Left Behind

“Zack,” Allie says as she sees me approach. “You’re about three hours late.” Unlike most everyone else around me, she’ll call me on my shit, instead of tiptoeing like I’m fragile and might break.

I smile and shake my head. “Thanks. I thought I was right on time,” I reply, equally sarcastic. “What’s going on?”

“It won’t start.”

“What happens when you turn the key?”

“Not much, it makes a click-click sound.” Keller shrugs.

“Turn it…let me hear.” Allie walks around to the driver’s side, gets in and tries to start it.

“It’s the starter.” Years of working on old cars with my dad, I’ve picked up on some of the common car repairs.

“That’s what my dad said.”

I nod. “Is he coming for you?”

“Yeah. But he’s coming straight from work and he’s got his little two-seater, divorced-on-the-prowl car, so I can’t give Nikki and Keller a ride home.”

“Nikki?” I look around.

“She just went inside to use the ladies room. Here she comes now.” Allie points just as Nikki walks through the front door and our eyes meet.

“I can give them a ride.”

“That would be great.”

Allie’s father pulls up in his two-seater Porsche just as Nikki makes her way back over to us. She smiles at me and I smile back.

“Did you call your Aunt already?” Keller asks.

She shakes her head no.

“Good. Zack’s going to give us a lift.”

Chapter 18

Nikki

Keller’s house is only a few blocks from The Grind. As we pull up, Zack hops out with Keller. The two exchange a few words I can’t hear, and then Zack opens the door to the back seat, offering his hand for me to get out. The other hand reaches forward and opens the front passenger door. He waits until I’m inside to close it, then jogs around to the other side.

His right hand on the gear shifter, for a second it looks like he’s going to drive, but then he changes his mind. Leaving the car in park, he turns to face me. Lifting one knee up onto the seat and twisting his body toward me, he slings one arm casually around the back of the seat. It’s just the two of us in the car now and suddenly the inside of the spacious car seems smaller. Maybe even a little warmer.

He looks at me and arches an eyebrow with a grin. Although fully aware I need to give him my aunt’s address, I play along. Grinning back, I arch an eyebrow in return and fold my arms stubbornly over my chest.

Throwing his head back, Zack laughs. The deep, raspy sound echoes through me, the sound warming me. It befits his handsome face. Together we have a good chuckle and then he extends his hand to me and through a sexy half smile, I finally hear his voice, “Zack Martin.”

I oblige. “Nikki Fallon.”

“Nice to finally meet you, Nikki Fallon.” He doesn’t let go of my hand as he speaks.

“You too.” I feel the warmth from his hand spread through me.

“I was beginning to think you were mute.”

My eyes widen. “Me? You’re the one who started this.”

“I haven’t been much of a talker lately, I guess.” He opens his mouth as if to say something else, then shuts it.

I shrug, completely understanding how he feels, although I’m sure for different reasons. “I get it. Sometimes you just don’t feel like talking. Lately I feel like every word I say is analyzed for a hidden meaning.”

Zack releases my hand and instantly I feel the warmth that had spread through my whole body start to cool. As he turns back to face the road, I shiver from the sudden temperature change.

“Cold, in this weather?” he asks with surprise as he shifts the car into gear.

I’m not going to tell him that my body temperature dropped drastically when he let go of my hand. I blush just thinking about how hot my body had become just from the feeling of his hand in mine.

“Not cold, just a little shiver, it happens to me sometimes.” As if I have a medical condition and it’s not the result of hormones surging through my seventeen-year-old body.

“Yeah, women always have that problem around me,” Zack teases, glancing my way. I see a flicker in his eyes. It’s there. There’s some spark that neither of us are quite comfortable with. But we also can’t seem to stop fanning the fire.

“On second thought, I think I’m cold.” A little smirk appears between his two delicious dimples.

“Where to?” Zack asks, looking straight ahead at the road. Is he trying to avoid another meeting of our eyes?

“Uhm. I don’t know. I, uh…” Nervously, I try to respond with coherent words but fail. He wants to take me somewhere?

“You don’t know where you live, silly?” Zack mocks with a now broad smile, which splatters warmth across the cool bucket seats and stirs some embarrassing sensations throughout my body.

I try to will away the redness I know is glowing in my otherwise pale cheeks. “I thought you could figure that out without any words, Zack Martin, the Wordless Wonder.”

“I knew you thought I was a wonder.” He’s unquestionably enjoying our banter.

Before I can respond, Zack turns onto my street and is slowing right before Aunt Claire’s house.

“Stalk people much?” I exclaim, genuinely surprised he already knows where I live.

“You always have to wonder about the quiet ones, Nikki. Always.” Zack sneaks in one last dazzling smile before he turns to open his door.