He opened up the web browser on his phone and searched for the movie title Destiny had given him. It looked like a typical romantic comedy. But he was curious why it was her favorite movie. He called it up on the Hallmark subscription his mom had and settled into the love seat to watch it.
The door handle rattled, and his mother walked in, a sack of groceries in each arm. He paused his movie and rushed to help her. “Let me take those,” he said.
She gave him a weary smile. “Thanks.”
He walked the five steps into the kitchen and placed the grocery sacks on the counter. “How was your day?”
“Fine.”
There was a layer of something behind her words. “Just fine?”
She sighed and wiped the back of her wrist over her forehead. “Working with your uncle is going to prove...interesting.”
His mother’s side of the family didn’t get on too well, but when his father kicked them out of the house, they had nowhere else to go. His mother had to take a job working at the cheese factory his uncle owned. She had no formal education past high school. She’d quit college to work and put his father through med school. It was a fact he heard quite often during their arguments.
“You aren’t getting along?”
She shook her head. “We’re all right, honey. You shouldn’t worry.”
Shouldn’t worry. Right. They were just living in the middle of hick-town USA with barely anything, thanks to his father. He took the house. Took everything, including his dog. And soon, he was going to have to park his car because they couldn’t afford the insurance on it, and he had no luck getting a job in this town.
Anger surged in him once again. He hated his father, and what he’d done. Because of him, he’d lost everything he loved. Surfing. Hanging with his friends. And Simba.
He pulled a can of peas out of a sack and placed it in the cupboard, maybe a little too hard, as it made a loud thunk. His mother cringed. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Sorry.” He helped his mother put away the rest of the groceries, shoving aside his emotions. Life was what it was. Getting angry at his father wouldn’t change anything. He was a slime-ball, but wasting his anger on him would only make Eli a bitter person.
“How about a movie night?” His mother pulled a box of microwave popcorn from the now empty sack. “I bought the kind with extra butter.”
“Perfect. I actually have a movie I wanted to watch. It’s a sappy rom com, so you’ll love it.”
His mother laughed and gave him a weird look but didn’t comment on his movie choice. “Okay. I’m up for it. I’ll make us some dinner and then we can pig out on popcorn.”
He folded the paper back and shoved it into the recycling bin. “Sounds good.”
His mother kissed him on his forehead. “Thanks for the help.”
“You’re welcome.”
ELI COULDN’T FIND DESTINY before the school bell rang, so by the time lunch came around, he was anxious to see her. He grabbed a lunch tray, filled it, then walked to her table. Amanda and Cole were already sitting beside her. Jack was nowhere to be seen.
“Hey,” he said. “Mind if I join you guys?”
Destiny’s face was passive. Like she was trying not to pay attention to him. Amanda motioned, her long hair falling over her shoulder. “Sure. Sit.”
Eli slid his tray onto the table and took a seat.
“Hey, Eli.” Amanda set her sandwich down on her plate. “Do you care about historic buildings?”
That came out of the blue. He wasn’t sure what to say. “Uh, sure.”
She leaned forward on the table. “I mean, would you want to stop one from being demolished?”
Destiny elbowed Amanda. “Let’s talk about something less depressing.”
Cole nodded. “Yeah. No one cares about an old, dilapidated building.”
He’d said it under his breath, but Amanda got a look on her face like she was going to murder someone. “Cole!”
He shrugged. “What?”
“How dare you?”
Cole held up his hands. “Hey, don’t get all upset. Not everyone goes all crazy over something like that. We don’t all have to be exactly like you.”
“But it’s a landmark of the community. And they are going to knock it down. Don’t you care about preserving history?”
Cole let out a breath, his expression guarded. “Sure. But I also care about progress.”
Amanda looked like she had just swallowed a ghost pepper. Destiny sat forward and quickly interjected, “What time is that Fun Run on Saturday?”
Amanda clenched her jaw for a second before answering. “Nine o’clock.”
“And what is it for, again?”
Amanda started talking about the local animal shelter and how all the money pledged goes to help the animals. Destiny smiled and sat back in her chair.
Eli glanced at the wall. The poster he’d helped Destiny create last night hung there. “Hey, look at that.”
Destiny motioned her chin at it. “It looks great. Thanks for your help.”
Eli picked up his sub sandwich. “Sure.”
Destiny took a sip from her water bottle.
“I watched that movie last night,” Eli said.
Destiny’s hand flew to her mouth and she choked on her water. “You what?” Her cheeks turned pink.
“It was...enlightening.”
The look on her face was adorable. She was obviously embarrassed, but there was something else in her eyes. Like she hadn’t expected him to watch her favorite movie. Was he seeing a hint of a smile? She ducked her head down.
Cole placed one of his beefy arms on the table. “What movie?”
“Nothing,” Destiny said quickly. Her blush deepened. “How are we doing on the spider decorations? Are we behind?”
“We’re doing okay. We’ll need to work on them this afternoon.” Cole motioned to Eli. “You coming in today to help?”
“Yep.”
Jack sauntered up to the table. “Hey.”
Destiny jumped up and threw her arms around him. “Hi, sweetie.” Was she over-compensating?
Jack put his arm around her and leaned in, giving her a quick kiss. Eli clenched his hand into a fist. What was Jack doing? He didn’t even like Destiny anymore. Eli imagined what Jack might do if he stood up and punched him in the face. The outcome wasn’t good, and he swallowed down the urge.
“I have to run. I just wanted to see how things were going with you guys.” He gave Eli a pointed look.
“We’re fine. Will you be helping with the dance committee tonight?” The look of hope on Destiny’s face made Eli’s stomach twist.
“I’ll be there.”
Destiny smiled. “Great. And maybe we can do something afterwards.”
Jack shifted uncomfortably. “Uh, sure.”
Jack left, and Destiny sat back down and continued to talk, but Eli was no longer in the mood to listen. He ate his sandwich as quickly as he could and left the room.
Chapter 7
Destiny twisted her hands together, nervously glancing around once again for Jack. The smell of popcorn permeated the air as she waited on the bench outside of the movie theater in the mall. They had made plans to have a date tonight, but as soon as they got to the theater, he’d gotten a phone call and had to take it. He told her to wait on the bench for him. The movie started in three minutes and Jack hadn’t gotten back yet.
She exhaled and ran a hand through her hair. Things were not going well with Jack, and Destiny couldn’t help but feel it was her fault. She was the one who messed things up, and she couldn’t seem to get things back on track between them.
Jack was elusive. He broke his promises all the time now. And when he was with her, he was distant. Like he didn’t want to be there.
When they first began dating, Jack was the perfect boyfriend. He would set up elaborate dates with her, making sure she was happy. Her favorite one was when he set up an outdoor theater screen on the side of his house. He’d set up a sound
system and had rented an old-fashioned popcorn machine. They sat on a blanket and watched a movie.
It had been super sweet. And now here she was, waiting on a bench in the mall, no sign of him. Her phone chimed and she pulled it out of her clutch purse.
Sorry. Something’s come up. I asked Eli to meet you there. He can take you to the movie, then take you home.
Before she could react, Eli came around the corner, his hands in his coat pockets. He nodded at her. “Hey.”
Destiny was too mad to be polite. She shoved her phone back in her purse and stood. “What’s going on?”
Eli shrugged. “Jack texted me. Asked me if I would meet you here.” He squinted at her. “What’s wrong?”
She pressed her lips together, anger heating her face. “Why would he do that?”
A look crossed his face, and she couldn’t quite figure out what it meant. “I don’t know.”
Her stomach soured. How could Jack have done that to her? Pass her off onto another guy like that? What was he thinking? “Well, I don’t want to go to the movie anymore.”
“What movie were you going to see?”
“New York Under Fire.”
Eli made a face. “That one that doesn’t seem to have a plot. Just a bunch of explosions.”
Destiny folded her arms. “It was Jack’s idea.”
Eli exhaled and looked down at the tile flooring. “I’m sorry he ditched you. That wasn’t cool.”
Tears swelled in her eyes, and she blinked them back. She didn’t want to cry in front of Eli. That would be stupid. Jack was treating her poorly, but she knew why. He was getting back at her for what she did. She sniffed and took out a tissue from her purse and dabbed it on the corners of her eyes.
“Do you need a ride home?”
She nodded, not trusting her voice to speak.
His expression softened and he took her arm. “Come on. Let’s go.”
He led her through the mall to the exit with the largest parking lot. As she walked, she tried to calm down. Maybe Jack really did have something important come up. He wouldn’t do this to her on purpose, would he? Maybe it was an emergency.
Eli opened the door and a blast of cold air hit her. She pulled her denim jacket around her. Eli shrugged out of his coat and held it out to her. “Here. Put this on.”
Destiny felt dumb. Why hadn’t she looked at the forecast again? How many times did she have to freeze to death to learn? She put her arms into his coat. It was warm and smelled like him. A tingly feeling settled in her stomach. “Thanks.”
He shoved his hands in his pants pockets. “No problem.” He opened the passenger side of his car and she climbed in.
After he got in the driver’s seat, he grabbed the steering wheel, his jaw working. “Why are you still with him? Especially after he pulls stunts like that?”
Destiny felt the urge to defend him. “He might have had an emergency.”
Eli turned to her. “Is that what he told you?”
“He said something came up.”
Eli frowned, but he didn’t say anything else about it. “Want to go to The Spotted Cow? Get some ice cream?”
That actually sounded good. “Yeah.”
He put his car into gear. “I think they sell hot chocolate, if you’re cold.”
“No way. I don’t get people who only eat ice cream in the summer. Ice cream is awesome and should be enjoyed all year long. I’d never pass on a cold treat just because it’s cold outside.”
“Me neither.” He grinned at her. “What’s your favorite flavor there?”
“Strawberry cheesecake.”
“That’s a good one.”
She turned to him, suddenly feeling in a better mood. “What about you?”
“Peanut butter fudge.”
“Have you tried the one with brownie bits in it?”
He laughed. “That’s my second favorite.”
She made a face. “How long have you lived here? Like two weeks? How have you had time to find a favorite and a second favorite?”
He stretched his arm, holding the steering wheel with one hand. “I’m just that talented.”
The Spotted Cow was a local mom-and-pop place with homemade ice cream. It was a town favorite. The décor was black and white, with red chairs and booths, which gave it a fifties look. They ordered and picked a booth.
Destiny stuck her spoon in her dish. She was no longer mad at Jack. She was worried about him. She took out her phone and texted him.
Are you okay?
No reply came. She set her phone on the table.
Eli’s gaze flicked to it. “Did he answer you?”
She shook her head, feeling foolish once again.
They sat for a moment, eating their ice cream. Then Eli pointed his spoon at her. “You haven’t collected on your free question.”
That’s right. He’d promised her one truthful answer yesterday. And she’d thought of a good one. “You swear you’ll answer truthfully?”
He raised one eyebrow at her, a look that gave her more flutters. “Why? Are you afraid I’ll lie?”
“Not lie exactly. Maybe just evade the truth.”
He set his spoon down and looked into her eyes. “I swear I’ll tell you the honest truth.” His smooth voice washed over her, and she believed him.
“Do you really not know how to dance?”
He got a funny look on his face. He leaned back and stared at her, his lips trying not to smile. “I know how to dance.”
“Then why did you ask me to come teach you?”
Something passed between them. It was electric. She could almost touch it. He finally let the smile crack his face. “That’s one too many questions.”
Blast it all, he was right. He said he would answer one question truthfully. He wasn’t going to give her more than that. She made a face. “Cheater.”
“Just playing by the rules.”
“How can I earn another question?”
He put a scoop of ice cream in his mouth, hiding another smile. After he swallowed, he said, “I don’t know. Got any ideas?”
She kicked him under the table and he laughed. “Stop it,” she said.
“All right. Answer three more questions for me. Then I’ll answer this one.”
Her mouth dropped. “How is that fair? Three for one?”
He shrugged and scooped up another bite. “I’m willing to negotiate.”
“One for one. Straight trade. That’s fair.”
He shook his head. “No way. You want your answer more than I want mine. You have more to lose. You should pay more.”
Destiny didn’t want to argue with him. “Fine. Ask me two questions. Anything. I’ll answer honestly, but then you have to answer mine.”
His eyes smiled at her. “You have a deal.”
She took in his expression and wondered if she’d made a bad decision. He looked like he just won a poker game. He pushed away his empty cup and picked up his napkin to wipe his lips.
She waited for him to ask his questions, but he just sat there, looking at her. “Okay. Get it over with.”
He folded his hands together. “I think I’d like to savor this for a while. A deal like this doesn’t come along every day.”
“You’re making me nervous.”
“Don’t be nervous.” He grinned. “I won’t abuse this power I’ve been given.”
“With great power comes great responsibility.”
He pointed at her and laughed. “You are a closet superhero nerd.”
“Yes. Is that your first question?”
He slapped the table. “No. That was an observation. You can’t count that.”
“Then hurry up. I think your questions should have a time limit.”
He stood up and gathered their trash. “Can I ask the first one when we’re in the car?”
She didn’t see why not. “All right.”
He tossed their empty cups and spoons. Then he opened the door for her and they walked to his car. He looked a l
ittle cold, and she felt bad because she still had his coat on. But he didn’t say anything, so she didn’t either. She held her breath while they got into his car, waiting for him to finally ask her.
He started up his car, adjusted the heat, then turned to her. “Question one.” He stared at her, his expression sobering.
“Just ask!”
“What would it take to make you dump Jack?”
Her stomach flipped, and she stiffened. Eli held up a hand. “Don’t get mad. It’s just a question. Think about it and answer truthfully.”
Destiny took in a breath and let it out slowly. He was right. It was just a question. And if she were being honest, she was close to calling it quits earlier this evening when Jack left her sitting on the bench and sent Eli to take his place. What a jerk move.
She shifted in her seat. Honest answer. What would she say to Eli? She stared down at her nails. “I don’t know.”
He frowned. “You can’t not know.”
“I honestly don’t know. I mean, I realize Jack and I have some issues. But I’m trying to work through them.”
“You’re trying? What about him?”
“Is that your second question?”
Eli shook his head. “No. Never mind. I’ll take your non-answer. But I get one more question.”
Anticipation gelled in her stomach. Eli leaned closer to her. She waited for it.
“If you weren’t dating Jack, would you let me kiss you?”
Chapter 8
Destiny huffed and yanked on her seatbelt. “You are an impossible flirt. I don’t know why I even thought you’d be serious.”
Eli hadn’t been trying to flirt. It was a question that had filled his mind ever since last night. Ever since he’d stared at her lips. But he chuckled anyway, like it was a joke, and put the car into drive. “What’s your address?”
She pointed to the street. “Just go that way. I’ll tell you when to turn.”
He followed her directions, disappointed she’d blown off both of his questions. He was hoping for an honest conversation with her about Jack. He wanted to know where she stood with him. He was a jerk, and she had to know it, right?
She motioned to a large house on the corner of the street. It had four tall pillars on the front that made it look stately. A balcony stood on the second floor. “This is mine.”
Don't Trust the Impostor Page 4