Page 49 of Espresso Your Love

Funnel cakes. Why didn’t I think of that? I should’ve known she’d still go.

“Is she alone?” I ask.

“Yes, but I have eyes on her. Lawson is staying close to the teenagers.”

I don’t trust anyone but me. I need to be there. I need to see her and make sure she stays safe. I can’t lose her too.

A lump forms in my throat when the boys come in eyesight. There are four of them, in hoodies with their hands shoved in their pockets.

I move along the outskirts of the booths to stay hidden from the boys and try to spot Cassie. But they’re closer to her than I am.

“Max, seek,” I command quietly, and my loyal canine darts off with his nose to the ground. Maybe he can sense something I can’t.

The teens stop and huddle by the stage, but they look over their shoulder in Cassie’s direction. Their pause gives me an edge to get to her now.

Max comes to my side—he didn’t find anything suspicious. I start speed walking until I spot her. I feel my heart squeeze at the sight of her; she looks carefree, chatting away.

I’m just a few feet away from her when a loud, popping noise jars the air. I leap, grabbing Cassie and pulling her underneath me. My body over hers, shielding her.

“Ryan!” Cassie shouts.

The crowd lets out an array of screams and shouts.

“Mitchell, what was that?” I radio, but nothing comes back. I repeat, “Mitchell, what was that?”

“Hayes, we’re clear. I repeat, all clear.”

“Cassie, are you okay?” I ask.

She nods, clutching my shirt. “What was that?”

“I’m not sure yet,” I tell her, keeping my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through me.

I scan the vicinity; people are panicked but unharmed. It wasn’t a gunshot. A firework, maybe? No, something else.

I click the button on the radio. “Mitchell, Lawson, give me an update.”

“False alarm, Hayes. Meet us by the stage,” Mitchell radios back to me.

“Stay with me,” I tell Cassie as we move towards the stage now. I keep one hand on her back, as a jackhammer continues in my chest.

15

Cassie

I don’t know what’s going on right now. One minute, I’m waiting for a funnel cake and the next, Ryan practically tackles me. My heart is pounding in my chest as I walk with Ryan. His arm around my waist is something I can get used to, though.

As we approach the stage, I see Gabe Lawson, Ethan Mitchell, and James Bennett standing next to a group of guilty-looking teenagers.

“What happened?” Ryan’s voice is full of concern as he steps slightly in front of me. I clutch at the back of his shirt. Max is standing at attention on the other side of him.

“They tried to plug their phone into the sound system,” James informs us. “Looks like it caused an electrical surge, hence the disturbance.”

One of the teenagers chimes in, “We’re a band and just wanted to play some of our music.”

“How do you know Cassie?” Ryan demands.

Do they know me? I don’t recognize any of them.

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