Page 8 of Forbidden You

“Two weeks? Why isn’t she at Stanford?”

“Is that Bodi?” Rae’s chipper voice ricochets in the background.

Jensen hums in agreement, and before I know it, her sweet voice is ringing in my ear. “How are you doing, Bodi?”

“I’m good, Goldilocks. How are you?”

“I’m fine. Glad all the holiday madness is over.” She sounds tired and relieved at the same time.

“We had fun, though. This was the first time in ages I didn’t have to listen to your mother-in-law, and it was a blessing for my ears.”

She snorts through the phone, and I imagine her nose scrunched up, with her long blonde hair moving in front of her face. “Ha! Don’t call the Wicked Witch of the East my mother-in-law. That makes it sound like we’re related, and I’m not fucking related to the woman.”

“I hate to break it to you,” I say through a chuckle with my thick Australian accent, “but as soon as you start popping out babies, you’ll officially be related.”

She grunts into the phone like a baby rhino, rolling her eyes, I’m sure. “Bodi McKay, please don’t ruin my day by saying shit like that.”

“Just keeping it real, Goldilocks.”

“You could just lie, you know. God knows you’re a star at it.”

“There is no fun in that when it comes to Kathleen Jensen, Rae.”

“There is no fun with Kathleen Jensen in general,” she adds.

That sounds about right. Jensen’s mother looks like the first lady in every fucking way possible but she’s the most vile person I’ve ever met, and I’ll be a thankful man if I don’t ever have to see her again.

“Anyway,” she drawls with an innocent voice, and I can hear the favor just waiting to jump from her tongue.

“Ah, shit,” I huff, rubbing a hand over my face. “What do you want?”

I’d do anything for the girl within a heartbeat. She’s my best friend’s girl, but over the last few months, she’s become a good friend. And to be honest, Jensen is way more fun now that he’s got Rae by his side. They are a match made in heaven, and if I can help her out, I’m game.

“I need you to give Kayla a job at KPI.”

Anything, exceptthat.

“What?” I blurt, a stern frown forming on my forehead. “No. Not a chance in hell.”

It’s bad enough the girl has been the subject of my wet dreams more than once in the past couple of months, like I’m some kind of teenage little prick, but it will be fucking hell to have her around me all the time.

Which is another secret that will never fucking leave my mouth, by the way.

“Come on, Bodi. Pleaseeeeeeeeeeee. She’s driving me nuts.”

“She’s drivingyounuts? She’syourfucking cousin.” I shake my head, pinching the bridge of my nose while I think about what she’s asking. “Why isn’t she at Stanford?”

“She got kicked out.”

My feet fall from my desk, and I sit up, leaning my arms on the cold surface.

“How the hell do you get kicked out of Stanford?”

“She failed her classes,” Rae says as if it’s the most normal thing in the world.

“She failed her classes?” I parrot.

“Yeah, says she went to a few too many parties.”

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