Page 133 of A Million To Fall

Guess I’m about to find out.

His black Toyota turns into the lot a few minutes before our agreed-upon time. My stomach promptly attempts a gymnastics routine.

I hate that.

I hate that seeing his car affects me. I hate that it doesn’t seem to be getting better.

I climb out and wait beside my door as Boston pulls into the space next to mine.

The second he steps out, our eyes meet. And something inside me settles. Just a little.

“Hey, Stormy,” he says, gray eyes bright in the summer sun.

“Hey.” Even I hear the wobble in my voice—partially from nerves and excitement, but also from seeing him. I tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

Boston glances around the mostly empty parking lot, his hands in his pockets. “So,” he says. “Not that I mind meeting in abandoned shopping center parking lots, but what’s with all the secrecy?”

I wince. Right.

The secrecy.

“Yeah, so, about that…”

One corner of his mouth lifts. “Uh-oh. Should I be worried?”

“No,” I say too quickly, then pause and take a steadying breath. “Probably not.”

His laugh is immediate. Warm. And extremely unhelpful to my concentration.

I point toward his car before I can get distracted. “This isn’t actually our final destination.”

His eyebrows rise.

“I kind of did something,” I add, unable to stop myself from grinning widely.

I texted him yesterday, after movie night with my parents. After hatching yet another plan that I really should have thought of days ago. But better late than never.

“What kind of something?” he asks, clearly curious now.

“I’ll explain when we get there.”

He studies me for a moment, then shrugs. “Lead the way, mysterious woman.”

“I thought we’d take your car.”

Boston’s gaze flicks toward mine, brow dipping. “And leave yours here?”

I nod.

“So nobody we know sees us together?” he adds.

A pang of guilt hits me square in the chest. “Yeah.”

His jaw ticks once. Then he nods. “Okay.”

Without another word, I climb into his passenger seat. “Come on, Boss!”

He joins me a second later and starts the engine. “You sure you want to leave your fancy car here? Doesn’t seem like the safest area.”