Embrace (Evolve Series #2) by S.E. Hall Read Free Book Online

keys she
pulled out of her pocket.
    “All set, let’s go!” she says once she’s back to me.
    I settle a hand on her back and guide her to the
door, helping her into her coat before stepping outside. She pulls her hair out
from under the collar, tossing the locks over one shoulder. I’m not even sure
why I notice such an insignificant move, but I’m quickly discovering that
Whitley has an unmistakable grace about her, an elegance really, that I can’t
help but appreciate.
    “So, what’s open this late around here?” I ask as we
walk to the car, which I see is hers, not the friend’s, once we get to it.
    “Taco Shack or… Taco Shack. Your choice.” She snickers,
climbing in as I hold open the door for her.
    I let her pick, and we end up standing at a window
cut into the side of a small van in a random parking lot. How in the hell a
girl like Whitley even knows of such a mobile eatery, or that the friendly guy
inside the window clearly knows her, is beyond me.
     “Ah, Sunshine Girl, what can I get for you?”
    Normally I’d think it rude for him to hit on her
with me standing right here, but I can’t even force myself to be bothered by
this kid, despite how attractive she must find his wannabe porn moustache.
    “Happy Man!” She beams, giving him a side-five,
front and back. “I’ll have my usual, and,” she turns to me, “Evan, what do you
want?”
    A Hepatitis C shot.
    “Same as you will be fine. And a Coke.”
    “Make that two of my usual, and two cokes, please.”
    “You better not be digging in that purse for money,
woman,” I growl at her, easing her to the side. I take out my wallet to pay
“Happy.”
    “Nice girl,” he mumbles while he hands me one of our
drinks, “deserves some happiness, you know?”
    Just how well does she know the taco guy?
    “Yeah, man, I got it,” I grumble as nicely as
possible.
    Meals on wheels is speedy, and not even five minutes
later, we’re digging into our grub, strolling down the street.
    “Will you hand me a napkin?”
    “Sure,” she replies in a sweet voice, looking down
into the bag. She gasps loudly, whipping her head at me, eyes wide and wild.
    “What?” I ask her anxiously.
    She flicks her head this way and that, tugging my
arm and pulling me behind the nearest building. I kinda hear the “dun dun dun”
crime scene music in my head.
    “Whitley, what?”
    “Shhh!” she spits at me. We’re now crouched behind a
building, on I have no idea what street. “Are these not the best tacos you’ve
ever eaten?”
    Come again? Why this is an undercover question I’m
not sure...but yes, damn good tacos.
    “Actually, yeah, really good. Why? What the hell is
wrong with you?”
    “I want to remember you said that, okay? That’s the
only reason I go there, I swear. I love their tacos, and that is the only thing I’ve ever ordered.”
    I can feel my brows dip as I look at her
suspiciously, watching as she slowly lifts a joint out of the bag. Man, taco
guy wasn’t kidding, he really does want her to have some happiness.
    Two thoughts wage war in my head—I just tested with
the transfer and we’re in off-season, and we need a lighter. “Put it back in
the bag and come on, Miss I Only like Their Tacos ,” I direct her
teasingly, dragging her back down the road toward the store we had passed.
    “Evan, I swear. I had no idea, and I’ve never… I
think he was just being nice. I’m an excellent patron, I always tip well—”
    Laughter busts out of me. Whitley just went from
nice to be around to fucking cute as hell. Who innocently justifies the taco
vendor slipping you a joint because you’re a good patron? Too funny.
     “I believe you, Whitley, really. Now walk, woman,
we need a lighting apparatus mucho pronto.”
    I can’t believe how excited I am. One quick trip
into the convenient store, a covert smoking stint behind a dilapidated building
and a frantic jaunt back to her car later, and we’re both pleasantly toasted,
which is my excuse