Now That I've Found You - Kristina Forest Page 0,17
baseball cap lower. That’s when I realize no one is paying me any attention. The disguise really is working.
“Evie?” Milo says.
“Shh,” I hiss as I start walking again. “Someone might hear you.”
His gaze trails from my head to my toes, and something clicks. “Are you in a disguise right now?”
“Yes. I’m not supposed to make any public appearances until Sunday’s ceremony.” I immediately regret saying so, because it’s not any of his business.
He makes a face as if he’s trying not to laugh, then gets serious again. “Even if you looked like yourself, people would still ignore you. You’re in New York City. But regardless, don’t you think you’re being a little extra? I mean, you were only in that one movie, right? No offense, but it’s not like you’re Rihanna or something.”
I do, in fact, catch myself taking offense! If Milo knew the nasty things people said about me online, he’d tell me to wear a hazmat suit. But then I remember that I don’t want to be recognized. So if he thinks I’ll go unnoticed, that’s perfect. I’m still irritated at what he said, though. “You don’t have to worry about why I’m dressed this way.”
He shrugs. “Okay. Can you just try not to trip while wearing those sunglasses? Your grandma would be really pissed at me if you fell and wound up in the hospital while on my watch.”
I glare at him, deciding I don’t need to respond. I’m mostly annoyed because he’s right. These glasses are pretty dark. When Milo isn’t looking, I lower them a little so that I can see better.
When we reach the entrance to the 1 train, he turns to me and raises an eyebrow. “You’re not actually coming with me to my band meeting, are you?”
Going to a “band meeting” sounds worse than being forced to do improv without notice. But he hasn’t answered all of my questions, and I’m not ready to let go of what he said about Gigi being lonely.
“Yep,” I say, walking down the steps, feeling blisters form on my pinkie toes. These are not the right shoes for walking across New York City, but I’d rather die than ask Milo to slow down. It’s hotter down here, and it stinks. But one subway ride won’t kill me. At least I don’t think it will. “So, tell me, when did you transition from Gigi’s friend to Gigi’s roommate?”
“I don’t live with her full-time,” he says. At least he hasn’t completely infiltrated Gigi’s house, like how Simone did with mine. “I just stay there when I have to work late nights and early mornings back to back. I live in Crown Heights with my bandmates.”
“Where’s that?”
“Brooklyn.” He pulls a yellow card out of his wallet. “You have a MetroCard?”
“A what?”
He waves his card in front of me. “You’ll need one to get on the subway. How do you not know what a MetroCard is? How many times have you visited your grandmother?”
“She used to have a driver, remember? And if you know Gigi so well, you’d know that she barely leaves her house. Frank took me wherever I wanted to go.” I fumble to open my clutch. “Can I buy one with my credit card?”
A voice comes over the loudspeaker, announcing that a train is coming in two minutes. I glance at the long line of people waiting to buy MetroCards and look back at Milo. He’s watching me, slightly amused.
“Let’s just get an Uber,” I suggest.
His eyes widen. “We’re going all the way to the West Village. You have that kind of money?” He pauses, then adds, “Never mind. I’m sure you do. I’ll swipe you through with me. Just stick close.”
We walk up to the turnstile, and I stand right behind him.
“Closer,” he says, wrapping his hand around my arm, pulling me so that I’m right up on his back. He smells good, like cinnamon.
“Won’t we get in trouble for this?” I whisper as he swipes his card and pulls me through the turnstile and onto the other side of the platform. I can already see the headline: EVIE JONES FINALLY REAPPEARS TO COMMIT ILLEGAL ACTS IN NYC. If Kerri knew what I was doing right now, she’d have a heart attack. My heart thumps in my chest, and I’m not sure that it’s purely from committing a crime.
Milo laughs. “They don’t care.” He nods at the MTA employee, who is sitting in the booth, busy texting with her head down.