Somewhere Only We Know(57)

Charlie almost crashed the car into a divider. “You mean our place?”

Lucky looked at me. “What?”

I dropped my head back against the seat rest. “This monster is my roommate.”

Her mouth dropped open into a small O. “Right. Roommate. Cab driver.” Then a strange expression came over her face. “Was there … do you have … more than one bedroom?”

Both Charlie and I squirmed. This was why neither of us ever had girls over.

She stared at me. “Do you guys share a bed?”

“Not really,” I said at the same time Charlie said, “Yup!”

I took a breath. “We take turns on the sofa and bed. So we don’t sleep in it at the same time! Not that there’s anything wrong with that.” I held up my hands. “But Charlie is disgusting and I would only share a bed with a man who had better hygiene. He works nights, as you can see, so we sleep at totally different times.”

The unsettled expression was still on her face. “Okay…”

“And you slept on my sheets,” I said. “We change them.”

Relief came over her features and Charlie laughed. “Let’s not pretend you’re not an eighteen-year-old guy, okay? Plus, he’s American. Much worse than me,” he said with a wink.

Lucky leaned forward, her head popping up next to his. “I like your accent.”

“Thank you, lovey,” he said with the exaggerated British accent he used to hit on American girls. Her giggle made me harrumph. “I have to say, it’s surreal having you in my taxi right now. Not to be a total fanboy about it, but I know your music. My ex-girlfriend used to be quite obsessed with you.”

Weird. I knew she was famous, but famous to people in my life? I guess I had ignorantly not considered it.

Lucky laughed in response. “That’s sweet. It’s also surreal for me—being in a Hong Kong taxi unsupervised with two guys I barely know.”

Charlie glanced at me in the rearview mirror. “What’s the story? How did you get mixed up with this guy? I got an SOS and then suddenly I’ve got you in my taxi!”

Lucky glanced at me and I answered him, “Well, I found her drunk off her mind on the bus last night. Rambling about hamburgers in Korean.”

She hit me in the arm. “I wasn’t drunk!”

“Why do you keep saying that? You were completely wasted.” It was kind of odd at the time. As I said it now, it occurred to me how dangerous it was, especially given how she was fodder for fans and paparazzi alike. I didn’t like it. It made me clammy to think of something happening to her.

“I was out of it,” she said with a rueful smile. “I had taken my sleeping pills and meds and I should have been in bed.” The words came out haltingly, and she looked straight ahead at the traffic.

Both Charlie and I exchanged glances in the mirror.

“What kind of meds?” I asked, trying to keep my tone light, not too inquisitive.

“Uh, it’s something for my anxiety.” Her shoulders tightened, making her body small again. Willing herself to turn into a pinprick of light.

I touched her back, lightly and out of Charlie’s line of vision. “Ah, okay. Well, that explains it,” I said brightly. “Interesting time to head out looking for a hamburger.”

She looked at me, tucking her nose into the crook of her elbow. Her eyes searched mine for judgment. I smiled at her, keeping my hand steady on her back.

“I was hungry,” she said with a muffled laugh, relaxing.

“Have you had that hamburger yet?” Charlie asked abruptly.

“No!” she exclaimed, already excited.

“Let’s remedy that, shall we?” Again with the ridiculous British accent.

Charlie made a sharp left, almost tilting the car on its wheels, careening widely. I grabbed on to Lucky, making sure she didn’t pitch forward.

“Charlie!” I barked.

“This is typical Hong Kong style, Lucky,” he said, his voice proper and didactic. “We’ll get you where you want to go. Faster and better.” He threw her a wolfish grin.

“For God’s sake,” I muttered. “Does that line work on all the girls you pull in?”

“You pull in a lot of girls, huh?” Lucky asked as her gaze skimmed over Charlie’s pretty-boy face and the intricate network of tattoos that peeked out from his shirt collar and wound down over his ropey arms.

“Bad boy” personified. Ava lost her mind whenever she visited me, unable to look him in the face without blushing.

I scowled. “Hey now. Nothing compared to me.”

Both of them cracked up.

We ended up at a popular spot for expats, home to the best burger in the city. I clapped Charlie’s shoulder when he parked. “Thanks, man.”

He started to unbuckle his seat belt. “You think I’m gonna pass up a burger with Lucky?”

My mouth dropped open. “What? You’re coming with us?”

“What do you say, Lucky? Am I allowed to join for a quick bite?”

She grinned. “We’d love to have you.”

I was not into this cute banter. “Don’t you have to work?” I snapped.

“I’ve got my own hours, mate,” he said, clapping me on the back as he got out of the car.