Page 45 of 10 Days to Ruin

“It’s the truth!”

“Huh,” Lora muses. “Is he a bad guy?”

Technically, yes, but—“He’s just not my type.”

“But he’s attractive?”

“Well, yes.”Unfortunately.

“And rich?”

With drug money, but yeah.“Kind of.”

She purses her lips, pensive. “You know I support you, right?”

Uh-oh.“Why am I feeling there’s a ‘but’ at the end of this thought?”

“It’s not a ‘but’!” Lora quickly denies. “It’s a… a ‘well.’”

A “well.” How comforting. I hope it’s a deep one. I’d like to fall into it.

I slump forward in defeat. “Let’s hear it.”

Since earthworms have more backbone than Lora, the prospect of contradicting me puts a guilty expression on her face. If there’s one thing Lora hates, it’s conflict. “Well… it’s just that he sounds kind of dreamy, doesn’t he?”

More like nightmarey.

“Define ‘dreamy,’” I tell her.

“Hot, rich, and famous,” Gina fills in. “Bam. Triple threat.”

I give her a fierce scowl. “Which side are you on again?”

“Oh, we’re all on your side, honey!” Lora croons. “I just need a quick explainer… whydon’tyou like this guy?”

“Well, he kind of… he…” There are plenty of ways to answer her question, but I find myself fumbling.The first words I ever heard him speak were an order to commit cold-blooded murderseems like a neat explanation, but it comes with even more questions I’d have to answer. “He just…”

“Kicks puppies,” Gina cuts in. “For sport.”

Lora gasps. “Oh my goodness!”

“He’s also an advocate for baby seal clubbing. He has a bumper sticker and everything.”

“What the hell?”I mouth in Gina’s direction.

She pretends she doesn’t see me. “Isn’t it? Who in their right mind would hurt a baby ani— OW!”

I elbow Gina in the side, but Lora is locked in on the horrors.

“A monster, that’s who,” Lora decides. The joke seems to fly well over her head. “You’re right, Ariel. This man is no good. You need to get rid of him.”

Glad that’s settled, at least.“That’s the thing: I really tried last night. I was so rude, you guys.”

“Butwereyou?” Gina narrows her eyes. “I’m just asking because your threshold for ‘rude’ seems to be a bit…”

“Canadian?” Lora suggests.

Gina makes finger-guns. “Bingo.”

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