“The phone number is from the Tampa area,” Theo says as if he’s reading my mind.
I glance up at him. “Do you have all of the area codes in the country memorized?”
He laughs. “I do store a lot of useless information in my head, but I only have a few area codes memorized. That just happens to be one of them.”
I wonder why?
“Why did Addie receive a text with a photo of the guys who drugged us and who we think kidnapped her hours before the crime took place,” I wonder aloud.
“Maybe it wasn’t a crime?”
I raise an eyebrow. “Do you think the kidnapping was a set-up?”
“At this point, I’m not sure what to think.”
“Let’s check her emails.” I suggest.
He switches from the texting screen to her email app. Theo scrolls through her emails, but there’s nothing out of the ordinary. Most of it is junk like ads for trendy clothing and the latest vitamin supplements.
“What does her dad do for a living?” Theo asks.
“Addie said he’s an engineer. She never told me what company he works for. Her mom works in human resources. You don’t think they’re mixed up with some illegal activity? Like maybe they owe money to the mob?”
He laughs. “Now you really are making it sound like we’re in some cheesy movie-of-the-week.”
“Matteo did look like he could be of Italian heritage.”
“Maybe we should call the police,” Theo suggests. “I want to make sure you’re protected.”
I furrow my brow. “Mrs. Vance asked me not to.”
He turns the phone so that I can see the photo of Matteo and his friends again. “Are you sure you can trust her?”
I heave a sigh. “I’m not sure who I trust anymore.”
“Why don’t we grab a bite to eat? It’s never a good idea to make important decisions on an empty stomach.”
I glance at the clock on the television. It’s eleven thirty. As if on cue my stomach starts to growl.
Theo smiles. “That settles it then. I’m taking you for lunch.”
CHAPTER 9
Theo takes me to a trendy café in one of the upscale shopping plazas. Most of the stores are expensive boutiques way out of my price range, but it doesn’t stop me from glancing at the beautiful clothing in the windows as we pass by.
We’re seated at a small table in the back of the restaurant. It’s still early so the place isn’t crowded yet. We should have some privacy.
“Why would Addie have a photo of those guys on her phone?” I say. It’s not really a question. More like I’m thinking aloud.
Theo answers anyway. “Was she having money problems?”
“Not that I’m aware of. I don’t think she’s capable of planning something like this by herself.”
“Did she ever talk about knowing anyone in Florida? Was she communicating with any guys online?”
I shake my head. “She didn’t talk about guys. Not that she didn’t want a boyfriend, but it was more of an abstract concept. You have to understand. Addie is…not like other college students.”
He furrows his brow. “What do you mean?”
“She’s like a sixty-year-old cat lady trapped in an eighteen-year-old’s body.”
“That’s not an image I really want in my head.” He scrunches up his nose.
When a server comes to take our orders we realize we haven’t even looked at our menus yet.
“Do you have any specials?” Theo asks.
“Shrimp bisque,” the server says. “In a sourdough bread bowl.”
“Yes, please,” I tell the server.
“Me too.” Theo takes the menu from my hand and hands it with his to the server.
“Anything to drink?” he asks.
“I’m fine with just water,” I say.
Theo nods. “Me too.”
Once the server leaves I turn my attention to Theo. “Why do you know the area code for Tampa off the top of your head?”
There’s a flash of sadness in his eyes. “I dated someone all through college. She was my first serious girlfriend. I thought we’d get married once we graduated. She got accepted to a graduate program at the university in Tampa. I got accepted to a grad program in Arizona. We tried to make a long-distance relationship work, but it didn’t. We broke up over winter break.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“She’s already engaged to someone else.” There’s a hint of bitterness in his voice.
“Wow…” That was fast.
He lets out a sigh. “I thought she was the one. Guess not.”
“Whatever I say will just end up sounding like a bad cliché.”
“You mean like there are plenty of fish in the sea.”
“Just like the bus, another will come along soon.”
He grins. “There are plenty more stars in the sky. I’m just waiting for the brightest.”
When our eyes meet sparks fly between us. My entire body heats in response.
“Maybe you’re the star I’ve been waiting for.” It’s hard to tell if he’s serious or still making a joke. Either way it’s corny.
“Cheesy pick-up lines don’t work on me,” I tell him.
“It’s not a pick-up line.” His eyes twinkle and I realize he’s serious.
I swallow. I’m starting to like Theo a lot more than I ever imagined I could. It’s exciting and scary at the same time.
When the server comes with our food the heat that’s been building between the two of us cools a bit.
I eat a spoonful of the soup. It’s tasty. “You should try the bisque.”
He’s still messing around with Addie’s phone. “I found something in her deleted items. It’s an email from the university. Her tuition is past due. They’re threatening to drop her from her classes.”
“I thought she had a scholarship.”
“She did. It was rescinded when she didn’t meet the grade requirement last term.”
I shake my head. “She never told me anything about that. When I asked her about her grades she said she did well last term.”
“She was supposed to maintain a 3.0 grade point average. She earned a 2.75.”
“Why did she lie?”
He glances up at me from the phone. “What was your grade point average?”
“It was a 4.0. I got all A’s.”
“Did you tell Addie that?”
“I didn’t brag about it,” I say a little too defensively. “But she did see that I made the Dean’s List. That requires a perfect GPA.”
“Maybe she was embarrassed. That’s why she didn’t say anything.”
“I feel bad that she didn’t trust me enough to tell me.”
Theo takes my hand in his and gives it a squeeze. “I think smart girls are sexy.”
“I’m not that smart. I work really hard to get good grades.”
“Hard working girls are hot too.” He winks at me.
“You’re the smart one. A graduate student in computer science is pretty impressive.”
“I get by.”
“I think you’re selling yourself short.”
“So are you.”
When our eyes meet there’s another exchange of energy between us.
I quickly remove my hand from his. “Do you think that she set the kidnapping up to get money for tuition?”
“Anything is possible. We know she needed money. And we know she knew the suspected kidnappers before the alleged kidnapping.”
I laugh. “You sound like a lawyer with your suspected kidnappers and alleged kidnapping.”
“Both of my parents are lawyers. It made for a very messy divorce.”
“How old were you when they split up?”
He takes a small taste of his soup before he answers. “This is good.” Then he looks up at me. “I was twelve when they split up. Fourteen when the divorce was finalized.”
“It must have been difficult.”
“It is what it is. The hardest part wa
s being shuttled back and forth between them because they got shared custody. Three days with my mom, four days with my dad one week. Then four days with my mom, three days with my dad the next. I wasn’t able to participate in any afterschool activities, or even make any friends because of it. That’s how I got interested in computers. I spent most of my time alone in my bedroom.”
“Do you have any siblings?” I ask.
“My dad got remarried to a much younger woman and they have three kids. I’m not close to them because there’s such a big age difference. And my stepmother doesn’t like me very much.”
I raise an eyebrow. “I find it hard to believe that someone doesn’t like you.”
“It’s not really me she doesn’t like. It’s the fact that my dad gives me money for school. She thinks all his money should be spent on her and her kids. I think she’d prefer it if I didn’t exist.”
“That’s awful.”
“That’s life.”
“Even though I don’t have any siblings I rarely spent any time alone,” I say. “My dad has six brothers and they are all in business together. The Seven Brothers Security Team. It often felt like I was being raised by all seven of them. And don’t even get me started on my grandparents. Being a part of the Winters family is like living in a small town. Everyone always has their nose in your business.”
“Consider yourself lucky that you have such a close family.”
“It is what is it.” I throw his line back at him.
“You obviously have a lot of people who care about you,” he says.
I never thought about it that way, but maybe he’s right. People often don’t appreciate what they have until they can see it from someone else’s perspective.
When my cellphone buzzes I remove it from my pocket. “It’s Addie’s parents.” I tell Theo. Then I answer the call. “Hello?”
“Our plane just landed,” Mrs. Vance says. “We should be at the resort within the hour.”
“I’ll see you soon.”
She ends the call without saying anything else.
“We’d better head back to my room. The Vances are on their way.”
We finish what’s left of our soup and Theo tosses a twenty-dollar bill on the table.
“You don’t have to pay for my lunch,” I tell him.
“I insist,” he says and gives me a big smile.
THE SKY IS SO PERFECTLY blue I feel like I’ve stepped into a postcard. “We should be on the beach.”
“I agree,” Theo says.
We both stare at the flawless tropical scenery in front of us for several moments before we head back into our building.
Once we’re back in my suite I open the slider to the balcony to let the fresh sea air inside the stuffy room.
“This is the perfect temperature,” I comment. “Back home it’s already in the 90s. And we don’t have the Gulf breeze.”
When he stands next to me to enjoy the beach view our hands are so close our skin is touching. My skin prickles with excitement.
“Do you want me to hold your hand?” he asks.
My body tenses. I’m not sure what I want. The more I get to know Theo, the more I like him. Even though he’s a bit of a geek, he’s nothing like my ex. I feel like I can trust him.
Theo inches his hand closer to mine. Before I have a chance to resist he laces our fingers together.
I consider pulling away, but I like the way our hands fit together. And I like the way it feels when we’re touching each other.
Just as I’m ready to relax into the moment and enjoy the ocean view there’s a pounding on the front door.
I hurry to answer it.
Mr. and Mrs. Vance charge into the room like stockcars on the starting line at Daytona. They’re both carrying small overnight bags with them.
“Where’s Addie’s stuff?” Mrs. Vance demands. She a woman on a mission.
I point to the bedroom. “In there.”
Mr. and Mrs. Vance march into the bedroom. Theo and I follow. They riffle through her things then close her suitcase and lock it.
“Is this everything?” Mrs. Vance stares at me intently.
I shake my head. “There are a few personal items in the bathroom. Shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant.”
That doesn’t seem to interest them. When they exit the bedroom, Theo and I trail behind.
We watch as the Vances poke around the living area.
“Is there something specific you’re looking for?” I ask.
Mrs. Vance turns to me. “Addie’s cellphone.”
Theo and I exchange a glance. Then Theo removes her phone from his pocket and hands it to her.
Mrs. Vance frowns. “What are you doing with this?”
He gulps. “We retrieved it from the wildlife refuge.”
“I don’t understand.” The creases in her forehead deepen.
“Someone threw her cellphone in a mangrove swamp. That’s where we found it.”
Mrs. Vance clicks the phone on. She doesn’t type in the passcode. She probably doesn’t know it. She clicks the phone off and places it in her handbag. Then as if she’s just realizing she doesn’t know who Theo is she furrows her brow and asks, “Who are you?”
He clears his throat. “I’m a graduate student. I’m on Spring Break. I’m staying in the room next door.”
That seems to satisfy her. She nods.
“We’re supposed to be getting further instructions from the kidnappers later this afternoon,” Mr. Vance tells us.
There’s a moment of awkwardness, the four of us standing there all staring at each other. Addie’s parents look like they’ve aged a decade in just a few days.
I decide to confront the elephant in the room head-on. “Where are you planning on staying?”
Mr. and Mrs. Vance glance at each other. Then Mr. Vance says, “We were hoping to be able to stay here. Use Addie’s bed.”
They did pay for the room.
“I guess I could sleep on the couch,” I mutter. Sharing a room with Addie is one thing. Sharing a room with her parents is another thing entirely.
“Stay with me,” Theo offers. “You could use my bed and I’ll sleep on the couch.”
I shake my head. “I can’t let you do that.”
“I insist,” he says.
It would be slightly less awkward than staying with Addie’s parents. “Okay.”
“Let’s get your stuff packed.” As Theo heads towards the bedroom I follow him.
“You don’t have to sleep on your couch,” I tell him as I grab my stuff from the dresser drawers and place it all back in my suitcase.
“I really don’t mind,” he assures me. “My suite doesn’t have two double beds. I have one king size bed.”
“Oh…” my voice trails off.
“Is there anything you want me to get from the bathroom?” he offers.
“It’ll only take a minute for me to grab everything. I don’t want you to accidently take something of Addie’s.”
As soon as I say my roommate’s name my voice cracks. As much as I hate to think about her planning her own kidnapping, in some ways it’s better than the alternative. If she really was kidnapped, who knows what they may have done to her.
I dart into the bathroom and toss all my personal hygiene products into a large plastic zip lock bag.
“That took less than a minute,” Theo says.
“What can I say. I’m not just a detective ninja. I’m a packing ninja too.”
Once I’ve got all my stuff back into my suitcase and I close it up Theo grabs it from the bed.
“You don’t have to carry that for me,” I tell him.
“I know. But I want to.”
When we reenter the living area Mr. and Mrs. Vance are standing at the slider staring out at the beach.
“I’m taking my stuff over to Theo’s room,” I tell them.
There’s no reply, not even a grunt.
Theo and I exit the suite and enter his room. It’s not quite as f
ancy as the suite I was in, and doesn’t have the same gorgeous ocean view. At least it’s a place to stay. I briefly consider flying back to Arizona, but I don’t have the money to change my ticket. And I’m still not sure exactly what’s going on. Addie may still need my help.
“Let me put your bag in the bedroom,” Theo suggests.
“I can sleep on the couch.” I did it before, I can do it again.
He shakes his head. “I want you to take the bedroom. I won’t take no for an answer.”
I give him a sly grin. “If you insist.”
“I do.” He carries my suitcase into the bedroom and I follow.
He places my bag on the bed. “Do you think Mr. and Mrs. Vance are involved in the kidnapping?”
“I don’t know what to think anymore. They are acting a little strange.”
He raises an eyebrow. “A little strange?”
“Stranger than normal.”
“I’ll let you get unpacked.” Theo turns to exit but hesitates. Then he turns back to face me. “I wanted to do this when we were looking out at the ocean but I didn’t get the chance.”
He places a soft kiss on my lips. “Was that okay?”
“Yes.” The word comes out of my mouth like a whisper, and a plea for more.
The follow-up kiss is hungry and filled with desire. It leaves me breathless and tingly all over.
When he pulls me closer, so that our bodies are touching, I feel how hard he is. Normally I don’t like things to move so quickly. I like to get to know a guy well before we start running the bases. But there’s something about Theo that I trust.
“Maybe we should both sleep in your bed tonight,” I suggest.
His eyes grow wide. “Are you sure?”
I laugh. “I’m not sure about anything anymore.”
“I don’t want you to think that’s the reason I invited you to stay with me.”
“It’s Spring Break. We’re supposed to be having fun.”
Theo looks a lot less enthusiastic about the idea of sleeping together than I thought he would be. “Maybe we should go back to the other room and see if the Vances have heard anything from the kidnappers.”
“Okay…” I’m confused by his sudden change of direction. Was I being too forward when I suggested that we sleep together?
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