Page 17 of Clean Out of Luck

Allen shrugs. “I just want you to have the opportunity of a lifetime. I’ll even give you a discount on the course.”

Because I hate myself, I ask him, “How much is the course?”

“For you, it would only be twenty-five hundred.” He smiles brightly.

Okay, nowIneed a bottomless margarita.

And that’s a wrap. “Hey, Victor, can I get some extra spicy salsa?”

Chapter Five

Wade

When Phoenix toldme that Scarlett had poor taste in guys, I thought it was just an overprotective brother speaking. I would know—I’m an older brother as well, and I feel the same way about my little brother. I didn’t think that Phoenix was actually right.

But Scarlett going out with Allen Chapman? That’s some pretty bad taste. Didn’t she hear any of our stories about him in high school? The guy was so full of himself, his ego needed its own trailer to drive him to school. Not only that, he was always coming up with some scheme to make money—which probably never actually worked since he doesn’t have his own place and hasn’t reallydoneanything with his life.

Last I heard, he’s running some kind of scheme, selling financial courses to people who don’t know he’s an unqualified, self-proclaimed genius.

I never liked the guy, and though it might not have a foundation, I always think it’s good to listen to your gut. My gut’s a pretty good lie detector.

I finish up my shift at work and leave the building at the same time as Jack. I nudge him with an elbow. “Do youremember going to school with someone named Allen Chapman?”

He frowns at that. Jack was two years behind me in school, but he has a few older sisters. I honestly can’t remember if I had classes with Allen or not, but Jack has a better memory than me, and maybe one of his sisters was friends with him.

“Yeah, I never liked the guy. He asked my sister out once. She’s probably about your age. I don’t know. I don’t remember who was in his class,” Jack says, scratching his jaw. “But I do remember that he wouldn’t take no for an answer, and it got to the point where she even told my dad about it because he was making her so uncomfortable.”

“Okay, that’s it. We need to swing by somewhere on the way home.”

Even though Jack and I are roommates, we don’t usually carpool to work, but today we were both scheduled for the same shift. Hopefully Jack’s car didn’t lose a mirror since it’s garbage day.

“But I’m hungry,” Jack says in a whiny voice. It’s almost as bad as having my little brother with me all the time. “Where do we have to go?”

“Phoenix’s little sister is on a date with Allen Chapman. I don’t know if she’s even met him before. What if she hasn’t heard the stories about him? And I know for a fact she probably didn’t ask her brother about him.”

Jack sighs as he pulls on a ball cap. “So, what, we’re just going to crash her date?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. Maybe. If we have to. What do you think?”

“All right, fine. I like Phoenix. We’ll go check on his little sister because I really don’t like that creep.”

Maybe I should introduce Jack to Scarlett as a possible date—he’s a good guy. I slap his back. “Good man. Come on,let’s go. There might even be chips and salsa out of the deal.”

“How do you know where they’ll be?”

“She must’ve told me.”

Because telling Jack that I have a tracking app on her phone, like a parent keeping tabs on their sixteen-year-old? Yeah, that might put me in some sketchy territory. It’s all for her good. I don’t want her to get hurt. Phoenix was the one who downloaded it and linked it to my phone.

I told him it was an invasion of privacy—he said it was necessary protection.

Ever since Scarlett got in that bad wreck…he’s been extremely protective. When someone purposefully crashes into your little sister, causing her to spend a couple of weeks recovering in the hospital, it changes a man.

She’d had a broken arm, who knows how many cuts, and a severe concussion. It took a several blood transfusions to get her stable.

Which is why I still haven’t done the right thing and deleted that app: I’m worried about her, too.

I drive us to Amor Serindipia and park the car in the small side lot. The restaurant is busy, but we decide to walk in and get some dinner. I’ve been here a few times with Phoenix. I think it’s his and Scarlett’s favorite place to go. I hear raised voices, and I glance into the corner of the room where I see Scarlett.

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