Page 11 of Catastrophe Magnet

“Shit, man, that sucks. Guess that’s why I got the job fresh out of college, huh?”

He nods, and a small smirk forming on his face. “Desperate times and all that.”

“Gee, thanks for the confidence boost,” I jest.

Carter straightens, then grips my shoulder. “Look, I’ll help you with whatever you need, just say the word. These kids need someone to be here for them, someone they can rely on. Can you be that person, Arlo? ’Cause I gotta tell ya, I was only half joking about desperate times.”

Well shit, that got heavy real quick.

But everything he said just makes me certain I’m the man for the job.

I meet his steady gaze, then nod. “I’m committed, man. Signed a twelve-month lease and everything. I want this job. You might see me as a privileged rich kid from the city, and in all fairness, I am. But I know what it’s like to be a kid who needs someone. And that’s why I’m here.”

ChapterFive

After Arieland Snow chewed me out over the whole mistaken identity fubar, they laughed their asses off. That was three days ago, and Snow still can’t look at me with a straight face.

Fortunately for me, they agreed not to tell Dad. But he’s going to figure it out soon if Snow doesn’t stop with the amused half smiles every damn time I try to talk to her. She’s going to give me away, damn it.

I jab my elbow into her ribs, hissing, “Knock it off, Dad’s looking.”

“I’ll knock it off when I don’t have to doyourmorning coffee runs anymore,” she sasses.

I glare at her. “That’s not fair. You know I can’t risk showing my face in Perky’s. He’s been there every morning this week at the same time as us.”

Snow grins. And it’s not a kind one. “So have Ariel drive us all the way across town to the college campus so you can hit up Caffeinate Me instead.”

I gasp in outrage. “You traitorous cow. Perky would have our asses if we dared step foot in there.”

“Correction, she’d haveyourass. I’m not the one with a problem walking into her shop.”

With a pitiful groan I slump onto the edge of Snow’s desk. “Why are you so mean? Did you forget to take your happy pills today?”

She rolls her eyes. “Pl-ease, if I was being mean I’d only get Ariel’s and my coffees each morning and conveniently forget yours.” She bops me on the nose then settles into the seat at her desk.

Bosco waddles over to us and plants himself right on top of Snow’s foot. She yelps and yanks her foot from under him. “You really need to put his fat ass on a diet,” she gripes.

“I’ve told you a hundred times, he’s not fat, he’s big boned! Come on, Bosco, we don’t need this kind of negativity.” I stand and stalk out the back to the break room, Bosco trotting along right behind me.

* * *

Before I know it,it’s Friday and I’m no closer to finding Neil Berkley. My confidence is waning, as is my bravado.

I’m hanging out in the break room again, going over every inch of his file for the hundredth time, hoping I see something, anything, that I might have missed. The dude is like a freaking ghost.

He’s even haunting my dreams now. At least I think he is. I don’t quite remember my dreams. But when I wake up every morning, it’s his stupid face smirking at me from the back of my eyelids. “Smug bastard,” I mutter at his mug shot.

“What was that?”

I jump then spin around, hand over my racing heart as I glare at Valentine. He grins as he strides toward me, and then he drags a chair out to sit at the table.

“Dick,” I grumble at him.

He proves my point further by reaching over and mussing up my hair. I slap his hand away and he chuckles.

“You’re wound tight this week. What’s going on? Did Dumb-dumb eat your cell again?”

I scoff, then reach under my seat to pet my baby. “Don’t listen to Val, he’s got an ugly heart,” I assure Bosco.

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