Page 66 of Jake Forever
Chapter 24
I stood, naked and dripping, clutching my cell phone with slippery fingers. I didn't bother to hide my irritation. "What do you want?"
It was Rango, my asshat of an ex-boyfriend. A few months earlier, the guy had caused me all kinds of trouble when our relationship had crashed and burned like the disaster it was.
He'd trashed my apartment. He'd crushed my car. He'd turned up in odd places to give me all kinds of grief. But those days were over. Or at least, Ithoughtthey were.
A few weeks earlier, Jake had kicked Rango's ass spectacularly –andsecured a promise from Rango's mobster of a stepdad that Rango would finally leave me alone. In fact, until this phone call, my life since then had been blissfully Rango-free.
On the other end of the phone, Rango gave a low chuckle. "So you're still mad about the car, huh?"
It wasn't just the car, but I didn't want to get into it. So all I said was, "You paid me for the car. Remember?"
"Nah. Sorry. Don't rememberthat."
That made me pause. Hehadpaid me, in cash, no less. He'd given the money to Jake, who'd passed it to me in crisp hundred-dollar bills.
Oh, no.
I closed my eyes and let out a sigh. Maybe the moneyhadn'tcome from Rango. Before I could stop myself, I said, "So youdidn'tpay for that? Are you serious?"
Rango paused. "Wait. You got money for that thing? How much?"
That "thing" was a cute little Ford Focus. It was the only car I'd ever owned. The wayIheard it, Rango and his friends had crushed it for fun in a night of drunken stupidity.
At the image, I wanted to crush something of Rango's in return. Like his face, for starters. I was still doing a slow burn when Rango spoke again. "You know, come to think of it. I'm pretty sure I did pay you. So, uh, we're good, huh?"
I made a sound of disgust. "Nice try."
His tone became flirty. "Well, how do you know that Ididn'tpay you?"
Ididn'tknow, and that was the problem. But I did know one thing. If I wanted the whole story, I was talking to the wrong guy.
To Rango, I said, "I know what I know."
In truth, I didn't know squat. But Jake was just one floor down, and one way or another, I'd find out what had really happened.
"Yeah?" Rango said. "Well, I know something, too."
Against my better judgment, I said, "What?"
His voice became low, with a hint of sex. "You want me back. Am I right?"
Ick.
At the thought, I almost threw up in my mouth. Rango was a hot-shot D.J. with a big local following. He was rich, good-looking, and charming when he wanted to be. Lots of girls wanted him. Me? Not so much.
"Whatever you're smoking," I told him, "you might want to give it up. It's affecting your judgment."
"Aw come on," he said. "I saw Jake with that other girl, so I figured you were like, available again."
The words, as stupid as they were, found their mark. I knew which girl he meant. Nipple Girl, obviously.
I felt myself swallow. He'dbetterbe talking about Nipple Girl, because if he meant someone else, I had bigger problems than six million views of Jake with a drunken hussy.
In the calmest voice I could muster I said, "You thought wrong. Because Jake and Iaretogether. And we're staying together."
I bit my lip. At least, I sure hoped we were staying together.
