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“I’ll just take some fries, please.”
She nodded, shot Evan another seductive smile, and left us alone.
“You could’ve gotten something else.”
“Guess I’m not that hungry after all.” I avoided looking at him, even though I could feel his stormy eyes set on me.
“Ready to tell me what happened?” Peeking up at him through my lashes, my lips pressed into a tight line as I shook my head. He blew out a frustrated breath, raking a hand over his face. “Let me guess. Kendall?”
“How did you know?” I grumbled, remembering the look of satisfaction on her face as she barged past me.
“It doesn’t matter. You need to stay away from her, Becca.” His voice was eerily calm. I think I preferred it when he sounded annoyed or even angry. This felt… well, it felt personal somehow. Like we had reached some common ground. Only I wasn’t in on the big secret, yet.
I didn’t know what to make of it all.
“It’s not like I’m trying to get in her way.” I dropped my eyes again.
“Fuck, I know, I know. Just try and lay low and don’t go back to The Vault or Rogues, yeah?”
“Why?” My head snapped up. “Everyone else goes.”
“You’re not everyone.” He sighed. His eyes burning into me.Throughme.
The waitress reappeared with our drinks, and Evan shifted his focus to her. She lapped it up, batting her eyelashes and giggling when he thanked her. A pang of jealousy shot through me as I watched them. It was irrational—he wasn’t anyone to me. Just a guy who had a weird habit of bailing me out. Like an annoying older brother, really.
When she finally left the table, something changed between us. Evan didn’t ask me any more questions, and I had nothing to say. We drank and ate in silence. Moving fries around my plate, I couldn’t get Evan’s words out of my head.You’re not everyone.
What the hell was that supposed to mean? That I was from money? That I thought I was too good for Kendall and her friends? For Scarlett and Lilly? Did Evan think that was who I was?
More importantly, did I care?
“Ready to get out of here?”
I gave him a stiff nod. Evan pulled out his wallet and threw some cash down on the table, and we left. The waitress lingered near the door, her smile growing when she noticed Evan and I weren’t walking together, that I was trailing after him. When he gave her nothing more than a curt nod, I couldn’t help the smug smirk that tugged at the corner of my mouth.
Evan waited for me to climb into his car before getting in. “Feel any better?”
“Yeah, thanks,” I choked out.
Really, I didn’t know what I felt. He was so hot and cold. A normal girl might have read more into the situation. Might have thought that maybe Evan’s actions meant he was interested. That he liked her.
But I wasn’t normal anymore. I was caught between the old version of myself and this new version. The truth was, I didn’t know who the hell I was. But I knew better than to think Evan’s actions were anything other than a chivalrous attempt to do right by the strange new girl.
We rode in silence. When he finally turned onto my street, I checked my cell again. It was a little after ten thirty. I hadn’t even been gone for two hours. The awkwardness that tended to exist between Evan and I descended. Thick and heavy, it filled the space between us, crushing my chest until I couldn’t breathe.
“Thanks again,” I said, unable to look him in the eyes. He didn’t reply, so I opened the door and started to climb out, taking in a lungful of fresh air.
“Becca.” His voice stopped me, suspending me mid-exit. I glanced over my shoulder, our eyes connecting. “I probably shouldn’t say this, but you look good.”
My jaw dropped open, and my mouth bobbed. No words came out. I had none. So I climbed out of the car and walked up to my house, not sparing Evan or the Impala a second glance.
* * *
“Becca, is that you?”
“Yeah, Dad.”
“I’m in the den.”
