Read Online In Search of Lucy by Lia Fairchild - Free Book Online

But for Lucy, they popped out like vivid 3-D images in a movie.
    As she got closer, the vagueness of the man became more evident, and the car she could tell was a black 4Runner. Her mouth went instantly to cotton. She was so nervous she couldn’t tell if it was from fear or excitement. She had no choice. He had already seen her. Her best bet was to just walk right up and act casually.
    “Well if it isn’t Cinderella,” Kyle yelled when he thought she was within earshot.
    She didn’t say anything, but just kept walking, shifting her load from one arm to the other. When she reached their cars, she smiled as she passed him and headed straight for her back side door. “Hi.”
    Kyle followed her and attempted to assist in getting her things into her car. “Let me get that.” He reached for the back door and pulled it open. Lucy set the designs on the edge of the seat, pulled up her purse that had slipped down her shoulder, and slammed the door.
    “I’m surprised to see you,” she said, turning around to face him.
    “Why, because you forgot to leave me a glass slipper?” he grinned.
    He was better looking than she remembered, and his smile was kind of crooked and cute. “Well…yeah.”
    She walked around him to the driver’s side door and stood as if she were waiting to get in. She wondered what he could possibly want after being ditched at that party. “So…how’d you find me?”
    “That’s it? You take off on me, and then I track you down and that’s all you have to say?” His tone sounded more like a parent than a jilted boyfriend.
    “Look, I’m really sorry about the other night. I wasn’t feeling well, so I left.” Instant lying. She hadn’t needed to do it in a while, but it came back easily.
    “Is that standard protocol for you? Just take off and don’t say good-bye?” It was obvious to both of them he was just baiting her now.
    “I didn’t want to ruin your evening…with your friends.”
    Feeling uncomfortable after a few seconds of silence between them, Lucy yanked her keys from her purse, readied the appropriate key for the door, and said, “Thanks for stopping by, but I really have to get going.”
    Kyle stepped in close to her and put a hand gently on her arm. “Wait,” he said softly.
    She lowered the keys in her hand and pulled her arm away, and instinctively he took a half step back and gave her a reassuring smile.
    “I don’t know why, but I really want to see you again,” he said.
    “Gee, thanks.”
    They both laughed, and she dropped her eyes away from his.
    “That came out wrong.” He shook his head and gave a little chuckle. “I just meant—”
    She decided to let him off the hook. She didn’t know why he was trying so hard, but he was. “It’s okay, I know what you meant.”
    “Could we please give this one more shot? How about next weekend, maybe Friday night? I’d love to take you out to dinner.” He stood just staring at her as if he would wait an eternity for her answer.
    Lucy couldn’t figure out why he would bother with her after what happened and the way she acted. At that moment, she didn’t care. All she knew was that this guy with the gleaming white teeth and sparkling blue eyes was being nice to her and wanted to spend time with her. So she opened her purse, took out an old grocery receipt and a pen, and wrote down her number.
    “This is my cell,” she said, reaching out with the paper.
    “Great!” He reached out to take the paper, grabbing ahold of her hand in the process.
    “Why don’t you call me on Wednesday or Thursday and we’ll see about the weekend.” She smiled and pulled her hand out of his. Then she got in her car and started it up, while Kyle was still frozen in his position.
    “Bye, Lucy.” He waved as she drove off, holding a foolish grin on his face. When her car was out of the parking lot, he pulled out his cell phone. Staring at the piece of paper, he immediately programmed the number in. He didn’t want to take any