The guy laughed. “Thanks,” he said. “But I’m working, so I probably shouldn’t.”
“Working as what?” Chris asked.
“I work for my dad’s company, delivering supplies. I’m Dustin, by the way. Dustin Alberta.”
Teri tried not to swoon at the wonderfulness of this name—streets ahead of Ryan. Daryl introduced himself and his sisters. Dustin shook Parker’s offered hand gravely, like he was meeting the mayor. “I’m Teri,” Teri said, holding her free hand out. “The babysitter.”
“Nice to meet you,” Dustin said, shaking her hand. The second they touched, her pulse started racing. “Aren’t you guys kind of up past your bedtime?”
“It’s a long story,” Teri said.
“I think it just got longer,” Chris said, her voice low, her eyes worried. Teri looked—and saw that Gilroy was standing by the door, scanning the room.
Teri turned away, trying to think what to do. “Okay, we need to find a back entrance or something.”
“Everything okay?” Dustin asked, taking a step closer.
“We have to go,” Teri said. Her heart was beating double-time. She knew how dangerous Gilroy was. He had a gun, after all. And was willing to lie to children about being a federal employee. “Chris, can you go to the window and see if you can see our car? Slowly.”
Chris nodded, walked to the window, and then returned, looking scared. “There was a guy sitting on the hood. Dressed in black.”
“He’s with Gilroy,” Teri said. It was like the walls were closing in. “How are we supposed to get out now?”
“Leave it to me.” Dustin’s voice was so assured that Teri felt she could trust him. “Come on,” he said, as he headed across the room. “I know a back way.”
They followed Dustin, Teri keeping a firm grip on Parker, her eyes on the ground. They were nearly to the door when the yell rang out.
“Not so fast, rugrats!” Gilroy yelled. He was hurrying over to them, his face twisted into an ugly expression.
Teri grabbed Daryl and took a shaky breath. She locked eyes with all the kids. “Run.”
CHAPTER 20
Stevie
The cab’s meter was steadily ticking up—and so was my anger.
After my brief cry in the elevator, I was done with sadness. As the ride down to the Village continued, I could feel myself stewing, my resentment building up. Fine was the refrain echoing in my mind.
My dad cancelled my birthday dinner with only a few hours’ notice? Fine.
He lied to me about it and went to dinner with Joy instead? Fine.
But that didn’t mean I had to take it like I always did. There was a reservation, and a credit card at a restaurant waiting for me. So fine. I was going to go and use it and buy the most expensive dinner I possibly could and charge it to his card, and if my dad had a problem with it, he’d actually have to talk to me. He’d actually have to ask me what was going on, see how I was feeling.…
I bit my lip hard, because tears were waiting in the wings, in hair and makeup, listening for their cue, ready to jump on at a moment’s notice. I took a deep breath and forced them back to the greenroom. I was in control. I was okay. And I didn’t have to take this anymore.
The rational part of my brain whispered that this wasn’t the best way to handle things—and, really, wouldn’t it be better to just go home? But I was done listening to that part. I was always the responsible one, and Kat got to make the big mistakes. Well, not tonight. Tonight I was going just act, for once, and not always be the person cleaning up the messes.
As the cab sped down Sixth Avenue, I looked out the window and caught my reflection in the window. Smudged eye makeup, puffy eyes, hair flying every which way. Not great. And not the way I wanted to show up at the hottest restaurant in New York, even if I was mostly going there for revenge. I pulled my hair up into a knot and used some tinted lip balm I’d found in my inside coat pocket, figuring it was better than nothing.
I glanced at the meter, relieved to see that we were still at ten dollars—still within the realm of what I could afford. I hoped it would be enough to get me close. Even though I felt like I could probably ask people for directions safely—because what were the odds of getting mugged twice in one night? Probably not