Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 70445 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70445 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
“Nothing,” I say and she gives me a skeptical look. “Honestly, he didn’t do anything, but I’m considering him for a job—”
“Don’t.” He crosses her legs and plops her bag in her lap protectively. “Warren Temple’s nothing but trouble. That asshole still owes me six grand. Seriously, if you talk to him, tell him Sam still wants her money. That piece of shit.”
I don’t know if I should laugh or what. “Okay, uh, I’ll pass that along.”
Her eyes narrow. “You’re really thinking about hiring him? Warren Temple? What sort of trouble are you in?”
“None,” I say, totally bewildered. Sam’s not at all what I thought she’d be, and this conversation is getting out of control. “It’s just, uh, an inheritance dispute—”
Sam snorts. “Typical. If there’s money, there’s Warren Temple sniffing around.”
“I went to him. To hire him. I was hoping—”
“Listen, Melody, you seem sweet or whatever.” She leans forward, eyes narrowing. “Do not, under any circumstances, get involved with Warren. I’m serious. Run the other direction.”
“What did he do to you?”
She leans back again. All her gestures are big and exaggerated, like she doesn’t know how to do anything halfway. “It started out like how you’re saying. I had a job and he had references, so I hired him. But things went south after that. He started asking me for more money, kept saying he needed cash if he was going to take care of my problem.”
“And did he? Take care of it, I mean.”
“Eventually.” She waves that away. “After he drained as much money from me as he could, and you know what I found out weeks later? I found out he’d finished almost as soon as I hired him, and the extra money was just to line his pockets, that thieving piece of shit.”
“Oh,” I say, blinking rapidly, trying to square the guy she’s describing with the War I know. And honestly, it doesn’t sound far off.
“He’s a conceited prick. He gets results, but who the fuck cares? There are a million people that can get stuff done, and most of them won’t screw you in the process. I bet you’re sitting there thinking you’re different, but I’m telling you, you’re not. Warren’s no good. Just run away.”
Already did that once. “What do you know about him? I mean, from before you two met and he started working for you?”
“Not a whole lot.” She purses her lips. “Comes from a good family. At least his name is good. People vouched for him. Like I said, he gets results, but he’ll make you bleed for it first.”
“Does he have any friends? Anyone else I can talk to?”
“Not that I know of.”
“You said he had references. Can I speak to them?”
“You can try, but I wouldn’t hold your breath. If they haven’t been burned by him yet, they will be.” She opens her purse and shoves her card at me. “Shoot me a text and when I dig up some names, I’ll pass them along, okay?”
“Great, thanks.” I shove the card into my pocket. “Can you tell me anything else?”
Sam stares at me for a long moment before she abruptly stands. “Warren is attractive. He’s smart, and he’s clever, and he’s going to make you feel like the sun revolves around you. Don’t fall for it. He’s a selfish, petty bastard. And now my conscience is clean.”
She turns and walks away. I watch her go, not sure what to make of that conversation at all, but I stay in my seat, completely disquieted. She seemed angry still, even after all this time, like the wounds are still fresh. Like the memory of Warren still haunts her. I can’t imagine it’s the money she cares about—six thousand dollars to a girl like that is nothing. But it’s the other stuff, the lying, the selfishness, the way he made her feel special.
She sounded like she loved him. For a little while, at least.
I’m not going to have that problem.
Love is the last thing I’ll ever associate with War.
Sam’s right, he’s a petty asshole, and he’s manipulative and controlling and maybe even a psychopath.
I should take her advice. Instead, I pull out my phone and send a text.
Up for another date?
War gets back right away. I didn’t know that was a date. I would’ve followed through with my kiss if I’d realized.
I smile despite myself. Even knowing he’s a liar and a fake, I can’t help myself. Too late for that. Missed your chance.
There’s always next time, he says, and I can picture him smiling down at his phone.
Come to the farm tomorrow afternoon. We’ll go for a hike and maybe you’ll get your do-over.
Chapter 6
Melody
I shade my eyes as I crest a hill and head into the scrubland surrounding the farm. The grazing lands stretch out around us and I angle toward a corpse of trees, a small wooded area that sits between our property and the bordering land.