I Know Lucy (A Fugitive #1)(5)

“Insisting that you didn’t go anywhere without her.” Liesl tipped her head.

“And then the spying. Yikes.” Jaeda’s nose wrinkled.

“She wasn’t a spy,” I sputtered.

“Dude.” Elliot squeezed my shoulder. “She sat outside your house for like a month after you dumped her. Secret agent, most definitely not. Creeparoonus? One hundred percent.”

I grimaced. “Okay, so it wasn’t great.”

“You mean to say, thank the Lord her family moved to Australia.” Jaeda’s ringed fingers spread wide. She always talked with her hands, particularly when she was exasperated.

“I just don’t understand your obsessive desire to protect women all the time.” Elliot frowned.

“Maybe it’s because you’re short.” Jaeda looked completely serious. “You know, looking after girls makes you feel taller and more powerful or something. Feeds into your knight in shining armor desire. Makes you feel more manly.”

I’d never wanted to throttle her more.

“I’m not that short,” I said between gritted teeth.

“Okay, the girl you’re crushing on is taller than you, but whatevs.” She flicked her hand and raised her eyebrows.

Thank God I was taller than the say-it-like-it-is redhead or I’d never hear the end of it.

“Jae, you know you’re not supposed to talk about his height.” AJ put on his father figure voice. “Zach is very sensitive about his height or serious lack of it.”

“Thanks, Goliath.” I threw my sandwich crust at my six foot, two inch friend. He bashed it away with a chuckle.

“I hate you. I hate you all.” I pointed my other crust in their direction. “And Dani is not taller than me, we’re the same height.”

“Until she puts on a pair of heels,” Jaeda mumbled and then sputtered when I shot her a glare. “Which she doesn’t look the type to even wear, so you’re sweet.” She slapped my arm and winked at me, putting on her cutsie grin, which I found impossible to resist.

My lips twitched.

“We’re serious though, Zach.” Liesl tipped her head as she reached for my hand. She laid her delicate fingers over mine. “We just don’t want to see you get stalked or cried on…”

“or Bambi bitch slapped again.” Jaeda finished for her.

I had no choice but to finally let my smile show. I’ve never denied I was an idiot in the love department.

But…

Looking across to the tree Dani was nestled against, I took a second to watch her lick a drop of apple juice off her lower lip. She seemed oblivious to the world as she read the book in her lap…or did she?

“This is different, you guys.” I shook my head. “I’m mean yes, she is gorgeous. And yes, I’m attracted to her, but it’s not just her looks. There’s something about her. She’s intriguing. It’s like she’s not all she appears to be or something.”

“You can tell that after two minutes of interacting with her? Give me a break.” Elliot balled up his napkin and threw it on the table.

Liesl snaffled it up before it flew away and with a motherly look of reprimand made him take it back. He snatched it with a grumble, tucking it under his lunch tray.

“I realize that I don’t know her at all yet, but I can tell there’s something more there.” I rubbed my bottom lip.

“She looks normal to me.” AJ shrugged.

“I think she’s pretty. She looks sweet, but…” Liesl turned to spy her quickly. “AJ’s right. She looks like any other transfer student. What makes her so different?”

“It’s something about her eyes. There’s a story in them. I can’t even explain why I think that. I just feel like she’s got a lot of layers and I want to peel back every single one of them.”

“I bet you do.” Elliot raised his eyebrows.

“Not like that.” I threw him a droll look. “I just want to solve the mystery that is Danielle Harrison.”

“Dude, there is no mystery.” Elliot slapped his hand lightly on the table.

“Yes there is. I can feel it.”

“Careful, Zachy, your Nancy Drew is showing.” Jaeda’s green eyes were large and round as she gave me a playful look.

“I don’t care.” I shrugged, confident in my perceptive abilities. “That girl over there has secrets and I’m gonna figure out what they are.”

She suddenly looked my way, piercing me with those blue eyes of hers. Even with the distance, they affected me. My breath was snatched away before I could raise my lips to a smile. The edge of her mouth quirked to the side as she closed her book and packed her things into her bag. She didn’t look at me again as she rose, brushing off her jeans and heading away from our table. I kept my eyes on her, stupidly unabashed. Part of me wanted her to know I was studying her.

Flicking her fine hair over her shoulder, she politely made her way through a group of students. Her manners were impeccable. She was self-assured and capable. All those things made her different from the girls I’d made the mistake of falling for in the past.

Not that I was falling for this one, I reminded myself quickly.

I couldn’t deny that tug though. It always started as an urge to protect the girl. I could easily figure out why I’d ended up dating all my past errors, but what had me stumped this time was why I was so captured by a girl who didn’t look as though she needed any kind of protection. Why did I feel an overwhelming urge to hide her away, tuck her in my arms and tell her I wouldn’t let the world hurt her?