Chapter Seven #2
She nodded. He unlooped Ears’s leash from around the chair leg. The dog sighed but stood when Shawn said, “Come on, boy.”
They started to walk. She’d never gone in this direction before. Hopefully there was some place she could pretend to be living not far from the pizza place.
After walking in silence for a few minutes, he said, “So, are you taking any classes?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “No. Why?”
He shrugged. “It’s just this is a college town, you know. It’s literally in the name. Most of the people our age are students. So are you a local then?”
“Not really.” She hesitated. She couldn’t be too cagey. She needed him to trust her. That was the whole point of this charade. “My dad moved here for a job a little before I started working at Cup of Cheer.”
“Oh, okay. Do you plan to take classes? Like, I guess I’ve never actually asked how old you are, but I was assuming you were at least out of high school.” His mouth wrinkled. “Maybe I should’ve asked that sooner.”
“I’m nineteen.” No reason to lie about that.
He let out a relieved sigh.
“And you?” she asked.
“I’ll be twenty-two in December.”
“And you’re obviously a student.” She nodded.
“Hopefully not for much longer.” He laughed. “I have everything in place to graduate in the spring with a bachelors in criminal justice, but I have nightmares where I’ve forgotten some credit I need. So if you aren’t going to college, do you have any plans?”
“Not really.” She concentrated on her feet shuffling through the autumn leaves scattered on the sidewalk.
The leaves crackled pleasantly, but it didn’t chase away the cloud that settled over her.
“We move around a lot. I guess I’m used to not knowing where we’ll be in six months, so there’s not really a lot I can plan for. ”
Ears stopped to sniff at a lamppost, but Shawn tugged gently on the leash, and he started moving again.
“That’s too bad—but you’re nineteen now. You could get your own place if you wanted.”
Her throat tightened. There was no life for her outside of what she had with her dad.
She had no skills other than supervillainy, and even she knew she couldn’t afford her own place on a barista’s salary.
She needed to change the subject before she teared up again. “What about you? You have any plans?”
“Yeah, I have an internship lined up in the same line of work as my dad does,” he said.
“And what’s that?” She wondered if he was willing to lie to her.
“Government stuff,” he said.
“Huh.” Well, he hadn’t lied. He was just being vague. “Sounds boring.”
“Less than you’d think.” A knowing smile played at the corners of his mouth.
“I’ve always wanted to follow in my dad’s footsteps.
I mean, I guess that’s pretty normal, but my dad is .
.. amazing. Great father, of course, to both me and my sisters, respected by his co-workers, and the way he is with my mom—I’d be lucky to have a marriage half as happy as theirs.
He’s everything I want to be someday, you know? ”
“I guess,” she mumbled.
“What about you? You said you moved here with your dad. Do you have any other family?”
“No, it’s just the two of us. Mom died when I was four. I don’t remember her very well.”
“I’m sorry,” his voice softened. “You and your dad must be close, though?”
Her hand strayed to her pocket and grasped her phone. Dad still hadn’t texted her back after her last check in. “He takes care of me,” she said simply.
“Well, yeah, that’s what parents are supposed to do.” Shawn smirked.
Her shoulders hitched.
Shawn’s smile faded, and he looked away. “Sorry, that came out wrong. I feel like I stepped into something I should’ve left alone. Why don’t you pick the next subject?”
She glanced around, hoping for some safe inspiration. Maybe she should try and further the mission. After all, the whole purpose of getting close to Shawn was to gather information. Also, it would be nice to figure out what was driving Dad to go after Shawn in particular.
“So your dad, he seems like the kind of guy everybody likes.”
“I guess. I mean, I can’t speak for everyone, but I have a hard time imagining anyone having an issue with him.” His expression grew sober. “At least, I’d never consider it until recently.”
“What happened recently?” She tilted her head to one side.
“Hard to explain. Nothing that my dad did, but just something he said.” He shook his head. “Either way, it doesn’t matter. I’m sure there are more interesting things to talk about than my parents.”
“I guess.” This line of conversation was depressing anyway. Her gaze settled on Ears. “How about your dog?”
“Oh, that’s a great topic.”
He told her about adopting Ears after the fire at the animal shelter, managing to dance around any mention of him rescuing the animals from that fire in the first place. She confided in him that she’d always wanted some sort of pet, but with the frequent moving had never been able to have one.
Ahead, a green and white canopy jutted over a sidewalk with an outside dining area lit by strung lights and a couple of lamp-like patio heaters that glowed red at the top.
“Whew! They’ve got the heaters going,” Shawn said. “I’m not sure they’d let us in with Ears.”
They stopped next to the door where a menu had been pinned to the wall.
“How hungry are you?” Shawn asked. “They have individual pizzas, but I honestly don’t think they’re big enough on their own. I think the two of us could polish off at least a medium together—maybe with a side of breadsticks or a salad.”
“I’m fine with just pizza.” Her hands started to ache from the chill night air, so she stuck them in her pockets and tried not to shiver.
His eyes widened. “Are you cold? I can see if they’ll let us eat inside—”
“No, I’ll be fine. Those heaters look nice though.”
A little later, they huddled under a heater, eating pepperoni pizza while Ears gnawed a milkbone the waiter had brought him.
Shawn talked the whole time, telling her stories about his sisters, his parents, his classes.
In spite of herself, she found herself laughing, not caring at all that the information she was gathering would be of no use to her father.
Dad wanted to find out what Shawn’s weaknesses were, when and where he’d be at his most vulnerable, not about how he’d spent summers camping with his sisters and how both of them were better fishermen than he was.
She couldn’t help it though. His life sounded amazing, idyllic, everything she’d always wanted.
Hearing him talk about growing up, she could almost imagine herself being a part of it, enjoying family dinners with two loving parents and siblings close to her own age.
She wanted to ask if his sisters were also sables.
If they ever trained together the way her father would run her through exercises using her powers.
After one story, Shawn paused and glanced at her. “I’m talking about myself too much. I’m sorry. My mom always says I can talk the ears off an elephant. What about you? You really haven’t told me much about your life. You move around a lot. It’s just you and your dad—” He paused meaningfully.
She twisted her napkin in her hands. “There’s not much to tell, but don’t worry. I like to hear you talk. It’s nice. You sound like you’ve had a great life.”
“I have.” He leaned across the table. “I still have a great life, actually, and it kind of feels like it’s only gotten better recently.” His hand slipped towards hers. She froze as his fingers made contact with her wrist. What was happening? What was he doing? Why was he looking at her that way?
Realization hit her like one of Shawn’s energy blasts.
Oh, crap. Ethan was right. This is a date! I’m on a date with a superhero—the superhero who is for some reason Dad’s mortal enemy.
Shawn pulled his hand back and looked away.
Her heart ached. She needed to tell him the truth and put an end to this. Maybe it would hurt him, but at least he wouldn’t get hurt. Not hurt in the way Dad intended anyway. Being sad was way better than being dead.
“Shawn, there’s something you—”
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She went rigid. Fishing it out, she glanced at the text.
I’m back. You weren’t at the place, so I walked to your work. It’s closed. Where are you?
Swallowing, she tapped out, I went to get something to eat. I’m still at the restaurant.
For a moment, silence, then the dots pulsed.
“Something wrong?” Shawn asked.
Her hold tightened around the phone. If she told Shawn the truth, what would happen to her father? What would happen to her? Would he have her arrested? No, she couldn’t end up in jail. Not when she’d tasted what freedom could be like with her job and her sort-of-friendly coworkers.
A reply popped up. I can track your phone. I’m coming to get you. I want to walk you home.
Her heart fell into her stomach. No, Dad could not catch her and Shawn together.
She jumped up. “I need to go. My dad is waiting for me.”
Shawn’s face fell. “Do you want to take some of this to go?” He motioned towards the remaining half of a pizza.
“No, I’m full. Thank you for dinner. It was great.” She burst to her feet.
“No problem. My pleasure.” He stood and started to untie Ears’s leash from the chair leg it was wrapped around. “I can walk you back.”
“No, it’s not necessary.” She stepped away. “He sounds like he’s in a hurry. I need to go now.”
“Okay.” Shawn paused, his eyebrows melting together. “Will I see you tomorrow?”
She shook her head. “It’s my day off.”
“Oh, sure.” He chin dropped towards his chest. “Soon, though?”
Her chest emptied, leaving her hollow. She couldn’t have this. It wasn’t real. She didn’t deserve it. Didn’t deserve him.
This is the mission. Get close to him. Lure him into danger. Make it easy for Dad to deal with him. It’s what I signed up for—but I can’t. I need to find a way out of this. A way that doesn’t involve hurting Shawn.
Her bottom lip trembled. She needed to leave before she started to cry.
Worry flooded Shawn’s face. “Nikki, what’s wrong?” He stepped around the table and drew closer to her.
She stared at him, his dark eyes glistening in the illumination of the strung lights.
He had the kindest face she’d ever seen.
Everything within her longed to throw herself against him, to hold on for dear life, to never be Apparition again, to always be Nikki, sweet, normal Nikki who if she had been real would probably totally be worthy of Shawn.
Before she could talk herself out of it, she darted forward and kissed his cheek. He reached for her, but she slipped away.
“Wait!” he called out, but she ignored him, fleeing down the dark sidewalk in the direction she thought her father would likely come from.
She turned a corner and paused to work up an illusion, turning herself into a blonde wearing a red hoodie completely different from her gray jacket.
A moment later, Shawn rounded the corner, dragging along a winded Ears. He skidded to a halt, his gaze swept around the street, settling on Apparition.
“Did you see a girl with red hair come this way?”
Not sure she could work up a convincing new voice on the fly, Apparition shook her head.
Shawn’s shoulders slumped. He continued walking away from her, disappearing into the shadows at the end of the street.
Apparition rubbed her eyes on her sleeve. After checking to make sure no one was watching, she dropped the illusion and waited. Sure enough, her father came into view a few minutes later, scowling and stomping down the sidewalks.
“Restaurant food is not in the mission budget,” he said briskly.
“A friend paid,” she replied.
He snorted. “Since when do you have friends? Come on. We have planning to do.”