The Truth About Us

What was she going to say? Doing an internet search for Fairfax private investigators? Trying to solve the mystery of a family secret? Yeah, that’d go over well.

“You were...?” he asked, but this time a smirk curled his lips.

Abby narrowed her eyes, not finding any of this funny.

He chuckled. “I could sue you, ya know.”

“What? You’re fine.”

He shrugged, then waited for a beat before asking, “Are you at least going to offer me a ride?”

“A ride?” Her eyes widened.

“Uh, yeah.”

“But I hardly know you.”

He rolled his eyes. “We go to the same school. It’s not like we’re complete strangers. And you did just run over me and my only source of transportation.”

Anger heated her cheeks. “It was an accident, and I said I was sorry.”

Kaden chuckled, and the sound pricked her nerves. “What are you, three? An apology makes up for anything? Pop the trunk.” He rounded the car and patted a hand on the yellow hood.

“You’re not nice.” Abigail pointed a finger at him but popped the trunk anyway.

She watched him wince while lifting his bike inside and felt herself soften. Did she really just tell him he wasn’t nice?

“Here, let me help you,” she said and reached out, guiding the bike into the trunk. “How are we going to get the hood down?”

“We’re not. Do you have a bungee cord?”

“Of course I don’t have a bungee cord. I’m eighteen and a girl. What would I have that kind of stuff in my car for?” she asked, eyeing him like he was crazy.

He muttered something under his breath that sounded an awful lot like ‘for when you plow over pedestrians in the street,’ but she ignored him, giving him a pass due to the circumstances of their situation.

“It’ll be fine ‘til you drop me off. I’m only five minutes from here,” he said.

“I thought you had a car.” They rounded the car together. “Didn’t you offer me a ride just last night? Or was that some kind of ploy to get me alone with you?”

“You were already alone with me.”

Abby pursed her lips. “Good point.”

He opened the passenger door, looking at her over the hood. “It was my dad’s car. And I was being nice. Like you should be.”

“Hey, I’m giving you a ride.” Abby pointed at herself with her keys.

Kaden laughed. “Yeah, after I guilted you into it.”

“Are you always this argumentative?”

“Are you always this cute when you’re annoyed?”

Abby flushed and avoided meeting his gaze.

“What? No comeback?”

She shot him a glare, which was apparently amusing. She hated that she noticed his eyes lit up like fireworks when he laughed.