Page 8 of Heavy Load Beast Mode

“Hell, yeah.” Kimmie grinned and it was contagious. “But I gotta be honest. No one even questioned me.”

I winced. “That bad, huh?”

“Well, it was all fine until Baker ran after you, all dramatic romance movie style. Through the rain and everything. And you know how Haley has a thing for kissing-in-the-rain scenes.”

Oh, no.

“I’d like to tell you we weren’t noses to the window, watching, but… we were.”

I groaned, tossing my bowl in the direction of the nearby trash can. And missed.

Kimmie stood to throw it away and came back.

I dropped my head into my hands. “I guess I should tell you then.”

“Tell me what?”

“He was supposed to meet me here.”

“Baker?”

“Yeah. He said he wanted to get to know me better, so—”

“He said that?” she practically squeaked.

I lifted my head at the excitement in her voice.

“Well, no. Not exactly. He said…” Oh, no.Oh, mannnn. Did I misunderstand him? “He saidIshould get to knowhim. And then I said…”

My stomach curled and I suddenly regretted the ice cream sundae.

“What did you say?” Kimmie asked, shaking me.

I blinked at her, knowing all the color must’ve drained from my cheeks.

“I said okay.”

“Okay?”

I nodded. “I said, okay and asked him to meet me here.”

Kimmie stared at me, expecting more. But I couldn’t breathe, much less speak, as I replayed the conversation in my head:

“You talk to all the girls this way?”

“I’ve talked to zero girls this way. You’re the first.”

“I can’t tell if you’re telling the truth.”

“I guess you need to get to know me better.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”Did his voice sound strange when he said that? Oh, god.

“Meet me at Jackal’s.”

“And then what?” Kimmie pressed. “What was his response?”

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