“Tell me what?”
“How to play. Hide-and-seek. Remember? See, you almost got it, but you were missing a key element. Here’s how it goes…” He grins. “Okay. First you have to close your eyes and count to ten while the people hide. Then you open your eyes and then, and this is key”—he holds up one finger—“then you seek them. See? That’s the step you were missing, I think.” He smiles again. “The seeking one. You had the opening eyes part down perfectly, though, so no need to feel bad.” He’s nodding, all serious now. “It takes practice.”
I wish I weren’t blushing. “Well, thanks.” I can’t help but smile. “For the help…with that.” I reach up and touch my face. We just stand there, the three of us, staring at one another. I am wholly confused by what’s going on. But at least I’m not quite as sad anymore.
The silence, however, is getting awkward.
“Do you want something?” I say suddenly. “Like…um…a muffin? We have these muffins here. They’re not really that great, but they’re huge. So if you’re into eating a lot of something…”
Sean laughs. “No, thanks,” he says. “But I’d love an iced coffee if you don’t mind. Or you could just give me a regular coffee and some ice and I’ll just mix them together in my mouth.”
I smile again and go to the big refrigerator to get the iced coffee pitcher. I can see Sean’s reflection in the glass, watching me. I pour the coffee, then turn back and hand him the plastic cup, already covered in beads of sweat. He reaches out to take it. Our fingers touch. An electric shock shoots up my arm. And we just stand there like that, holding the cup together, our fingers touching, until I realize it’s time for me to let go.
Brad clears his throat. “Ellie?” he says loudly. He’s using his fake voice, the one that’s an octave higher than his regular one. Oh no. This can’t be good. “Since your shift ends in ten minutes, anyway”—Brad looks at his watch—“if you want to head out a little bit early, that’s fine with me.”
I look at my watch. It’s only three-fifty, I’m not actually supposed to be done with work until seven. I look at Brad. He just stares at me and nods slowly, his eyes open wide. He is trying very, very hard to keep a straight face.
“Okaaaaaay,” I say, slowly nodding back. Alright, so far not too embarrassing.
Brad turns toward Sean. “Hey, do you have a car?”
Oh God.
“Yeah.” Sean tips his head.
“Great,” says Brad. “Can you give your friend Ellie here a ride home? Her ride cancelled on her and the bus, well, that’s just not safe.”
My face is burning. I look down.
“Sure,” Sean says. “I’d be glad to. Hey, good timing on my part, right?” He’s grinning. If what Brad said sounds as fake to him as it does to me, he’s doing an admirable job pretending not to notice.
“Thank you,” I say to Sean. And I’m suddenly very nervous, although I’m not really sure why.
“Bye, El.” Brad leans over, kisses me on the cheek, and whispers, “You owe me a latte.” Which is what he always says when he does something especially nice for me.
“Ready?” Sean says. His hair is flopping into his face, he pushes it out of the way and looks me straight in the eye. And there’s that flash again.
He smiles.
My stomach twists. “Okay,” I say.
Nine
Outside the sky is weirdly dark and the air thick and humid, the way it gets before a storm. Sean leads me over to a navy blue Volvo. “Ta-da!” he says. The paint is scratched and the back bumper is covered in the remnants of bumper stickers that someone tried to tear off, but eventually gave up on—a piece of light blue with a lacy-looking white shape in the corner, a dark green sticker with everything torn off except for a white UR. Sean unlocks the passenger side and opens the door, then walks around to the driver’s side and gets in. I get in, too.
There are four different plastic cups in the cupholder, and cups scattered all over the floor. On the backseat there’s a black leather messenger bag closed with a shiny brass lock. The car smells like pine trees.
“Sorry about all the cups, you can just kick them out of the way,” Sean says. “Iced coffee is my crack.”
“What a coincidence,” I say. “Crack is my iced coffee.”
Sean laughs. “I knew there was a reason I liked you,” he says. He shakes his head a little bit. He starts his car. “So where am I taking you?”
“I’m in the Sunrise Village condo complex,” I say, “behind the A&P on Grays Avenue.”