Sleet Sugar by S.J. Tilly

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

IZZY

“I

zzy!” Meghan’s voice startles me so much, I stumble.

Zach’s large hand - still holding my own - tightens, saving me from a faceplant.

I completely forgot that Meghan was coming to pick me up. Like a lost puppy, I took Zach’s hand and followed him as he led me from the building. Now that I think about it, he was probably leading me to his car to drive me home. Even though he never asked.

We both turn, and I spot Meghan standing next to her open front door, illegally parked in front of a fire hydrant. It’s pretty dark out, so I’m almost surprised she knew it was me, but with Meghan’s unruly red hair she’s recognizable in any lighting.

Before I can respond, she’s already started speed walking in our direction.

Realizing I’m still holding Zach’s hand, I yank mine away. I swear I hear a disgruntled sound, but any further complaint is cut off by Meghan.

“Hey Izz! Looks like you found yourself a hottie at speed dating - " her voice starts out sounding surprised, but when she’s close enough to really see who I’m with, her jaw drops. Her tone flips from surprise to total shock. “Zachary fucking Hunt! What the shit are you doing here?”

Zach extends a hand. “You must be Meghan. A pleasure.”

Meghan shakes his hand but looks at me and dramatically mouths Oh My God.

Fighting off a scorching blush, I hurriedly introduce them, as if they still need it. “Meghan, Zach. Zach, Meghan. Okay, well… It was great seeing you Zach. Meghan is driving me home tonight.” I grab the arm that Meghan isn’t using to still shake Zach’s hand and tug her along as I start to walk away.

To her credit, Meghan doesn’t put up a fight. I’m sure she’s eager enough to hear the story behind this, so she’s willing to go along with my panic-induced fleeing.

“Bye, Zach!” I call over my shoulder.

“Have a good night, Sugar.” I can hear the smile in his voice as he replies. And even though I’m ditching him, again, I’m glad he doesn’t sound mad.

Like a little girl, Meghan starts to giggle. She keeps giggling the entire way to her car.

I wait until I’m fully seated and buckled into the passenger seat before I look back to where we left Zach. He’s still standing there, hands in his pockets, watching us. Watching me.

“Umm, yeah. Get talking Sugar. This is gonna be a great story. I just know it!” Meghan laughs. “And it’s totally going in my diary.”

I drop my head against the seat. “I’m pretty sure you could fill your entire mystery diary with my disastrous dating life.”

“Here’s hoping!” she sing-songs.

I don’t know why I panicked like a fool when I saw Meghan. She knows how Zach and I met, so it’s not like seeing us holding hands was any sort of lewd. Maybe it was getting caught with him, period. Or the fact that I’d clearly be willing to follow him into a dark alley, or the back of a van, or off the edge of a cliff.

Or maybe I freaked because the idea of Zach and Meghan meeting, and teaming up, is terrifying. They’re both dangerously headstrong and sure of themselves. If they ever joined forces, they’d probably end up being the actual death of me.

Keeping Meghan and Zach away from each other is now my Priority Number One.