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“And why not?” she argued. “It couldn’t hurt to at least give him a second chance to make a first impression, could it?”
“I suppose not,” I agreed. “I mean, what’s the worst thing that could happen?”
“Other than he ends up killing you in a psychopathic rage, or you fall in love with him? Definitely worth the risk,” she advised.
“You’re weird,” I said.
“True, and that’s what you said about him.”
“I guess I did, didn’t I?”
“And look how much you love me,” she said. “Just do it already.”
“Only because you insisted,” I said.
“Yeah, whatever. The kid’s hot and you’re horny.”
“And you talk like a guy, Marla.”
“Maybe, but how far did that get me in convincing you to choose me?” she stated.
I laughed at her comment. We had a history, but we’d never connected that way. She was the one friend that Alan and I had shared who actually liked me more than him. That in itself was a rarity. Marla had been there for me when Alan left and she stood by me while I faltered at getting my life started again.
“I love you too much to ruin what we have, sweetie,” I replied.
“Just call the kid.”
“Okay. I heard you.”
“Tomorrow, Cole,” she insisted. “Tomorrow!”
“Yes, Mom.”
“And… who knows?” she asked, an eerie tone in her voice. “Maybe Jack actually did send him.”
“Stop,” I insisted, wondering the exact same damn thing.
CHAPTER NINE: Chad
“Where you off to, son?” Dad asked when he saw me clothed in something other than board shorts and a tank top.
I was in my head while I filled my water bottle and checked the fridge for something to eat before my trip to town. After pulling my head out of the fridge, Dad was still staring at me, waiting for an answer.
“Sorry, Pops. What’d you say? Lot on my brain this morning.”
“I asked where you were heading,” he said. “You have the Jeep keys,” he added, gesturing to my hand. “You going out?”
I grabbed a fork on my way to the kitchen island where he was seated, last night’s leftovers in my hand. “Going to see about getting my valet job back.”
He glanced at his watch, nose pinched up in displeasure. “Leftover Pad Thai at nine A.M.?”
“Even better,” I muttered with a mouthful. “No time to waste in case my boss hires some other college kid.”
“How about you go over to Cole Hicks’ house and apologize instead?”
I lifted my head so I could share a proper glare. “Apologize for what?”
Dad’s disappointment was evident as he shook his head, the corners of his mouth pinched. “For being unprofessional. How about that, for starters?”
