Page 22 of Shadow Dance

“Just wondering.” I run my fingers over the face of my phone. For someone who runs the streets as much as Callum, he sure loves to check up on me. As if I’m ever doing anything wrong.

“He always knows where we are,” Jaime says. “He tracks your phone.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Rolling my eyes, I drop my phone into my purse. Lucky and Bria track each other’s phones, but it was a mutual decision to do so. It makes sense, seeing what they went through acouple years ago. But Callum never asked me if he could track me, nor do I ever know where he is.

Jaime pauses at a light. “Does that bother you?”

“He should’ve asked me,” I say. “But I should’ve known, too. I doubt he’d let me ride around all day with another guy if he didn’t have access to our location and activities. Even if itisjust you.”

He chuffs softly, shaking his head.

“What?” I ask, staring at his profile. He has a nice nose, though it is a little crooked. He has a nice everything, if I’m being honest.

“You’re different than I thought.”

“So are you,” I admit, picking at the giant hole in my jeans. He’s not as untouchable. Not as hard.

“Hey, you hungry?” he asks suddenly.

I look up. Mel’s Drive-In glows across the street, bright and inviting. “Starving.”

“What do you want? I’ll run in and get it.” He pulls over, parking illegally on the curb.

“Can’t we just eat here?” I ask, not wanting to go home yet. Besides, I love diners. “Food’s never as good when you get it to go.”

Jaime chews his lip, debating, and then pulls back onto the busy street. “All right. I'll have to find better parking.”

Mel’s is bustling but not packed. We’re seated in a cozy booth near a jukebox where our server, a blonde with Bambi brown eyes and a nametag that reads ‘Sami,’ leaves two menus and promises Jaime she’ll be right back with our drinks. She barely even looked at me. It might be annoying if it wasn’t so entertaining.

“What’s that look for?” Jaime asks once she’s walked away.

I peek up from my menu. “I have a look?”

“Yeah, like you got jokes. Private jokes.”

That’s the second time he’s noticed my expression today. “You’re very observant, aren’t you?”

“Being observant is my job.” His eyes hold mine in a challenge, of what I’m not sure.

“Ah. Well, I think Sami likes you,” I say, answering his question.

His brow furrows. “Who?”

“Sami.” I sit back in the booth. “Our server.”

Rolling his eyes, he points to his menu. “I’m getting a cheeseburger and fries. What do you want?”

“Did you really not notice? She was totally giving you signals.” I don’t know why, but I have the urge to bug him about this. Maybe because he’s always so unflappable.

“I wasn’t paying attention.”

I raise my eyebrows. “But I thought beingobservantwas your job.”

Settling into the corner, he rests his arm along the back of the booth. “You’re my job.”

My stomach flutters, but I cover the effect his words have on me by giving him the sauciest smile I can muster. “That’s right. Don’t you forget it, bodyguard.”

Now he’s the one who looks surprised. He opens his mouth like he’s going to say something, but Sami pops up again. Setting our drinks down, she whips a pen and pad from her apron and gives Jaime a coy, lip-bitey smile. “Are you guys ready to order?” she asks sweetly.

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