Didi had been at the bar with Natasha, laughing at something she had said, when Caleb found her. He immediately entwined his fingers with hers.
“Tash, will you excuse us for a second,” he said, already pulling Didi away. She barely had time to leave her glass and say a quick good-bye.
A sense of mischief, like fireworks in her belly, led her to ask, “Where are we going? The party is that way.” She hiked her thumb over her shoulder, even though Caleb wasn’t looking. He was too busy navigating them toward a secret place only he knew the location of. They left streams of confetti in their wake like bread crumbs.
“Let’s go for a drive,” he finally said as they entered a long hallway.
“Wow, paintings!” She swiveled her head just to catch a glimpse of the framed artwork hanging along both walls.
“We can look at them later. Right now I just want to get away.”
The urgency in his voice called to her adventurous side, and she quickened her steps, the low heels of her shoes clicking against the marble. The end of the hall forked into two paths. Caleb veered left and headed straight for a door at the end.
She barely had a chance to look at where she was going when the unseasonable chill of the air outside nipped at her skin. She bent forward to catch her breath when they stopped along a gravel path. As she straightened she noticed they had made it to the front of the house.
“Which car did you park last?” Caleb asked one of the valets milling around.
“Mr. Parker’s roadster,” the guy answered, his gaze flitting toward Didi.
“Hand me the keys,” Caleb demanded. The entire time he held on to her hand. She wouldn’t have wanted to let go anyway. Residual energy from the party still clung to her. Faint strains of jazz coming from inside made her bob in place.
“Sir?” The valet scratched the back of his bowed head.
“Don’t worry about it,” he insisted. “Nathan won’t mind. Just give me the damn keys.”
The command in his tone spurred the poor guy into action, grabbing the keys from another valet and tossing them to Caleb. He caught them with his free hand and headed for the end of the long line of cars.
“What’s gotten you all revved up?” she asked, matching his pace. “Does it have something to do with your father? Because if it does, I’m not afraid to take him.” She made a fist with her free hand and waved it in front of her.
Caleb chuckled, but there didn’t seem to be a shred of humor in the sound. “I just want to get out of here and breathe.” He rounded the sports car with its top down and opened the passenger door for her. Without further prompting, she slid into the bucket seat. Then he jogged to the other side and jumped in. “Buckle up.”
She didn’t have to be told twice. She tugged on the seat belt just as he inserted the key into the ignition and started the engine. He pulled out onto the path that led away from the house just as she clicked the buckle into place. He was in a hurry to get away, but all her concern turned into elation when Caleb gunned down the tree-lined driveway leading to and from his house. When she had arrived in a limo with Natasha earlier, her eyes almost popped out of her head at the sight of the massive, almost palatial, mansion. Tash had laughed when she blurted out that Caleb’s house was bigger than theirs. A part of her had immediately wanted to explore, see what its walls hid inside. Maybe even see Caleb’s room. But she forgot all that the moment she locked eyes with him in a tux. He looked so dashing, like a dark prince from her very own fairy tale.
As they zipped their way along the mountainside, she raised her hands up and squealed. The wind whipped through her hair. She could barely breathe when she screamed for Caleb to go faster. And go faster he did. The rear tires skidded to the side every time they took a corner. Everything around her passed by in a blur—the water on one side and the mountain and trees on the other.
“It’s like flying!” she yelled through the engine’s roar. “Faster, Caleb, faster.”
With a grin stretching his lips, he shifted gears and the car leapt forward like a sleek jungle cat chasing after prey. She whooped and laughed. How could she not? Her belly tumbled like a boulder rolling down a hill. This was the most exhilarating thing to ever happen in her life, and she was with Caleb as it happened.
Because of the rushing wind, she didn’t quite catch the words he said when he finally spoke again. She turned to face him. Having escaped from the headband, her hair covered her face. She reached up and tucked the strands behind her ear.
“What did you say?” she shouted at him.
“I think I’m falling in love with you,” he shouted back, taking his eyes off the road to look her in the eye.
That one moment was all it took to change everything.
In her periphery a shadow leapt out into the road in front of them. She shrieked, “Watch out!” about the same time Caleb hit the brakes and twisted the wheel all the way to the left. The car swerved violently.
The crunch of metal cut Didi’s scream short.
Twenty-Two