His Three-Day Girlfriend novel · Chapter 9 of 24

Chapter 9: Elliot's Side

Elliot's POV

I left the counter because a silver car had turned into the diner's parking lot.

I knew that car.

I'd ridden in it a thousand times since college.

Colin got out slowly, one hand in his pocket, and Poppy climbed out the other side with a paper bag.

I was through the door before he closed his.

"Hey, buddy!" Colin said. "Thought we'd join you. I heard pancakes."

"How did you hear?"

"Dad's clinic has a tracker on her phone." He shrugged. "Standard procedure."

Standard.

I leaned against the hood of his car.

"She's in the bathroom," I said. "She's tired, and she gets scared of new faces on Day Three. You know that."

"I'm not a new face. I'm family."

"Not today, you're not."

He gave me the smile he gave to waiters and cops.

"Elliot. You're getting weird about my property."

"She's not your property this week. You said so yourself."

That landed. I watched it land.

Poppy shifted her bag from one arm to the other. "Colin, babe, let them have their pancakes."

He looked at the diner window for a long second.

Then he laughed, clapped me on the shoulder, and said, "Don't get attached, man. It's rude to the next guy."

They drove away.

I'd been following the back of that silver car for twelve years, and I'd thought it was leading somewhere I wanted to go.

When I went back inside, the last booth was empty.

Merry slid onto the stool beside mine a minute later, with her eyes pink around the rims.

She told me she'd been sick.

I told her I'd get her some water.

We both lied beautifully.

I should tell you what I did in the five months before that.

Nothing.

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