Page 48 of Pin-up Girl

“Do you really wish that?” Brodie’s voice cut through the lyrics.

My heart dropped into my stomach, and it was nearly twenty years ago. The pictures on the wall were different, and the board up front was black instead of white, but somehow the room still smelled like chalk dust, sulfur, and rubber. And Brodie and I were sitting at a table in back. We’d finished our lab early—I let him take the credit because I didn’t need anyone knowing I was a straight A student—and he was telling me about his plans after graduation.

I shook the memory aside and faced him with a smirk. “I’d have to care to wish I hated you.”

“Ouch.” Brodie’s casual expression made me think the words didn’t land very hard.

That was fine. I didn’t have intense feelings about him in any direction except that I wasn’t going to let him steal Aubrey away from us, or whatever he thought he was doing there. “What’s up?”

“Hi, B.” Dee interrupted as she returned with an armload of pipettes and baking soda tablets.

Brodie waved. “Hey, Dee. Question for you.”

“What’s up?” She set her find on the floor by the cabinets, and gave him her full attention.

“If I’m B and Aubrey is Bree, doesn’t that get confusing?”

Dee laughed. “No.” She turned to her work. “Her name has an r in it.” The duh hung heavy in her voice.

I couldn’t help but smile and shake my head at the exchange. I think she won. “Hey, Xerxes, volume to ten.” Once I found out what Brodie wanted and sent him on his way, I could turn the music back up. “What’s up?”

“Saw your car in the parking lot, and figured you might be setting up for the school year. Thought I’d see if you needed help.” He leaned against the doorframe.

Once upon a time I would’ve fallen over myself to see him like this. Casual. Hot. Back in town.

Once upon a time.

The offer wasn’t strange for the guy I used to know, but this Brodie had changed, and I suspected there was another motive behind his visit. One with blond hair, lots of tattoos, and a great ass.

Knowing he wasn’t really here to work didn’t mean I would let his offer slide. “You can help me stock the chem shelf.” I nodded to far more secure cabinets on the opposite wall from Dee.

The jars were all sealed and made to be stored safely, because several of them were toxic either alone or when mixed with others in the same cabinet. Was I looking for an excuse to nag Brodie if he handled them wrong?

That would be petty of me.

The first thing he did was scan the box, without picking anything up, then grab the appropriate pair of gloves from one of the shelves Dee stocked earlier, as well as a pair of goggles.

With him here and the music turned down, the atmosphere was heavier than I cared for. Partly because I was waiting for him to get to the point.

As far as I knew, Brodie hadn’t talked to anyone from Haddarville since he left, aside from Aubrey. That wasn’t on purpose, though. He’d kept tabs on the town. And according to rumors, since he’d been back and wasn’t with Aubrey, he was asking around town about property for sale.

Not that I should listen to rumors, but that was one I couldn’t make myself ignore.

When he left after high school, it wasn’t that he couldn’t wait to get out of this place. His attitude was more along the lines of one place is as good as another and the place he’d headed would let him start his business.

So why was he here—in town and in my classroom?

“Are you feeling better this morning, Dee?” Brodie asked as he worked.

“Yes.”

“Doing anything fun with the rest of your day?”

Was he asking Dee the questions because he didn’t think I’d answer? Because he was looking for the kind of honest answer a ten-year-old was more likely to give? Was he just being polite?

“This is fun,” Dee said.

Good kid.

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