Now That I've Found You - Kristina Forest Page 0,19
say.
He nods. “Right. You probably have a lot of friends—I mean, associates—in the city.”
I know of a few classmates who are in New York for the summer, but it would be a stretch to reach out to them even if I weren’t a pariah. I don’t have anyone to see. Milo doesn’t need to know that, though.
“I do,” I lie.
He nods again, slower this time. “Well, if you want some good french fries, you’re welcome to come with me. My bandmate works at Pommes Frites, but I get that you have better things to do.”
French fries? My stomach grumbles at the thought. I barely ate anything at dinner. The last real meal I had was on the plane from LA hours ago, and even that was only crackers and a salad. But why would I settle for french fries with Milo and his bandmates when I’m in New York City and there are literally thousands of other places I could go?
“Um, no thanks,” I say.
We stand on the corner and turn to look at each other. He’s tall. And he really does have a handsome face.
Now would be a good time to stop staring at it.
“Okay, bye.” I turn on my heel and hurry up the street.
“Bye!” he calls after me.
I walk faster and bump into a woman walking her dog. The dog snarls, and so does she. “Take off your damn sunglasses. It’s nighttime!”
Jesus, okay. New Yorkers.
But she’s right. I do need to ditch the sunglasses because it’s way too dark now. I finger-comb my bangs over my eyes and pull my baseball cap down lower. I have no idea where I’m going. I pause in front of a Mediterranean restaurant. It’s packed, so the food must be good. But before I open the door, I clam up. I’ve had luck so far without being recognized, but what if my luck runs out? Sitting alone at a restaurant feels like a bold move. I don’t think I’m ready to be around all of those people yet. It’s funny that I’ve spent all summer wishing I didn’t have to be alone, but the thought of being in a room full of strangers makes my heart race.
I could catch a cab back to Gigi’s, but she said she wanted space. I haven’t been gone very long. If I want her to hear me out, I need to give her all the time she needs. But if I can’t go back to Gigi’s, and I can’t bring myself to go into a restaurant, what am I supposed to do? I’m exhausted, and my feet hurt.
Before I can think better of it, I turn around and speed-walk back to the subway stop, looking for Milo’s blue T-shirt.
And there he is, standing right where I left him, a full head taller than the New York City foot traffic swirling around him.
“I wanted to make sure you got where you were going safely,” he says as I get closer, a tiny smile just short of smug on his face.
I clear my throat. “Um, those french fries … How good are they?”
The corner of his mouth twitches. “Best in the city.”
He stands there, staring, that tiny smile still on his face. I wish he would stop looking at me so closely.
“Okay, well, are you going to take me there, or what?” I ask.
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re kind of bossy?”
I cross my arms and frown. “No.”
He laughs and steps aside, holding out his arms in a gesture for me to walk in front of him. “After you.”
* * *
Pommes Frites is tiny and crowded, but it smells heavenly. Once we step inside, I put my sunglasses back on and stick close to Milo. There’s a long line of people waiting to order, and a short boy with brown skin and a long ponytail stands at the register, looking annoyed and tired. His face lights up when he spots us.
“Milo!” he shouts, completely ignoring the customer in front of him. He waves Milo forward, and his grin widens when he glances at me. “You gonna introduce me to your friend?”
“Raf, this is Evie,” Milo pauses, glancing at me and all the people in line. “Ms. C’s granddaughter.”
Raf’s eyes bug out, and his mouth falls open a little. He reaches over the counter to grab my hand and brings it to his mouth for a kiss. This is not the reaction I was expecting. All I can do is stare at him for a surprised second