Page 51 of For The Record

“Is Skye the one?” she says suddenly, lifting her drink to her mouth.

I ruffle her hair with one hand instead of answering. “What kind of question is that?”

“One that demands an answer.” Raina ducks out of my reach and drinks her whipped coffee, leaving a foamy mustache on her upper lip. I reach for a napkin, passing it to her.

“It’s too early to say,” I say neutrally, but the image of Skye curled up in my guest bedroom makes me want to wake up to her every morning, and fall asleep next to her every night. She’s elusive, but I love the chase. I feel like, despite our differences, we’re similar in more ways than others can understand.

“I’m taking that as a yes, then.” Raina finishes her coffee, setting the glass in the sink. “So, when are you gonna introduce her to our parents?”

“Go to bed, hermana menor.” I roll my eyes, annoyance and concern warring within me.

“Good night, Leo.” As she walks upstairs, I realize she never told me why she ran away from home and came here.

#

@RainaAguilar8: running away from home

@RainaAguilar8: yes im serious this time

@RainaAguilar8: come pick me up @LeoJPerez

@LeoJPerez: @RainaAguilar8 You could just call next time.

Chapter 24: Skye Holland

Where are you??? —Poppy

It’s eleven o’clock! I’m calling the police — Poppy

The cops said they can’t file a report until after 24 hours. WHERE R U —Poppy

I groan, bleary-eyed as I rummage around for my possessions in Leo Perez’s guest room. The last text was ten minutes ago. Rubbing my face, I type outI’m alive, at Leo’s house, don’t worryand hit send.

Wait… it’s eleven am? I check the clock on my phone. It’s noon.

Jumping up from the bed, a few choice words slip from my mouth as I search for my shoes. I left them in the taxi. Damn.

My stomach grumbles. I spy my clutch on the beige dresser and loop the strap around my wrist, determined to get out of here before I get fired.

Of course, that’s the perfect moment for me to open my door and see Leo Perez’s little sister standing there, in cutoffs and a grey crop top. Her hair is tied into a braid, curtain bangs sloping over her forehead. “You’re awake.”

I fiddle with a hangnail. “I’m sorry for staying so long… I didn’t realize the time.”

“My brother’s in a meeting,” Raina says.

“Okay?” Isn’t Leo supposed to be at work by now?

“He said he’s taking the day off and working from home.” The teenage girl reads my expression before slipping into the bathroom. “Something about being hungover. He’s in the kitchen.”

I rub my hands over my arms, aware of the gusts of air conditioning that blast my exposed skin, and the carpet beneath my bare feet. Following the sounds of a conversation, I tiptoe into the kitchen. Viking stoves in stainless steel line the back counter, while the marble-topped island is spotless. I see Leo sitting on a barstool, a laptop open in front of him.

He’s dressed more casually than he would be at the office, and definitely a few steps down from last night. Clean-shaven, presentable, and clad in jeans and a well-fitted t-shirt that clings to his biceps. I rub at my face, wondering if I should have looked for a brush before making my way to the kitchen. But my growling stomach says otherwise. Leo smiles when he sees me. “You must’ve slept well.”

“I clearly overstayed my welcome.” The long sleep made me feel like I woke up in a different country, or some other planet, with an entirely separate time zone. Maybe I am in a different place entirely. Leo’s house is sleek, modern, but cold, like an oversized bachelor pad with leather and polished steel and shiny hardwood. “Sorry about missing work. Why didn’t you wake me?”

He shrugs. “You’re not about to get in trouble, and you looked like you needed the sleep.”

“I don’t want to get favours because we’re dating,” I say, maybe too sharply. It must be the lack of caffeine talking. “I mean… People will talk.”

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