Breaking Even(42)

“Not what I was expecting,” she drawls.

My father doesn’t acknowledge the typical ridiculous behavior. They’re all the same. Hungry for money from him and sex from anyone else. Not me. Fuck no.

“I’d say nice to meet you, but I don’t lie.”

She growls playfully, and swats her hand like she’s using cat claws. “Your father said you were a bit of a rebel with an attitude.”

I decide not to respond. She’s not worth the breath. Instead, I make my way over to my father, and stop as he turns around.

“I’ve met her. I’ll grab the boxes and go.”

He frowns as he looks down. “Good seeing you, son.”

I don’t reciprocate. I’d rather just walk away and leave him stewing in the silence that proves how much I hate him.

I grab my boxes, not bothering to stay here and go through them, and I carry them outside to Brin’s Camry. After I toss everything into the trunk, I close it and Marilyn is right in front of me.

“Christ,” I grumble, trying to catch my breath.

“Not what I expected you to be driving,” she says, stroking the side of Brin’s white car with her red manicured nail.

“Didn’t come to impress,” I mutter dryly.

She wisely takes a step back as I open the door. It’s not easy to fold myself into Brin’s small car, and I curse it when my knees hit the steering wheel again. My damn Porsche has more room than this.

Marilyn waves at me, grinning as though she thinks I’m on the menu, but I shudder instead of giving her the reaction she expects. I back out and make the short drive to my very dark house.

I distinctly remember leaving at least three lights on. I know I didn’t turn all the lights off when I left this morning. There’s no way I’m walking into one of her traps without some sort of defense. Besides, I’m pissed at her right now for canceling on me without telling me.

A date. She shouldn’t be going on a fucking date.

***

BRIN

“I have to pay him back,” I groan. This hour-long argument is getting old. “Especially now. I didn’t know he was paying for it himself.”

“He wants to do this, and it’ll piss him off if you argue. Just let him. It’s not like you’re taking advantage. He’s trying to do something nice.”

Huffing, I consider my defeat. I really don’t know what to do. I can’t afford this if he did too much. It’s been in there for a while, and his shop is outrageously priced. I looked it up online.

“So you’re doing something together? Again?” Maggie asks with a smile that says too much.

Ash invited me over, and begged me to let her set me up on another date, but I told her no. I’ve been excited about seeing Rye all day. And he never canceled, so I’m really hoping that means he wants to see me, too.

I’m happy with my selection of a semi low-cut, white shirt and a very flattering pair of frayed, dark denim shorts—short shorts. My hair is actually down and fixed, and I even put on a little more makeup than usual.

“This might sound stupid, but I think he might sort of be interested?” I say, but it sounds more like a question.

Maggie chuckles lightly while giving me a look I can’t decipher.

“He might be interested? Brin, a guy might be interested if he buys you a drink. If he pays to have your car repaired—after you crashed it into his on purpose—then it’s obvious he’s interested. More than interested. The two of you have been spending more and more time together.”

I can’t help but grin, and hope I’m not reading all the signals wrong. He slept on the sofa with me, we cuddled during the movie, and his arms stayed around me long after he went to sleep. I almost didn’t go to sleep because I was savoring every second of it.

“What are you two doing tonight?” she asks, leaning back in her seat.

“We’re hanging out at his house because I told him I want to use his kitchen. Which is true—his kitchen is freaking amazing—but it’s better than going out into the real world where all the gorgeous women call his name. And I’m not exaggerating.”

“He’s not spending the night with all the gorgeous women. And in the two years I’ve lived across from him, I’ve never seen him have a girl over. And I’m nosy. I would have noticed.”

I’m envious that she’s lived across from him for that long. I should have moved in with her the second she offered, but instead, I stupidly tried to manage living in hell. Well, my parents’ house—same difference. I only moved in here a few months ago.

“Do you think you could—”

The door swings open, interrupting whatever Maggie was going to say, and Rye stalks toward me like a determined man on a mission. And holy shit, it’s sexy as hell.