Page 13 of Clean Out of Luck

I set my purse down in one of my drawers and close it with a slam. “Well, it looks like you’re messing with your shoes.”

Claire stands up and flops down in her desk chair. She holds up a heel. Just a heel. No shoe to go with it. “How did this just break?”

“That’s weird…” I mumble, thinking back to the very specific wish I made yesterday. Karma’s a quick worker. Maybe my apartment building is magical after all—granting my wishes. I shake my head at the ridiculous thought. I’ve been listening to too many local legends.

Claire takes off her other shoe and points the heel toward her desk, then swings it down like she’s swinging an ax. Her blonde curls are bouncing, and her expression is pinched. Butdang if that heel doesn’t go flying across the room to hit the wall behind me.

I sit down at my desk, starting up my computer and doing my best to ignore Claire’s antics. I’m afraid if I watch too closely, I’ll start laughing. And then I’ll really be in trouble.

“There. Now they’re even.”The shoes actually look cuter as flats. Claire is one of those obnoxious people where even if something goes wrong, she makes it turn out better.

Doing my best to ignore her, I open my documents and begin checking the files I typed yesterday. We try to be as accurate as possible while in the courtroom, but sometimes we have to do damage control on the typos during our non-courtroom hours.

Proofreading is my least favorite part of the job, but the whole broken shoe incident keeps me in a good mood for the rest of the day. Even when Claire asks me what’s taking me so long to finish proofing one of my files.

Today is a good day. Especially because when work is done, I’ll be going on a date. And my brother isn’t here to ruin it.

I’ve never been good at handling my family’s overprotectiveness, especially since it stems from a place of love. How can I tell them to leave me alone when my dating choices nearly got me killed once?

Wade texts me at lunchtime, and it’s strange how happy I am to open that message.

WADE

How about I show you what a real dinner is? Jack and I are grilling steaks tonight when I get off work.

I don’t know who Jack is, and a real dinner does sound good, but unfortunately, I already have plans.

SCARLETT

I’d take you up on it if I didn’t already have plans.

WADE

You’re having Froot Loops for dinner, aren’t you?

SCARLETT

As delicious as that sounds, I’m going on a date tonight.

It’s the beginning of Operation Find Love in Six Months. I thought about making a flow chart for it but decided that’s the kind of stuff you see on a Netflix special about a criminal.

My parents are out of town for a few months. Phoenix has committed to the job in Boston for six months…which means it’s the perfect time for me to date without their interference.

Ever since the car wreck, they’ve been very concerned about who I date. And because I understand where that fear is coming from, I haven’t made an issue out of it with them.

But that doesn’t change the fact that I want to live my life. I’ve had two big dreams since I was eight years old.

Number one: live in The Serendipity.

Number two: find the love of my life.

Honestly, I thought number one would have been harder to fulfill. But it turns out having a family disapprove of every man I go on a date with? That makes it a little rough to fulfill my second goal.

I eat the rest of my sandwich before Wade texts back.

WADE

Do I know him?

---