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“We both grew up in the Midwest,” said Frankie then, reaching across them both to grab her drink and a cardboard cup sleeve. “A few hours fromChicago.”
Lilac glared at Frankie then, like she’d betrayed her somehow by sharing that information. Frankie must have at least been a long-time resident,though.
“Thanks,” said Lilac to the barista as she grabbed her own drink. A bright pink tea. She’d waited that long in line at Starbucks for atea?
He was surprised that they both lingered even after getting theirdrinks.
“But I went to Tildy Worldall the time,” said Lilac quickly, as if eager to “defend” herself, from what, Nolan didn’t know. His own triple-shot espresso came up and he thanked the barista before stepping away. “We visited Aunt Frankie a lot,” said Lilac, falling in step besideNolan.
“That was just an excuse,” said Frankie. She peered at them over her coffee cup. “Shereallywanted to visitTildy.”
Nolan made his way back to the table overlooking Kidz Cool School and to his amazement, Lilac and Frankie came with him. He put his bag down by his feet as he sat down and they both sat across fromhim.
He didn’t know what to think. Lilac clearly wasn’t hitting on him with her aunt there—or maybe the auntwashitting on him and using her niece as a wingwoman? Shedidkeep staring at him, a mischievous smile on her face. He cleared his throat as he sipped his drink, a jolt of caffeine shooting straight down to histoes.
“We got season passes,” said Lilac proudly. She actually seemedproud.
“Despite living inChicago?”
“NearChicago,” said Lilac before sucking on her straw. “You’ve never heard of it,” she said through muffled lips before he could ask more. The scarlet of those lips popped against the green of the straw, the sensuous curve of them as she puckered and sucked demanding hisattention.
Okay! Okay, calm down, boy. Mall. Aunt. Kids over there.Nolan stuffed down his feelings until he felt they might burst. But at last they were down, good and down, and they wouldn’t jump back up to the surface to bother him again. Nope. He took a jittery sip of hisdrink.
“But a season pass is only worthwhile if you go at least five times a year,” said Nolan. He remembered the days when he’d begged for a pass from Tildy World—from all the parks. But his parents had insisted he’d get tired of the parks if he went that often. He’d applied to work there part-time as a teen almost to prove them wrong. But sure enough, seeing one of them daily had certainly made the place lose itsluster.
“We usually went that often,” saidLilac.
“Each year?” Nolan hadn’t meant to sound soaccusatory.
Lilac shrugged, but something flashed over her eyes and Nolan wondered if she felt he was attacking her forit.
“That’s awesome,” he said quickly, although he was still shocked he was sitting across from someone who could afford to fly there thatoften.
But it had been the right thing to say. Lilac brightened immediately and put her cup back down in front ofher.
“So are you staying with your aunt?” askedNolan.
She nodded and Frankie beamed, reaching into the small purse Lilac had strapped across her shoulders to pull out a set of keys. “And starting next week, I’ll only be her host, not her chauffeur,” she said. “We just got Lilac her own car today. A beautiful, brand-newhybrid.”
“Wow,” said Nolan, and he genuinely meant it—on so many levels. He was envious to be sure, but something unexpected also jumped up from inside him. Five vacations a year—and that was just the ones he knew of, to Tildy World of all places. A brand new car. He knew Lilac probably had a decent salary at her job—if she lasted, as Earl’s assistant managers almost never did—but he doubted that was the reason behind the shiny newcar.
Cradling his cup, he thought of the fifteen-year-old clunker with its rust spots and shoddy transmission that awaited him and the kids outside. Of course his dad had taken the new car. And by “new,” he meant bought five years ago and used eventhen.
There was no way anything was happening with this girl. No way on so manylevels.
He took anothersip.
“Landon!” screamed a high-pitched voice, followed by a quick, “Hey! Stay inside! Youcan’t—”
But Nolan turned around to see Landon outmaneuvering one of the Cool School workers to slip under the velvet rope they had to keep kidsinside.
“Landon, you know you can’t leave until playtime is over—” started Nolan, but the little boy made a beeline for Lilac instead, hugging her and nuzzling his face against herbreasts.
Lucky kid, thought Nolan sheepishly. “Landon, don’t hug people withoutasking.”
“It’s all right,” said Lilac. The slightest smile made her lips curl as she looked down at him and began stroking his head. She looked like a diva in a painting. Beauty personified. Nolan had to look away—fast.
“Sorry,” Nolan said to the Cool School worker who’d followed Landon. “He can be slippery.” He looked at the clock posted atop a pole in the middle of the food court. “But it’s about time we get goinganyway.”
