“One step ahead, as usual.” Faith smiled. “What, you don’t think I should go out there in a leotard?”
“I’d go out there naked,” Alyssa muttered.
“Thank you for your opinion.” Vi jiggled her fingers at her. “Bye now.”
Alyssa grumbled, but took off without argument. Faith shook her head. “What’s really going on?”
Violet shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know. But he’s made it into a really big deal, so I wanted you to be prepared. I brought you a maxi dress and a sweater. Not too dressy, not a leotard and a poufy skirt.”
“Good point.” Faith took the clothes into the dressing room and changed. Her skin tingled with nerves, and she didn’t look at herself in the mirror. She wasn’t sure she could bear to see the hope on her face. She’d been hurt too many times in the last ten days. Proceed with caution—that had to be her new motto.
She came out and found that Violet had left. Rolling her eyes at all the clandestine behavior, she waved good-bye to the stragglers still left and let herself out the stage door to the parking lot.
Kyle stood waiting next to his pickup truck. He must’ve run home because he’d changed into a button-down, jeans, and his Sperrys. Some things never changed, though: he was hotter than hell, and the way he was looking at her made her legs feel weak.
Faith wanted to walk to him, but nerves—and fear—kept her glued to the back door. What would he tell her? What would change between them? Would he stay this time?
He smiled at her, this slow, sexy thing that set her heart on fire. Screw fear. She had somewhere to be.
She hauled her dance bag higher up on her shoulder and smoothed the wrinkles out of her dress before starting across the parking lot. He took a step forward and opened the passenger door as soon as she made it to the car.
“You came,” he said, sounding surprised. “I wasn’t sure you would, after…everything.”
“I like a good secret,” she murmured, staring down at the asphalt, embarrassed and nervous after seeing the spark of fear and hope in his own eyes. “And I like a guy not afraid to dance.”
He took her bag and waited for her to climb into the truck before closing her door and walking around. When he slid behind the wheel, he stared straight ahead. “Are you sure you’re okay going somewhere with me?”
“Yes,” she said softly.
He swallowed. “Because, uh, I thought the best place to go would be my house. I don’t, um, I don’t really take people there. It might help you understand some things.”
She wanted to ask him why now, and why her, but she nodded. “Okay.”
“Before we go, though, I feel like I need to tell you nobody’s home.” He glanced quickly at her, then looked away. “My grandpa’s in San Antonio with his lady friend, and my dad left this morning to go to Chicago for a board meeting. They’re both gone until Friday. If you aren’t okay with going home with me, I understand.”
She knew what he was saying—he was worried she was scared to be alone with him—but she couldn’t be. This Kyle wasn’t someone she was afraid to be alone with. “That’s fine.”
He nodded, a jerky movement with too much force behind it, and started the truck. They drove in silence through town, until she asked, “Where’s the Charger?”
“First secret already, huh?” He laughed softly. “The Charger was given to me. It was my birthday present from Grandpa when I turned seventeen last year. The truck is mine. I bought it with my own money, and I love it. I thought the best way to start off my trek to honesty was to pick you up in the Toyota.”
Faith looked at the worn upholstery, the broken radio, the door handle that jiggled as they drove, and a little bit of warmth stole through her chest. He had the coolest car in the whole senior class, but he loved an ancient truck because he bought it himself. She blinked fast to push back the tears threatening to brim on her lashes. “It’s a good secret. And I like the truck, too. It’s good for hauling azaleas.”
“It is.”
He drove her to the north side of town, and Faith’s pulse sped up. The neighborhoods out here were far wealthier than her own, and her family was quite well off. Hell, these people were wealthier than Violet’s family, and they had lakefront property. “Why are we in The Hills?”
Kyle sighed. “Secret number two.”