Free Solstice by P.J. Hoover Page B

my body, and I try to relax.
    “It won’t start unless the belts are done.” He reaches across me, and his arm brushes my chest as he clips the belt secure.
    I try not to flinch, but shivers run up my neck, and I think of his kiss. Then he moves his arm away and shuts the door. I feel eyes on me as he walks around to the other side. Not Reese’s eyes. Someone is watching me. My mind flashes to Tanni and her soulless eyes. Her words come to me. I try to push them away, but they’re too fast.
Chloe will die.
    “What?” Reese is already in the car and fastening his own belt.
    I try to erase thoughts of Tanni from my mind. “What what?” I say.
    “You look like you saw a ghost.”
    I shake my head. I’m half-tempted to tell Reese about Tanni, but I know anything I say will sound crazy. “I guess I am a little nervous.”
    Reese puts his hand on mine, and his warmth erases Tanni’s words. “And gorgeous.”
    Driving on the streets of downtown Austin at night is a far different experience than taking the shuttle during the day. For starters, his car is self-powered and doesn’t have to stay on any kind of track like the shuttles. Reese turns down streets I’ve never even seen, taking us through the park and behind the theatre which is lit up like a torch despite energy restrictions. And second, it seems on Friday nights, every person who lives here is outside, walking in the streets, heading into bars. Reese swerves around pedestrians until he finally pulls onto the bridge that takes us across the river. The city thermometer reads ninety-nine, and I can understand why there are so many people outside. With as hot as the days are, relief from the sun is a gift.
    Reese stops on Sixth Street in front of a valet station, which clues me in to the fact that we’re not headed to your average restaurant. We get out, and he tips someone to take the car. Given it’s such a primo opportunity, two guys argue over who gets to drive it until Reese finally points at one of them. “You.”
    The argument drops. The kid Reese pointed at jumps in the driver’s seat, and the car disappears around the corner. We walk into an old hotel and take an elevator to the top floor. The air’s probably fifteen degrees cooler in here meaning they must have real A/C. Or illegal A/C. I try not to look around and stare at everything. But I notice every detail’s been precisely chosen. The black and white tiles. The golden walls. The bronze statues of Greek gods on pedestals in the middle of the walkway.
    Before I know it, we’ve reached a hostess stand. The hostess tries to tell us the restaurant is full, but Reese pulls out a bill and hands it to her; she smiles at him like he’s an angel and tells us a spot just came open. The sardonic smile she gives me tells me I’m not good enough to be here with Reese. Like she should be the one on a date. But she’s not. She’s only the hostess. Still, I don’t want to blink and wake up. I want to continue to defy my mom. And even though Chloe should be here in my place, a horrible part of me loves that I’m out with Reese. That he’s chosen me.
    The hostess takes us to a table in the back near a window overlooking the city where I can see the Capitol and four of the dome structures extending into the sky. I wonder how different it looked last weekend when the domes were sealed.
    “Nice view,” I say. “Good thing they were able to fit us in.”
    Reese sets his elbows on the table, interlacing his fingers. “Bribery works every time. Watch. They won’t even card us.”
    Sure enough, a sommelier comes over with a wine menu and begins to make some suggestions, but Reese puts up his hand and orders a bottle of aged Chianti. I know the wine must cost a fortune; grapes are so rare these days. But, like everything else, this doesn’t seem to be an issue with Reese. The sommelier nods and moves away, taking the wine menu with him.
    I’ve certainly had wine before with my mom. But when the