Nate pointed to the security camera on the corner of the building. “When I say run. Run.”
“What—”
“Run!” Nate took off, running toward the parking lot. I darted after him, adrenaline coursing through my bloodstream.
“Your car or mine?” he called.
“Yours?”
Nate zigged and zagged around the rows of vehicles, coming to a stop in front of his car. He pulled open the passenger door. “Your ride, madam.”
“Please, never call me that again.” I rolled my eyes, glancing back up at the building again. Surely, someone would burst out any second and drag me back inside before calling my parents.
But nothing happened.
Not a damn thing.
Nate went around the driver’s side and climbed in. “You’re really living on the edge, huh.”
“Just drive,” I murmured, my heart galloping in my chest. “Before I change my mind.”
“No backing out now, Rowe.” He pressed the ignition and the car purred to life.
“Fine. Just… don’t make me regret this.”
“It’s probably a terrible idea. But all the best ones are.” He winked, put the car into reverse and backed out of the parking space.
And then we were driving out of school and headed for Teller Valley.
* * *
Four hours. It took four hours, one rest stop, and a whole heap of awkward conversation to get there.
The crowd was already amassing. Hawks fans in magenta and black dotted around a much bigger home crowd in their white and green. Nate found a parking spot and cut the engine, grabbing his cell phone off the console before climbing out.
“Should I text them?” he asked as I joined him at the hood of his car.
“I don’t know. This was your great idea.” But now we were here, the rush of adrenaline I’d felt earlier had melted away, replaced with trepidation.
What if they didn’t want us here?
Zane definitely wouldn’t.
“Oh no, Rowe. I don’t like that look. You can’t back out now unless you plan on sitting in the car all night.”
“I don’t. I just…”
“Come on. Let’s go see if we can get tickets.”
“You mean we don’t have any?” I shrieked.
“No, I don’t have any.” He gawked at me. “What do you think I did, drove all the way here, bought the tickets and drove back?”
“I don’t know. I thought—”
“Relax. These games never sell out.”
He hoped.