Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
“No, you weren’t.” My brows come together in a scowl, and I shake off the idea.
“My goodness, I went away to the big city for a few years and suddenly you’ve forgotten all about little ol’ me.” She blinks a few times, and I wonder if she can wear sunglasses with those things on.
“If you were important to me, I’d remember you,” I say, and some of her ego deflates. I hear a snort from behind her and see Lane trying to cover it up as a cough.
Carly Rose turns around and follows my gaze. She huffs a snotty laugh before she shakes her head. “Should have known you were still hung up on her. I swear the only reason you used to talk to me at all is because my locker was next to hers.”
My eyes widen in shock, and then I have to hold back my laughter. “Oh, now I remember you.” She looks at me cautiously. “You were the one that kept leaving all those notes in my locker. Yeah, it’s coming back now. Didn’t you tell everyone we kissed after I said I wouldn’t be your boyfriend?”
“No, that’s not what happened.” She’s denying it, but her face turns bright red before glancing around to see who else can hear this conversation. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I remember because you scratched CR on the door to my locker. I had to stop using it after that, so you told everyone we broke up.” I look at Lane, and she’s watching this exchange with an expression I can’t read.
“You’re a real asshole,” Carly Rose hisses under her breath and then turns around and stomps off.
“But I’m not a liar,” I call after her, and she gives me the middle finger.
“Making friends?” Rhodes says as he walks up behind me.
Lane glances between the two of us before she follows Mrs. Evie inside.
“Not with the one woman I want to be friends with,” I sigh, and my shoulders sag. He follows my line of sight and guesses correctly who I’m referring to.
“Lane sure enjoys scowling at you.” He scratches his beard like he’s thinking it over. After a moment, he grins and then slaps me on the back. “Well, on the plus side, she doesn’t scowl at anyone else the way she scowls at you.”
“At the moment, that’s the best I can hope for.”
“You ready for tonight?” Rhodes nods toward the building where everyone is getting set up.
“Not in the least.” I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to think about how the hell to get out of this. “But it looks like I don’t have a choice.”
“There’s always a choice.” Rhodes glances around like he’s looking for someone.
“How about you focus on me for a second, big guy?”
He looks me up and down. “We’re the same size.”
I wave him off because it doesn’t matter. “How the fuck am I supposed to get on that stage tonight? I’ve got women eager to bid on me, but there’s only one woman I’ve ever wanted.”
“Why did you agree to this in the first place?” He cocks an eyebrow like I’m thick in the head.
“Because I stupidly thought it would finally make her want me.”
“Emphasis on the stupid.”
“If you keep talking to me like this, you’re going to hurt my feelings,” I tell him.
Rhodes grins at me and pats me on the back again. “Like I said, there’s always a choice.”
“So what you’re saying is, you’d be more than happy to step into my shoes for tonight and take my place?”
“Not on your life,” he huffs. “I’m smart enough to know that it’s a bad idea to let women fight over you when there’s only one woman you want.”
“I got it, Rhodes. I’ll write it down in my diary next time. What I need at the moment is for you to help me get my ass out of hot water and into her bed. Or however the saying goes.”
“Lane really has got you all twisted up.”
“Since I was ten years old and she beat me on field day,” I sigh, remembering how the sunburn on her cheeks made her freckles stand out. “She’s the best person I know, and if doing this means it’s going to fuck up my chances with her, then I won’t do it.”
“Maybe there’s another way,” Rhodes says, scratching his beard again. “How do you feel about your dignity?”
“For Lane?” I ask, and he nods. “I’d have it surgically removed.”
“Excellent.” Rhodes grins. “Then I think I’ve got an idea.”
Chapter Seven
LANE
I chew on my bottom lip, debating what I’m about to do. The plan was to skip the auction, but Sawyer cornered me and talked me into it. I’m blaming it on the small high of learning he never dated Carly Rose.
Dating might be a stretch to begin with. We were in the sixth grade, so it wasn’t like we could actually go anywhere. Does that mean they didn’t kiss and it was all bullshit? Sawyer can drive me bonkers at times, but he’s not a liar.