“It’s fine,” I said. “They’re my friends.”
She looked even more confused than before. And I didn’t blameher. She was probably wondering why I was friends with two homeless guys.
“I’m just here to pick up my son,” she said. “Can I please justgo?”
“You’re not going anywhere with Matt,” Tanner said.
She shook her head. “I’m not this grown man’s mother. Look, Idon’t know what the hell kind of weird stuff you’re into, but I want no part init. If you weren’t my son’s favorite teacher, I’d freaking report you. Now,stop following me.”
I felt like telling her I wasn’t technically a teacher wasn’tthe right move here. “So you’re not a hitwoman?”
She laughed. “No. But you and your friends are completelyinsane.” She started walking away.
Tanner looked like he was about to reach out and grab her,but I told him to stop. “She doesn’t work for Mr. Pruitt,” I said. I let herwalk away. I didn’t bother telling her that I wasn’t married. Or that I wasn’tcrazy. Fuck, am I crazy?
“Why the hell didn’t you tell us Operation Water Buffalo wasa go?” Rob asked. “She could have killed you.”
That was the name they’d come up with? Why? I shook myhead. “She’s not a hitwoman. What the hell am I supposed to do now?”
Rob cleared his throat. “I can think of one thing you cando.” He nodded toward Tanner.
Did he really think this was the time or place to announceour best friend status? “You guys, if she’s not the one Mr. Pruitt hired, thenwho the hell is?” The little hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I turnedaround, but no one was there.
“It’s going to be fine,” Tanner said. “We’ll figure it out. I’mhere for you.”
“Not as much as I’m here for you,” Rob said. “Tell him,Matt.”
“Tell me what?” Tanner asked.
I sighed and turned around. It was better just to get thisover with. “Tanner, Rob’s my best friend.”
Tanner laughed. “Sorry, I think you just suffered ananeurysm. What did you say?”
“Rob’s my best friend.”
“Knew it,” Rob said and shoved Tanner’s shoulder.
“Did Robert force you to say that?” Tanner asked.
“No?”
“Ha!” said Tanner. “I knew it. What is wrong with you, Robert?Matt’s in distress. This isn’t the time for your shenanigans.”
“Matt, you have to say it like you mean it,” Rob said.
“But he doesn’t mean it,” Tanner said.
Rob reached out and ripped Tanner’s fake mustache off.
Tanner screamed at the top of his lungs.
I started laughing. Because there was nothing else I could do.And laughing. And laughing. My legs gave out and I sat down and just stared upat the stands.
“Um…are you okay?” Rob asked.
I didn’t reply.
He sat down next to me, and then Tanner did the same.
I’d put everything into this plan. And now I had…no idea whatto do next. There was probably a hitwoman still out there somewhere. Mr. Pruittwas still on my back. And worst of all, Scarlett was still in danger.
“It’s going to be fine, man,” Rob said.
“No. It’s not.” I had to go to dinner with Poppy now. I hadto do whatever she wanted in order to keep Scarlett safe. It was worse thanowing a debt to the Pruitts. Poppy Cannavaro owned me. And she knew it.
Chapter 30
Wednesday
I hadn’t bothered changing for my dinner with Poppy. If shewas forcing me to go out with her, I’d put in as little effort as possibleuntil she got bored of me. Hopefully she’d get bored quickly. Tonight if I waslucky. But I wasn’t feeling very lucky. Because Poppy had chosen the onerestaurant in the city that I hated.
Before stepping into Central Park, I stopped on the sidewalkand texted Kennedy. “How’s your ankle feeling tonight?” I couldn’t get her outof my head. I just needed one positive thing to happen today. And maybe lookingforward to her reply would somehow get me through this dinner date from hell.
But I didn’t have to wait, because before I could even put myphone back in my pocket, her response came. It was a selfie of her in a chairwith ice on her ankle. She was sticking her tongue out in the picture and Icouldn’t help but laugh even though I felt guilty as hell.
I texted her back. “I have a dinner meeting right now. But canI bring you something to eat when I’m done?”
“I’m living with my mom. And she thinks food fixes everything,so I’m literally surrounded by food. So. Much. Food.”
I laughed again. That sounded about right. I pressed my lipstogether. I’d pretty much tried to invite myself over for the second night in arow. And she’d turned me down. I was surprised by the sinking feeling in mystomach. I wanted to pretend that I’d feel this way if any of my friends toldme not to come over. But this was different. And I didn’t really know how tofeel about that. My phone buzzed again.
“But if you’re up for a movie, my mom goes to sleep at like9.”
I smiled. She was asking me to come watch a movie with her. Likea date. But that was the question. Was it like a date or was it a date?
“Unless you want to hang out with her again. In which case,come before 9. But you better come hungry, because I can’t eat all of this.”
That felt a little less like a date. And for some reason thatmade me even more confused. I loved Mrs. Alcaraz. But I didn’t want to hang outwith her again tonight. I just wanted to spend more time with Kennedy. “I’ll bethere after 9.”
“Okay then.”
“Okay.” I shook my head and shoved my phone in my sweatpantspocket. Okay. The word turned around in my head as I made my way intoCentral Park. I’m pretty sure I just agreed to go on a date with Kennedy. And Idid feel okay. I wasn’t panicking. I should have been panicking, but my breathsfelt easier than they had in a long time. Okay.
Or maybe
