Page 37 of Broken Princess

I saw the posting for the trip and dismissed it. But if Jordanna’s going, I’m going too. There’s no fucking way I’m letting her run loose in New York City with Noel. When I go to the website and click on the sign-up sheet, I get a message that all the slots are booked. We’ll just have to see about that. I scroll through the list of names, trying to find someone I can boot. My good buddy Montanna. Yeah, he can sit this one out. Because I don’t want him anywhere near her either.

As I expected, Montanna puts up a fight about canceling his trip. “Man, there’s gonna be some prime drinking and ass-having on this trip. Why would I back out?”

“Because it’s booked and I need the slot.”

“Isn’t there someone else you can ask to stay behind?”

“Let’s get something straight, Monty. I’m not asking you, I’m telling you. And you’re more than happy to comply because I haven’t come after you for that job you pulled for Bella.” He pales and stammers the beginning of an apology, and I cut off whatever excuse he’s about to give. “I hope whatever she promised you was worth it.” I know Bella, and I know it wasn’t.

“She never paid up.”

Of course she didn’t. If there’s an escape route, she takes it every time. “So you did the job, didn’t get what you wanted for doing the job, and you still have to deal with me. And I guarantee you’re not gonna like what I come up with as retribution.”

“If I skip the trip, we’ll be even?”

“Don’t be stupid. But thiswillbuy you more time before I focus on finding creative ways to make you pay.”

He nods, pulling out his phone to cancel his reservation for the trip, knowing this is as close to a pass as he’s gonna get.

“What’s up Tabby?” I ask, letting her into the studio.

“You’ve been MIA for a few days, so I came to get proof of life to send to your father.”

“Lemme guess, he called you when I didn’t show up at the club on Sunday.”

She drops her bag by the door and goes to the fridge. “He texted my mom, and she called me, when she was in the middle of something that sounded a lot like a waxing.” She comes back with a beer and shrugs. “Or she could’ve been banging the pool boy. Sometimes they sound the same.”

“You sure it wasn’t your dad?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. He’s on the other end of the globe. And, that was one time, which we all regret.” Wiggling her brows, she says, “Maybe it was your dad, and the text was an elaborate rouse to cover their tracks.”

I grab my beer off the floor with one hand and toss a food menu at her with the other. “If it were my dad, she wouldn’t have been able to talk.”

She grimaces at that alternative. I don’t blame her. The memory of our parents going at it is an uncomfortable visual for both of us.

“Did you want to do something after the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new auditorium?” She asks, changing the subject.

Our high school has built a second event center. There was nothing wrong with the first one, but someone donated a lot of money and decided they’d like their name on the side of a building.

“I’m gonna take a pass on that.”

“You’re not going?”

“I hate that I’m going to miss it, but I signed up for the trip to New York that weekend.”

She pulls a face and says, “Oh, I can tell you’re so broken up about it. Seriously though, you don’t usually jump on the school trips. What’s happening with this one?”

“Nothing. I was looking for an excuse to skip going home and this turned out to be it.”

“I can’t stay.” She finishes her beer, passing the menu back to me. “I hope whatever you’re working on is worth it.”

Tabby never ceases to amaze me with her powers of perception. I don’t acknowledge her insinuation and instead promise to meet up with her for breakfast in the morning. I’m secretly hoping the effort I’m about to put in with Jordanna is worth it too.

She’s blocked me on Prospectus, but since I’m an owner and admin, I can get around it. We left things unfinished, and it’s time to make sure she’s spending as much time thinking about me as I do thinking about her.

Jordanna

Here’s the thing about watching people. No matter how much you do it, how much you tell yourself you’ve seen enough, there’s always the urge to seemore.

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