Page 104 of Collect the Pieces

I take a quick sip, wincing at the bitterness. “Thanks.”

“So, Margot didn’t come with you?” she asks, bringing her glass to her lips but keeping her eyes on me.

“Nah, she’s working.”

“I like her.” Jezzie sets her glass on the counter with a soft thud and pins me with a pointed look. “She’s really sweet.”

“She is,” I agree.

“She seems very…sensitive. Thoughtful.” She tilts her head, her face screwing into a frown. “You’re not going to break her heart, are you?”

“I hope not.” I lift an eyebrow. “You done with the interrogation?”

“Not even close.” She snorts with laughter. “You’ve never had arealgirlfriend that I know of.”

How awful that my little sister knows me that well. “No one worth introducing to you.” No need to explain my former love ‘em and leave ‘em approach to women with my little sister, for fuck’s sake. “Enough about me. What’s going on with you?”

“Welllll.” She draws out the word to a playful degree. “I found a job.”

My shoulders stiffen with annoyance. How many times are we going to have this argument? “You’re supposed to be focusing on school. I thought you were taking classes over the summer?”

“Iam. But only two. It’s not a lot of hours.” Her forehead scrunches as she casts a guilty glance around the apartment. “Not enough to cover my rent, but I’ll pay for my utilities or something.”

“Jezzie,” I sigh, pressing the heel of my hand against my chest. “Just put it in a savings account…so you’ll have a deposit for an apartment or whatever after graduation when you’re on your own.”As if I won’t still help her out.

Her eyes widen and she claps her hands together. “So you’ll let me take the job?” she asks.

“Let you? How am I supposed tostopyou when I’m like two hours away?” I let out a frustrated snort. “Wait, tell me what the job is, first.”

“Oh, it’s waitressing in this tiny pizza place nearby. My friend Erin works there. Her uncle owns it. They need someone to help out part-time. It’s close enough to walk there.”

“Yeah, how late you going to be walking home?”

“Erin will give me a ride.”

“All right.” I pick up my glass and drain the rest of the iced tea. “Let’s go.”

Her gaze narrows as she eyes me with suspicion. “Gowhere?”

“See the place.” I pat my stomach. “I could eat a slice or two. I’m starving.”

“Jensen, no! You’re not going to terrorize my friend’s uncle.”

“I’ll be nice.” I push away from the counter and walk toward the door. “Since you told me about it, you obviously want my opinion. Let’s go.”

“Ugh. Let me grab a sweatshirt.”

It could be another ten minutes of her searching through her closet and the walls of the apartment are already closing in on me. “I’ll meet you outside.”

Her grumbling answer gets muffled as I close the door and jog down the stairs.

Outside, I slip on my sunglasses and take a slow glance around the area. Well-kept buildings, small, niche shops. A mix of college kids and locals.

“Hey, do you need directions?” a soft voice purrs.

I glance down and find a girl wearing what looks like a fuzzy, sleeveless, peach-colored onesie, flip-flops, and way too much self-tanner, twirling a piece of crunchy-looking blonde hair around one finger.

“I’m Mila.” She thrusts a hand tipped with shimmery peach three-inch claws at me.

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