“And what if they’re not a little masochist like you?”
Fuck me. He wasn’t supposed to know that about me. I gripped the bouquet hard enough I felt a thorn pressing against my finger. The biting pain grounded me. “Mind your business, Dallas Whynot. I’ve got to head back to the shop.” I needed to be anywhere but here, actually.
“I’ll see you around, Junebug.”
It was the most cursed nickname in the world. It used to be my favorite, especially coming from him. What used to be a source of comfort now felt like gasoline on an eternal flame.
“See you.”
His deep chuckle haunted me as I speed walked toward the gate, letting it swing shut behind me. I glanced both ways—I wasn’t trying to almost get run over again—then crossed the quiet street to Whynot Bloom.
My shop sat across from Avery’s gallery and the hotel, and was two doors down from Evie’s bakery. My personal little sliver of green paradise in the desert.
The only place that truly felt like home.
I unlocked the front door and slipped inside, immediately leaning back against the glass. Maybe it was just my lot in life to be cursed. Maybe this was karma for stepping on a bug by accident orsomething.I stayed in place until my heart rate dropped to normal and the sweat in my pits dried.
If only I didn’t want to sleep with my best friend’s older brother.
That would solve at leastoneof my problems.
CHAPTER FOUR
Madi
The first week of my great escape to Texas flew by, but I wasn’t certain I’d make it the next five.
“Fuck. Fuck this. Fuck.”
I stood on top of my mattress. Completely trapped. I was going to die here, wasn’t I?
I’d made a promise to myself about taking chances. No more hiding the real me.
I should have addednotletting my fear of bugs get the best of me.
Only scorpions weren’t just any type of bug. They were an abomination. Murderers with ugly lumpy tails and the eyes of demons. Why the fuck did Texas have so many bugs? And crawly things? And scary things withstingers?
A damned scorpion sat on top of my drawing tablet, unmoving. Watching and waiting to kill me.
Any time I moved, it raised its tail.
“Come on,” I whispered, stepping slowly to the right.
The bed creaked underfoot. The scorpion’s tail raised and itscurrieda couple inches to the left.Fuck.
Maybe this all had been a mistake. I’d finally recovered from my long drive and the embarrassment of almost running oversomeone. I’d spent most of the week hiding in the loft, which had almost everything I needed. I did have to emerge for food, but the restaurant downstairs was perfect.
Basically, I’d become a recluse over the last few days. I knew I needed to get out, but it had been nice to focus on art and rest. I still needed to deal with the car and either text Justin back or completely block him, but I’d really leaned into procrastinating about everything that didn’t involve me and my art.
It’d been nice.
But what wasn’t nice wasmurderous little creatures.
“Okay. Okay. We’re doing this. We’re going. We’re jumping. We’re gonna jump and get the fuck away from this thing.”
I screeched like a banshee as I launched myself off the bed, snatched my phone off the nightstand, and sprinted to the bathroom. The walls rattled as I slammed the door shut behind me.
Fuck that. A shiver rolled up my spine as I sank to the floor.
