Page 53 of Keep Her from Them

My phone buzzed in my shorts pocket.

I yanked it out, and my heart skipped a beat. Raphael had sent a picture of himself standing in front of a helicopter. Except in the shot, it was daylight, and night had long fallen.

Three dots showed he was typing.

Raphael: Look what you made me do.

A laugh flew from my lips, and I wrote a reply.

Alex: Did I stress you out so much you flew away? By the way, I love that you can do that.

Raphael: I need to get you in my passenger seat so you can watch me in action.

Heat swirled in my veins. It was like he had a hotline to my nervous system.

Alex: Where have you gone?

Raphael: I’m back already. It was just a little air time.

Relief chased the desire. Thank heck he hadn’t left. I knew he would eventually. Though I barely knew the man, unhappiness tied a surprising knot in my gut at how I wouldn’t see him for much longer.

Creeping to the side of the room, I tucked onto one of the uncomfortable seats, hiding in the darkness.

Alex: I’d ask if you needed a copilot, but I’m horrible with directions.

Raphael: Remind me never to get in a car with you behind the wheel.

Alex: No problem there, I can’t drive.

He sent back an emoji of a shocked face.

Seconds later, he called me. I took a shuddering breath and answered, my greeting overly loud in the silent mausoleum of the state room.

“How is it possible that one of the most famous women in the country has never had a driving lesson?”

He was outside somewhere, the sound of traffic in the background of the call.

“Bold of you to assume I’ve never had a lesson. I’ve had many. Still failed my test three times.”

Silence held the other end of the line. I clucked my tongue.

“Go ahead. You can laugh at me.”

“I never would. It’s a hard test.”

I could hear the smile in his voice. “I bet you passed first time.”

“Aye, but I was seventeen and in need because of where I live. Nothing beats the confidence of cocky teenagers. Can’t ye get a pass for being a princess?”

“I wish. If anything, I think it made the test guys more evil.”

He laughed again. “Are ye feeling any better? Dress picked out?”

I couldn’t talk about the clothes. It made me imagine myself in the banquet room, and the panic threatened to take over me again. “You fixed me with your hot water bottle. I was just stalking Dori online as he still hasn’t showed.”

Down the line, keys rattled and a door clicked, Raphael returning home by the sounds of it. “Strange. Are ye worried about him?”

My gut tightened. Raphael hadn’t dismissed me out of hand like I’d done with myself. Then again, he was the one with experience of looking after others. I could barely do that with myself.

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