CHAPTER 17

  The door then opened, and she and Daisy looked in. When their gazes met, Alondra noticed Clark's bright smile. But it vanished when he and Daisy became friends. Daisy raised her eyebrows at Clark, who was standing in the open doorway.

  "What are you doing here? Your workplace, as far as I know, is not here," Daisy asked.

  Daisy's question made Clark scratch the back of his neck as if he was embarrassed.

  Clark replied, "Nothing, I just wanted to know if you guys would come with us later."

  "No," Alondra said right away.

  "Why?" Clark asked, frowning. "Are you going to do something later after we get off work?"

  "Do I need to come?" Alondra asked.

  "Yes, so you can breathe in the cold air," he replied, smiling as if his embarrassment at seeing Daisy inside had vanished when she spoke to him.