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Lachlan
“Here we are,”I announced as I slowed my steps in front of a run-of-the-mill pub.
“A…bar?” She couldn’t hide her surprise, and perhaps slight disappointment.
I could have told her what we were really doing, but I liked this game a little too much. And based on what I’d learned about her so far, she wouldn’t have voiced her displeasure. She’d have gone along with it.
“Trust me. You’ll love this place.”
She forced a smile as I opened the door, the boisterous sounds of a busy bar barreling into us. I stole a glance at the line of TVs hanging throughout the room, all of them tuned in to one of the many sports stations, quite a few showing a replay of tonight’s game. I watched as our centerfielder, John Hidalgo, swung at a curveball. I mentally cursed, wishing he’d stop going after those since he couldn’t hit one to save his life. To my pleasant surprise, his bat connected for a base hit, sending the runners at second and third home.
“Yes,” I hissed under my breath, my team ahead by two.
Belle turned to me. “You like baseball?”
“Why do you sound so surprised?”
“Well, for starters, it’s America’s pastime. Not Australia’s.”
“We do have baseball in Australia, you know. It’s not as popular as, say, cricket or football, especially Australian-rules footie. Plus, my mum was an American. Before we moved here around the time I was thirteen, we spent my school breaks visiting family here. I guess that’s when you can say I fell in love with the sport.” I flashed her a smile, then led her farther into the pub, making sure to keep my head slightly lowered, just in case.
Thankfully, most people didn’t recognize me when I wasn’t in my uniform, my last name on the back of my jersey. As luck would have it, though, when we passed a large-screen television above the bar, the broadcast cut to a split screen, the sportscasters on one side, a photo of me on the other as they discussed my bereavement leave after my sister’s apparent suicide.
I didn’t even realize I’d slowed my steps until I spotted a table of men around my age looking between the television and me, whispering amongst themselves.
Quickly snapping my eyes away, I practically dragged Belle toward the back hallway.
“Where are you taking me?” She struggled to keep up with my long strides, especially in her heels.
Noticing her difficulty, I forced myself to walk more casually, relieved when I glanced back at the table and saw the men laughing at something one of them had said.
“Is there a bar in the back, too? Somewhere less crowded?”
“You could say that.”
I pulled her to a stop outside a stylized, wooden phone booth, an old-fashioned streetlamp beside it. With a smirk, I opened the door and picked up the phone. When a voice came over the line, I gave the woman my last name. At least Hale was a fairly common last name and wouldn’t raise any suspicions.
Once I hung up, a buzzing sounded, a barely noticeable light illuminating on the rear wall of the phone booth. I pushed open the hidden door and smirked at Belle, her eyes growing wider with every passing moment.
“What is this?” she asked in amazement, slowly walking past me and into the dimly lit hallway.
“You’ll find out.” I closed the door behind us, the noise of the bar immediately disappearing. Now the only sound was our breathing. Even the clicking of her heels was subdued by the lush carpeting underneath our feet.
“I wouldn’t normally follow a complete stranger down a dark hallway to an undisclosed location. I’ve seen this kind of thing happen within the first five minutes of all those crime shows. I usually shout at the screen for the poor woman to turn around, because you know she’s about to be killed in a horribly grotesque manner. But you’ve certainly piqued my curiosity.”
Chuckling, I gripped her hip, pulling her toward me. “That’s my goal this week. To keep you on your toes. And to show you a side of Hawaii most people don’t know about.”
“So is that what you are? My own personal tour guide?”
“Tour guide. Sex guide. Whatever you’d like to call me. Just know I’m completely at your disposal over the next seven days.”
She gave me a flirtatious smirk. “Is that right?”
“That’s right, beautiful.”
She threaded her fingers through my hair, tousling it. “I like the sound of that.”
“As do I.” I pressed a soft kiss to her lips, then grabbed her hand, leading her down the remainder of the hallway.
