Secret Crush

Chapter 4

Katy darted back to the lobby and sat in one of the oversized leather chairs to catch her breath and compose herself before calling Emily to pick her up. She tried Emily over and over for 10 minutes but did not get an answer. Katy panicked. She had to get out of here before her father showed up. Just as she was dialing Uber, she looked up to see Zach standing so close that he was almost touching her. An intoxicating woodsy scent enveloped her as she glanced up at his dark hair, still damp from his recent shower. He was wearing dark jeans and a black hoodie and somehow looked even hotter than he had when she ran into him a few minutes ago.

"Oh, hi, it's you again. I thought you were leaving," Zach smiled.

"Um, yeah. My friend was supposed to pick me up but she's running late. I was just calling Uber," Katy mumbled, feeling her face on fire.

"You don't need to do that. I can give you a ride," Zach said casually, accompanied by a warm smile.

Before Katy had a chance to process the fact that Zach had just offered to give her a ride, she saw a familiar figure heading her way from the opposite side of the lobby. Fortunately, her father was in an intense conversation with one of his coaches and did not see her, but she had to get out of here now.

"Wow, that's really nice of you. Sure, that would be great," Katy grinned as she jumped out of the chair and briskly walked towards the parking lot. "Let's go!"

Zach opened the passenger door of the black sports car and Katy inhaled the new car smell and took in the high-tech console and black leather seats. Her mind was spinning and she wondering if this was just a vivid dream that would soon be ended by her alarm going off.

"Where to?" Zach smiled.

Katy was trying to process it all and couldn't get words to come out of her mouth.

"Marie? Where can I take you?"

"Oh, sorry. Right. Listen, I really appreciate the offer, but you don't need to give me a ride home. It is probably out of your way and I'm sure you have things to do, so if you just take me to the McDonalds up here on the corner, I can call my friend again and wait for her there."

"Are you afraid to ride with me?" Zach said with a hint of hurt in his voice.

"Oh my gosh, of course not!" Katy almost yelled as she felt her face heat up. "I just don't want to take up your time."

"No worries. I would not feel right about just dropping you off alone somewhere. So where to?"

Katy had to think fast. She couldn't let him drop her off at her house. That was too dangerous in case he somehow figured out who she was or her mother saw him. She would have him drop her off at Emily's house, since she lived on a few blocks from Katy.

"If you insist, I live in Evesham. So at least it isn't too far of a drive from here. How about you? Where do you live?"

"A few of the guys and I live in a high rise near Old City. It's great because it is near all the cool stuff in downtown Philly but not too far of a drive from here."

"So, you are going in the opposite direction to give me a ride home? Really, you don't have to be my taxi."

"No worries. We're already on the way there anyway and I have no other plans right now, so stop mentioning it," Zach grinned. Katy felt her heart skip a beat and again asked herself if this could be happening.

"So, Marie, tell me about yourself. You said you were at the facility doing an interview?"

"Yes, for my..um...for the newspaper I write for. I interviewed Fleury."