Page 19 of Smolder

He immediately began to type his response, and the fact that it made me giddy was a red flag.

Working as in hustling frat boys at cards? Or is it the pool table you’re working tonight?

Smart-ass.

Neither. Reading a book for one of my classes so I can do two papers on it for a frat guy and a football player.

There was a pause, and I wondered if that was it, if he was going to stop texting, but then the dots showed up again.

What book?

“WINDOW!” my Grams shouted at the television. “It’s a candle in the window, you idiots!”

How she could figure out the phrases on that show, but couldn’t remember how to brush her own teeth, I didn’t know.

Glancing at the clock on the wall, I knew it was almost time for Bruce to start shutting down the food counter at Zoom Way—the service station about a mile from our house. Rise and Dine had been closed for hours, and I knew they were all long gone. I couldn’t text my friend who worked there for the leftovers off the buffet. But Bruce, the manager at Zoom Way, would always give me the pizza, hot wings, potato salad, corn dogs, and fries they had left over at the end of the day.

I sent Bruce a text, then replied to Amory’s.

A boring one.

I closed the book and placed it on the side table before going to put on my shoes. While Grams was interested in the television, it was a good time for me to get dinner.

Okay, then for which class?

Grinning, I typed as I walked to the door.

Social Theory.

“Be right back with dinner, Grams!” I called before heading out to the car.

I wanted to wait and see what Amory sent me next, but Bruce had responded, telling me he would package it all up for me now. I needed to hurry.Wheel of Fortuneonly had about twenty minutes left.

•Eight •

“I wasn’t going to let her make me look like a fool.”

Sebastian

King walked into my father’s office, holding up a stack of papers. “Wilder just sent these,” he announced and glanced at me. “Seems you’re off the hook.”

Frowning, I waited for an explanation.What did he mean, I’m off the hook?

“Perfect timing,” he added. “Since you got a date with the makeup princess coming up.”

I should have never said a word about Hattie. They were all going to stay in my fucking business about it now. Mom was bad enough. I didn’t need them doing it too.

My father took the papers, then sat behind his desk, going over them.

King went over to pour himself a glass of whiskey, then glanced over at me. “Want one?”

I shook my head. “What am I off the hook for?” I asked him.

“Canadian whiskey,” he replied, then took a seat in one of the high-back leather chairs across from me.

That got Wells’s attention, and he looked up from his phone. “Are we good then? Meeting over?”

King’s gaze swung to him, making it clear he’d said the wrong thing.

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