Page 9 of Cruel Hate

As I sketched, the tension between my shoulders eased, and excitement took its place. This artwork was meant to be. I could feel the tangible nature of it taking shape on paper. I wished I had another board on which I could paint the finished design because it needed to be immortalized and free to ride the waves with me.

I tapped the end of the pen to my bottom lip as ideas came and went about my entrepreneurial surf business—the one I had yet to start. It could work, a specific line of custom designs for commission. I could start while in school. If I could get a website and pictures going, I could maybe find a way to support my little family of two.

I needed to accomplish a few things first. I flipped to a new page in my pad then got to work, making a list of just the few things I would need to do that were at top of mind. A website was a must.Will I be able to do one myself or need to hire someone?A tax ID and LLC were next. Social media like Facebook, Instagram, and possibly a newsletter, too, unless I dealt with that aspect with a news and media section on the website. I didn’t know for sure, but I would have to do some research based on what the top surfboard companies did.

I wanted to rush back to my room and plan everything. Did I need Phoenix? No. He was proving unreliable. But…my parents would freak out even more if they thought I was alone. What if they tried to make me move home or got more involved in my life? Nope. That solidified everything right there. I did need him, just for a little while. It helped that he was so pretty to look at.

The waitress placed my food next to my sketch pad. The smell of chicken and waffles jolted me out of the world I slipped into when creating. I stowed my paper and pen as the waitress left for another table.

I swallowed my first bite when the bell chimed over the door, and I glanced up to see Phoenix entering. The sight of him brought back the drama of the situation I was in, and I gritted my teeth. Damn it, I had been in a good place a moment before. I took a deep breath and let it all go. It was ridiculous. I wasn’t mad at him, at least not entirely. I was angry at his ex-girlfriend or fuck buddy or whatever she was.

A grin curved his lips as he lowered his large frame into the booth where I sat. There was tension around his mouth.Is that from me?I assessed and dismissed the assumption a few seconds before he spoke. Couldn’t have been. My outburst with him had been hours ago.

“Hey.” I waved my hand over the food. “I was hungry. The waitress is over there.” I caught her eye and indicated Phoenix. Of course, she came right over. Most women would have. The guy was hot.

He ordered and seemed oblivious to her suggestive smile and lingering gaze. Ignoring her, he held my hand across the table, playing with my fingers in a hypnotic way that had me melting until she got the hint and went to put his order in or whatever. I didn’t care—she was gone.

That knowing smirk of his told me he’d noticed how his touch affected me. I sank my teeth into my lower lip and barely managed to stop from grinning when his gaze dropped to my lips.Good, I’m not the only one who isn’t immune.

I pulled free of his touch, needing every brain cell to converse with him. What had happened that morning, how I’d acted, hadn’t been entirely fair. “I’m sorry about earlier. I was upset because your girlfriend or ex-girlfriend or whatever basically cornered me.”

He leaned back in the booth, brows furrowed. “What are you talking about? I don’t have a girlfriend, past or present.”

“Hmm.” I took a sip of water. “Well, she’s convinced she’s your girlfriend. She ambushed me on the way to the library, accusing me of trapping you by getting pregnant. Did you know you’re going places?” I couldn’t have kept the sarcasm from my voice if I’d tried. “Apparently, you’re doing that with her, and I’m trying to latch onto you and hold you back.” I shrugged, trying to downplay how irritated I was by a stranger accusing me of things she shouldn’t have known. “It was a very informative conversation.” I knew I was failing on the calm front, but that girl was a bitch. I considered my little information delivery a public service announcement about a crazy girl. He could take it or leave it.

Those incredible eyes of his turned stormy, and his mouth pulled down at the corners. “I honestly have no idea who you’re talking about. Did you get a name?”

“Jillian.” I shoveled another bite into my mouth, chewing so I wouldn’t tear into him about how bitchy the girl was. Him keeping that kind of company was a red flag in my book, no matter how delicious he looked or how badly I wanted to jump across the table and kiss him.

A muscle jumped along his jaw. “I’ll take care of it. She’s an annoying gnat and has never been—nor will she be—my girlfriend.”

“She seems to think she is, though. Good luck convincing her otherwise.” When he grinned, I forgot to breathe for a moment. “What?”

“We’re fake dating for your family, but why not for everyone?”

I dropped my fork, needing all my concentration for this. “Why would we do that? I don’t care what anyone on campus thinks.”

He rested his elbows on the table and leaned forward. “If your parents think we’re together, that benefits you. Right?”

“Yeah.”Where is he going with this?

The waitress delivered his sandwich, and we waited for her to leave. He devoured half of it in two bites, took a sip of his drink, then paused. The dark gleam in Phoenix’s eyes made me sit up straighter and take notice.

“If girls like Jillian find out that we’re dating, it’ll keep them away. Based on how Jillian is acting, it will only get worse as the season progresses. If you and I are dating, it’ll help deter them.”

“Fake dating.”

“Of course.” He chuckled. “I don’t date. Not for real, anyway.”

“I hardly see what I’ll get out of the deal on campus, though.” That wasn’t necessarily true. My stomach wouldn’t be flat forever. It might be helpful to have a fake boyfriend. It was fair, so I gave him a slow nod. “Okay, since you’re helping me with my family.” I laughed, just thinking about the two of us together and how my parents were. “There will be relationship issues.”

“What do you mean, ‘relationship’?” His entire body seemed to bristle. It was intimidating, and I tensed.

“I meant because my parents are fucked. Their relationship and the lack of one between your mom and dad are sure to affect ours.”

He rested his elbows on the table and leaned forward. “It sounds like you’ve got plans to take what isn’t real between us and make it into something it’s not.”

“You’re out of your mind.”Is he for real? How did he jump to that conclusion?I sort of understood how zealous punt bunnies could get—Jillian was a prime example. But one little comment from me, and he’d jumped to the ridiculous conclusion that I wanted more from him?As if.

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