Page 84 of Offside Angel

“Then you should’ve said that when you sent me over there instead of making up some stupid excuse. But it’s fine. I handled things like a pro.”

“What the hell does that mean?” I slide a finished stack of posters to the end of the table and reach for another one. Jace and Davis were in here signing with me, but they left to check out the catering spread the owners called in. I’m holding off on eating in hopes I can wrap up here and be home in time for dinner.

“It means that I distracted your girl until it was time for her to do school pickup while simultaneously finding out top-secret info about mine.”

“About Taylor?”

“What other girl would I be talking about?” he snaps. “Yes, Taylor. I now know that she is super into me.”

I pause, waiting for Daniel to say something groundbreaking, but apparently, that is it. “Right. Everyone knows that. What else?”

“Well, I didn’t know it! But now, I do, and I am going to go seal the deal.”

I’m reluctant to ask what deal he’s planning to seal and what part of his anatomy he intends to seal it with, but I’m saved the trouble when my phone rings.

“Other line,” I tell him, trying to remember where I recognize the number on my screen from, but it hovers somewhere in the back of my mind, just out of reach. “I’ll call you back.”

I answer and a soft, musical female voice greets me. “Mr. Whitaker, it’s Aiden’s teacher, Mrs. Wilson.”

“He’s not in trouble, is he?” I’m teasing, but Mrs. Wilson doesn’t laugh.

“I’m calling because it’s getting late and no one has come to pick up Aiden.”

My brain buffers. It takes way too long for me to respond.

“No, my—His mom should have come to get him by now.” Mira should have been there thirty minutes ago. Daniel just said that she left to do school pickup.

“The parking lot is empty and Aiden is the last student here,” she explains. “Is there anyone else who can come pick him up?”

My mind is spinning off in a thousand different directions, but I need to focus. One problem at a time.

“Yes,” I tell her, the plan forming as the words are coming out of my mouth. “My best friend will be there. Daniel Patterson is his name.”

“Is he on the approved list of family and friends who can pick up?”

“He’s the first name on the list. Don’t release him to anyone else except for Daniel Patterson,” I reiterate, already feeling something ominous stirring in my gut. “He’ll be there soon.”

I hang up with Mrs. Wilson and call Daniel back.

“You said Mira left to get Aiden, right?” I bark the second the line connects.

“Yeah. Right after I did. Actually, I was across the street grabbing an iced latte for my lady—you should never show up empty-handed—and I saw her and Evan pull out of the garage.”

Shit.

“I need you to pick up Aiden.”

Daniel hesitates. “From school? Why? Mira went to get him. Can you hear?—”

“Can you get him or not?” I snarl. My fingers are itching to punch in Mira’s number. To hear her voice. To feel her body against mine. I need to get off this phone now. “Can you do it, yes or no?”

“Yes! Yes, obviously. But what the fuck is?—”

“I’ll fill you in later.”

I hang up and dial Mira’s number. Before the first ring, I’m already on my feet and heading towards the locker room.

Something is wrong.

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