Page 16 of The Four Leaf

“We tell each other everything already,” I counter, ignoring the surge of my pulse.

Adrian shakes his head, the cup clinking against the bar as he sets it down. “No, Bambi. I don’t think we do.”

His implication is more than obvious, and suddenly, I’m not as nervous as I once was. Things have always been murky when it comes to our relationship. The whole thing constantly teetering on the precipice of something more.

It’s as though we’ve been standing at the edge of the pool. Both of us see the beauty and possibility of what it’d be like to take a swim, but also the terrifying notion of what will happen if we don’t know how to swim.

What he’s proposing feels like plunging into the deep end, forcing us to sink or swim. But I guess we already passed dipping our toes when I stayed in the bathroom.

Without giving myself time to reconsider, I grab his drink and down it in four lucky gulps. The earthy flavor soothes my frayed nerves, giving me the little bit of courage I need. “Okay.”

Adrian runs his tongue over one of his canines, making my mouth dry up instantly. “Okay, what? I need to hear you agree to the terms.Explicitly.”

My eyes widen a fraction before taking a quick inventory of the surrounding guests. Everyone is engrossed in their own conversations, clearly unattuned to the fact I’m about to agree to a game of hide and seek in exchange for a confession I’m not entirely sure I’m ready to give. While my sister has kept herself at the end of the bar, the same smug smirk is still painting her face.

I shift back to him and take a breath, though it sounds more like a heady sigh. “I agree to the game. If you win, I’ll give you a secret. And if I win, I want one.”

His brows lift and his lips pull down in surprise. “How will we determine who wins?”

I catch my lip between my teeth and ponder for a second. “If you find me in under ten minutes, you win. Ten minutes, one second, I win.”

Adrian grins before nodding. “Okay.”

I guffaw. “I need to hear it,explicitly.”

A nerve in his jaw tics as his smile grows. “If I can’t find you in under ten minutes, I’ll give you a secret.”

He holds out a hand. My shoulders shake with my laughter, as I oblige and take his hand in mine. It’s something about the seriousness of a children’s game with conditions being sealed with a handshake that has me relaxing.

But when I try to release his hand, he pulls me close, our chests an inch apart as he returns his face to my ear. I swallow hard around the surge of my pulse and hold my breath when he whispers,“Once I find you, there’s no going back. It will changeeverything. So I advise you to choose your spot wisely, Bambi.”

He releases me as quickly as he drew me in, before slipping his phone from his pocket. “Hey, Siri. Set me a timer for ten minutes.”

The little robotic voice from his phone lets me know my time has begun, prompting me to get my ass out of the chair. Slowly, I slip off the stool, my skin tingling from Adrian’s lingering gaze.

Excitement blooms through my core, and just like that, my adrenaline is coursing. The rushing of my blood is the only thing I can hear as I take my first step toward the exit. It’s as though something long forgotten has clicked, setting me on edge and urging my feet to move.

I don’t even bother looking back at Adrian or my sister, but instead, train my eyes forward. My pulse beats in time with the sudden countdown in my head, letting me know a rough estimate of how much time is left. Meanwhile, the eagerness flushing through my veins makes me hyper-aware of my surroundings.

I weave through the crowd, noting the number of people Adrian will have to move between in order to reach the doors. It will be harder for him considering his size, so I have a buffer to add to my time.

Within a minute, I’m back in the lobby. It’s beginning to fill with guests, but with our check-in system, the counter isn’t overwhelmed. The chatter of nearby conversations drowns out as my ears perk up for anything that sounds even remotely close to Adrian.

His walk is telling–muted, yet heavy. It’s how he’s always managed to get me out of my good spots when we were kids. I’d think he’d given up and would come out, andbam, he’d be there waiting to tackle me to the ground and tickle me till I screamed uncle. It took a few times before I figured out how to listen for the floors to creak beneath his weight. Or the squish of a mat under his boot. Even the wood whined as he climbed the steps.

But now, something tells me none of that will help. If he does catch me, I won’t be tickled, and uncle won’t stop him.

Through the cluster of the other guests, I manage to slip past the receptionist without her noticing. Nor does the busy bellboy, who is loading up two carts of overnight bags.

Down the hall, I open the large wooden doors. I knew from the moment he said to hide, where I’d go. Maybe it’s because deep down I know this will be one of the first places he looks. Which probably means I want to tell him my secret. I want him to know how I feel. How I’ve felt since I realized my love ran deeper than the heart.

But I also have a plan to get something out of him too. Because before I say anything, I need to know–really know–what exactly it is he feels whenhelooks atme.

I’m ready to play as many games as he wants, but guessing won’t be one.

Inside the room, I lift the heavy curtains and squeeze inside, repositioning the fabric so it falls naturally over my frame.

When I’m satisfied and nearly out of breath, I wait.

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