My head is spinning from him saying I’m his girl. I’m chalking it all up to two men who were having a cock fight. Too much testosterone for one room. Luke’s favorite thing to do is to get under people’s skin. I mean, I can understand that, but with people who have it coming. Not innocent bystanders just because.
Joey steps back into the office a little later.
“I’m sorry,” I say instantly. “I don’t understand Luke. He’s not my boyfriend.” Hell, he’s not a boy at all, and we’re not friends.
“He does what he wants.” Joey doesn’t lean on the desk this time. Instead, he drops down into one of the worn chairs in front of it. “You need to be careful with him.” He’s trying to warn me.
“Oh, I know, but I can’t really escape him. As you said, no one can control him.”
As pissed off as it makes me that Luke does whatever he wants to, I have respect for it to a degree. He’s not doing things to fit in or letting anyone push him around. He really doesn’t give a crap what anyone thinks of him.
Which is kind of an issue. You should care what the people around you think if you want to be in their lives.
“There are lots of rumors that run rampant. If you stay close to him, it’s going to pull your name into it.”
“Ruin my rep?” I ask with a laugh, and Joey nods. “I’m not worried about that. I’m not from his world, and the town isn’t mine either.” I get to walk away come summer. That said, I don’t want my reputation to affect my sister’s. She’s the only reason I don’t rock the boat too much. People in this school should be grateful for that.
“Did something happen between the two of you last night?” Joey asks. Not sure he should be asking me that, but he’s only a few years older than me.
“A drunk kiss.” I leave out the dead body that hasn’t been reported missing. Do they have to wait a time period? I suppose it depends on who it was. I really hope it wasn’t a student.
“He gets around.” Joey stands back up.
“I’ve heard,” I tell him. “But thanks for the reminder.” I did need it. The man banged Lana and treats her like shit. I need to keep reminding myself that I’m new here and a challenge to Luke. Once he gets what he wants from me, he’ll grow disinterested. The same way I’m sure he does with every girl.
“If you ever need anyone to talk to, I’m here. We come from the same kind of background, and I might understand you better than others.”
“Thanks,” I tell him, knowing I won’t take him up on the offer. He’s being kind. It’s who Joey is, but I can’t talk to anyone about it because I don’t know what the hell is happening. I have to process my own shit with Luke, especially since our recentargument has left me feeling confused and overwhelmed with all of this.
I manage to push all of my thoughts to the back of my mind and get to work organizing. I need to get everything in order, and then I can really dig in. That’s how I spend most of my shift. When Joe Sr. comes in around noon, he and I go over a few of my ideas for what a work schedule will really look like for me. It’s more about the office stuff than anything.
We work out a set amount of hours I’ll do each week. He doesn’t care when I work, as long as I can handle the paperwork in a timely fashion. It’s all easy enough.
I clean up my desk a little before one and pack up my stuff. The office closes at noon on Saturday, but they are still working in the shop. I tell everyone bye before I head out. When I step out onto the sidewalk, I see Luke across the street.
Has he been there the whole time?Okay, Madeline, get over yourself. He hasn’t been sitting out there all this time waiting for you.Luke stands up from the bench, putting his phone into his pocket before he crosses the street toward me.
“How was work, Buttercup?”
“What is with this nickname? I mean, I know butter is life and all but…”
“Rolls off the tongue.” He runs his along the top of his teeth. Even his stupid smile is perfect. Gah, kill me now. Why are the assholes always so irresistible?
“Why don’t you let it roll off the tongue? Why did you want to meet up after I got off work?”
“Are you really working at that place?” Why is he stuck on this? Then it hits me.
“You really are an asshole, you know that?” I spin around, taking off without him. I’m a little surprised when he doesn’t chase after me, but then he proves me wrong.
“Madeline!” he calls after me, and then I hear his long strides, and within a second, he’s next to me. “Stop,” he orders, grabbing my arm gently, keeping in step with me. “Please,” he says, causing me to stop.
“My dad was a mechanic.”
“Fuck me.” He runs a hand down his face; when it falls away, he generally appears regretful. “I was running my mouth because I was pissed about the Joey kid.”
“Kid?” I say in a bark of surprised laughter. “Are you jealous?” I thought he was being his normal asshole self, trying to get under my skin.
“I don’t know what I am, Madeline.”
