Page 47 of Corrupt Idol

“I love you more,” Lynne said with a sniffle. “I’ll see you soon.”

As she hung up, she saw that Jesse had over fifty unread text messages. She, in comparison, had no messages aside from the group texts with her parents and Reese and Meg. Hopefully after she moved home, she would get reacquainted with classmates and beef up her social life. No more living in the past, no more isolating herself because of Jesse. No. She was going to live and it started now.

Nine

Jesse cameout of the bathroom as she repacked her duffel. “There’s a diner next door.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“You’re eating.”

She swung around to yell at him and immediately turned away. He was buck naked. The view from the back was just as good as the front. Contoured thighs, ass, back. She had never been one to goggle at men’s bodies, but his was phenomenal. There was a saying, “Never trust a pretty face.” Usually it was applied to women, but in her case, her step-brother was the epitome of pretty outside, ugly insides.

She was miffed that by the time she had zipped her bag, he was dressed and ready to go with his pack on his shoulder. He held open the door for her. As she passed, she averted her face so she didn’t have to look at him before she marched across the mostly empty parking lot. It was a sunny day without a cloud in the sky. When she tried to climb in the cab, he grabbed the waistband of her pants and yanked her back out.

“Eat,” he said.

She smacked his hand. “I told you—”

She grit her teeth as he tossed her duffel and his pack in and locked the truck.

“We don’t have time for this,” she snapped.

“We do and I’m hungry,” he said as he pushed her toward the diner.

She had no choice. The diner was hopping. The moment she stepped through the door the smell of bacon and maple syrup made her stomach rumble. She and Jesse waited while a frazzled waitress checked for an open table.

“We can sit at the counter,” Jesse offered.

“All right. Make yourselves at home,” the waitress said.

Jesse’s hand landed on her lower back. She quickly stepped away and gave him a withering look before she navigated through the cramped, packed diner. The counter was occupied mostly by trucker’s and old men chatting over their morning coffee. They found a spot between two sets of men who did double takes when she took a seat. She grabbed the menu and perused it before she glanced at the old man beside her who was staring openly.

“Morning,” she said.

“It’s a good one,” he said with a wink.

She relaxed and tapped the menu. “What’s good?”

“Depends what you got a hankering for,” he drawled.

“I want something sweet and salty.”

He grinned. “You’re my kind of gal. You should get French toast with some meat on the side.”

“That sounds great.”

When she opened the menu, he pointed out her options.

“Thanks,” she said as the waitress stepped up.

“What’ll you have?”

When she gave her order, the old man gave her a thumbs up before he turned back to his friend who was reading a newspaper and munching on toast.

“You military?”

She glanced to the right to see the burly trucker beside Jesse looking him up and down.

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