I shake my head. “Who told you I did?”
“I don’t remember. I just remember it was someone who’d know, so I didn’t question it. Plus, I mean, you and Tara were rumored to have hooked up at one or more parties.”
I take another half step toward her and she’s forced to crane her neck up to see me. “So you’re telling me that if I had asked you, you would’ve said yes?”
“Absolutely. Like I said, I was into you.”
“Fuck.” I spin around and push a hand through my hair.
All this anger and animosity I’ve carried with me throughout the years was for nothing? I want to know who told her I’d asked someone else to prom. The chances of finding out all these years later are slim, but I’m going to start with my friends.
“I guess it seems silly now, how hurt I was when I’d heard you’d asked someone else. But I was a teenager with no experience, and everything was so serious, so life-or-death back then.” I turn back around to look at her when I hear sadness creep into her tone. “It’s only now as an adult that I know what real life-and-death is about.”
I tilt my head and study her for a second. “What do you mean?”
She’s staring off into space and blinks a couple of times, then rests her gaze on me. “Nothing. Just that my reaction and the way I felt, the things I did to try and cover up how I felt, seem unnecessary now.”
I feel like there’s more to her statement, but I let it go. “I could say the same. I was so pissed at you for leading me on. I felt like a fool. Hell, I’ve carried that with me for years. Hence my reaction when I saw you again.”
“Well, then, there’s only one thing we can do.”
“What’s that?” I ask, drawing closer to her.
“Start over, like you said. Let’s put the past behind us.”
I wish it were that easy. There’s still so much she doesn’t know. My father’s voice rings in my ears. Get to know her. Get on the inside. He knows everything she doesn’t, which means I need to run with this.
“I’d like that. Why don’t you let me take you out? We can catch up and get to know the adult version of each other.”
Her smile is wide and welcoming, so I’m hoping she’ll agree. It will keep my father off my back if he knows I’m spending time with her.
“Like… a date?” The hesitation in her voice makes it clear how she feels about that.
“Like old friends catching up. You know, like you did with Everly Brookes last night.”
I ignore that little voice that’s saying stay away if she’s friends with Everly.
A small nod tips her chin down. “Okay.”
Relief lets my muscles untense. I pretend it’s because this will get my father off my back and not because I’ve just secured another opportunity to see Isla. “When are you free?” I ask.
She purses her mouth and looks up to the ceiling for a few seconds. “I’m just thinking over my schedule. I’d have to check the calendar on my phone, but Wednesday night might work best. I have several events in the evenings to attend to with Ford this week.”
“How’s the campaign coming?” I ask, like I don’t see the guy practically every morning in the Titans’ Den.
“It looks encouraging. He has his work cut out for him to beat the incumbent, but there’s a strong possibility he could win.”
I nod. “Why don’t you give me your number? That way I can text you and let you know the details for Wednesday night.” I slide my cell phone out of the pocket of my jeans.
“Miss Flores?”
We both look to our left at the interruption. A woman dressed in scrubs in her midforties, hair pulled back in a loose ponytail, stands there expectantly.
“Sorry to interrupt, but you said you wanted to know when you could go in,” she says.
“Yes, thank you. I’ll be right there.”
Something in Isla’s voice has me turning to look back in her direction. Her normally relaxed features are pinched, and a veil of sadness drapes over her brown eyes.
“Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine.” She proceeds to give me her number, which I punch into my phone before sliding it back into my pocket. “I really need to go.”
It’s obvious I’ve overstayed my welcome.
“All right. I’ll let you know about Wednesday.”
She nods, mouth in a tight line. “You can see yourself out?”
“I think I