Chapter 172

“We’re at the hotel entrance, where are you guys?” Kevin Taylor’s voice came through the phone. “You guys? Who else is with you?” “Ava Nelson. She insisted on coming along when she heard I was heading over,” Kevin said. “You two haven’t eaten yet, right? Let’s grab something once we meet up. Where are you now?” Maria looked around but couldn’t say for sure. “I’ll send you my location on WhatsApp. There are tons of restaurants around here.” As she waited, Maria scanned her surroundings. A third of the spots on this street were local eateries—definitely lived up to the reputation of being a food lover’s paradise. The places weren't divey, but they weren’t fancy either. Still, every spot looked packed. Clearly, they’d come to the right street. Ten minutes later, Kevin and Ava showed up. As soon as Ava saw Maria, she started tearing up. Maria leaned in to comfort her, touched and reassured in her heart—yep, she’d trusted the right person. “What do you feel like eating?” Kevin asked, eyes d