AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No, it was a valid question.” He crossed the room and sat next to her. He put his arm on the back of the couch close to her skin, which was so unlike him. He never got flirty with women. Something must be wrong with him, because he felt emboldened all of a sudden. “You’re asking if I ever get tired of hiding who I really am.”
She met his gaze. “Yeah, I guess I am.”
“Not really.”
One of her eyebrows raised. “No?”
Unsure of why he was being so honest with her, he struggled to form the right words to say to her. He didn’t mind hiding behind a mask because people didn’t like who he was when he was without it. He got stared at, or worse, cringed at. But he couldn’t say that to Riley. He patted his dog’s head as he thought about what he could say. “I don’t mind the anonymity. It’s better than some alternatives.”
“Like being too popular? Are you afraid you won’t have any peace or quiet if people knew who you were?”
It wasn’t that at all. It was the mask itself that made him who he was. Without it, he’d still be a nobody. He shrugged, unable to say what he really wanted to. “Something like that.”
She slowly nodded, as if she could tell he was not saying what he was thinking. “It must be freeing, to be able to walk around without your mask on and not have anyone recognize you.”
It was, sometimes. Other times, it was just another bitter reminder that he was not worth anything because of the scars left over from the most terrible day of his life. “Yes,” he said, quietly.
Riley stared at him, and he felt a wave of apprehension rise in him. It was like she could see through him. It was unnerving. He knew she was perceptive from the first time he’d met her. But now, sitting next to her, he felt exposed. He picked up his phone from the stand beside him, suddenly wanting the distraction. “I know I have one more appearance today. Let me see what it is.”
“Oh, right. Do you need me to get you anything? More water? I can run to the store.”
“No, I think I’m good on water. But I am hungry. Do you want to grab us both something? Then we can eat before I have to get ready for this afternoon.”
“Sure. Did you like the shrimp scampi I picked up yesterday? Are you in the mood for more seafood, or something different?”
He smiled at her enthusiasm. She was trying so hard to be helpful, and he found it adorable. “I loved the shrimp. I think I could eat seafood for every meal. But if you’re in the mood for something else—”
“No, seafood is great. Let me run and pick something up.” Sir Barks jumped off her lap as she stood. “I’ll be right back.”
She walked to the door and then paused and turned. “Do you want me to text you the menu when I get there?”
“Sure.”
“What’s your number?” She dug her phone out of her bag.
Jalen’s heart rose into his throat. He didn’t have a phone for Shadow. He just used his own phone. No one ever called or texted Shadow. Just Jalen. If he told her his number, she would know he was Jalen. But he couldn’t say he didn’t have a phone. She’d seen him with it. Panic set in, and he searched for something to say. “I have Jalen’s phone right now. I…dropped mine in the…” Oh, no. This wasn’t going where he wanted it to go. He didn’t want to say toilet. So disgusting. Anything but that. He blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. “Elevator…”
Riley squinted at him. “Elevator?”
Sweat beaded up on his forehead under his skull cap. Elevator? That was what came out instead of toilet? He swallowed and tried to think of a good lie. “You know that crack between the elevator and the floor? I accidently dropped my phone and it went down that space. So, it’s gone. I have to get a new one.”
“Oh.” She gave him a polite laugh. “I’ve always wondered what would happen if I dropped something down there.”
“It gets crushed.” Okay. He needed to stop talking. Now. “Anyway, just text Jalen, and I’ll answer back.”
“Sure.” Riley smiled and left the room, and Jalen sighed deeply.
He was in so much trouble.
Chapter 5
Riley practically ran to the restaurant district that sat adjacent to the resort. How could this have happened? Shadow invited her to eat with him? Was she going to spend all day with him? She was so ecstatic, she couldn’t help herself. She did a fist pump into the air. Uncovering the truth was going to be much easier than she’d originally thought.
She looked at several places before picking a small clam shack. The food smelled amazing, and she texted Shadow to see exactly what he wanted. As she waited in line, she called her father.
He picked up on the third ring. “Hey, sweetie.” He sounded groggy.
“Were you sleeping, Dad? I’m sorry. It’s the afternoon. I figured you’d be up.”
