along with stores and clubs, so I would be able to entertain myself there quite well for the break.”

Her confession eats at me. I’m the one who’s preventing her from being home. “How about your family? Do they live there too?”

“Goodness, no.” She sips her tea. “Dad divorced my mom and got remarried ages ago. I don’t have any contact with him.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, well. Done and dusted.”

The server delivers our Pad Thai, and all talk about her family is supplanted with comments about how delicious the main course is. Nese holds up a cube of tofu. “What. Is. This?”

I smile. “Tofu.”

“It’s gross. Why ruin such a good meal with it?” She makes a show of corralling all the cubes of tofu in the dish and shoving them over to one side.

“You don’t like tofu. Duly noted.”

Our gazes meet, then she bursts into laughter. I can’t help but join her.

While our plates are being cleared, a new thought hits me. “If you’re not going back to Georgia, where are you staying in LA?”

“I’m in a hotel overlooking the Hollywood sign.”

I pause in wiping my mouth, then deliberately return the napkin to my lap. “You’re staying in a hotel?”

She shrugs. “Both Jenna and Hayden clearly had other plans.”

“Oh shit, Nese. I’m sorry. I’ve been miserable about losing my luggage but didn’t even occur to me to ask what helping me out ruined for you.”

“It’s no biggie. Gainesville is nice enough, but LA is sort of magical. I’m enjoying having more time here. Plus, I get to shop! It’s a girl’s dream.” She offers a huge smile.

“Maybe your dream, but more like my nightmare.” The waiter comes with the check, which I usurp before she even has a chance to touch her purse. Which leads me to another thought. “Is UC paying for your hotel room?”

She makes a face. “Uhm, no. We’re on vacation right now, remember?” She puffs up. “I got it.”

Her show of independence is laudable. However. “You may have the money to pay the hotel, but you shouldn’t have to spend your own cash to help me out. This makes no sense. How much is it? I’ll cover your expenses.”

“You will do no such thing. I knew when Luke explained about the Vanishing Luggage Mystery what I was getting into. Shopping at high-end stores is enough payment for me.”

I absorb what she’s told me. What she hasn’t. “Still, I don’t feel right about this. If you won’t let me pay for your hotel, how about you stay with me? Before you argue, I live in a large house with four bedrooms. You can have your own wing, and we won’t need to see each other except when we go shopping.” My stomach does a little flip, reminding me this isn’t optimal. Yet it’s necessary.

“I don’t know, Coop. What will people say if I shack up with you?” She throws her head backward and laughs again.

Is she laughing at me?

6

NESE

My mind races through his proposal. I can’t believe this stick-in-the-mud is concerned about my spending money on a hotel because of his situation, but there it is. I can save on car service rides too, since he has a vehicle. A tricked-out Range Rover, to be exact.