AllFreeNovel
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River walks in, dressed head to toe in black. He points at me as he walks over to the couch.
“Easy. The lady is trying to tell you that you’re pushing her boundaries.”
Sav’s cheeks stain with red and she presses her lips together. “It’s fine.”
River sits down. “It’s basic decency.”
I cross my arms, feeling a little ganged up upon. “Here’s an idea. Why don’t you both go straight to hell?”
Sav’s eyes widen. She stands up, looking miffed.
“I should go.”
“What?” I ask, a little taken aback. “No, Sav. Come on.”
She smiles brightly, but her eyes show nothing but hurt. “I have to leave early to pick up Dex. My sister is in Garland overnight, chasing a story. So I’m in charge.”
“It’s only one o’clock!” I protest.
“Well, you’ll just have to dock my pay then.” Sav grabs her coat and hustles to the door. “I’ll see you later.”
She walks out the door without another word.
“It was nice to see you!” River calls out. If Sav hears him, she doesn’t respond.
The office door swings shut behind her and I shake my head.
“That girl is going to be the death of me.”
River snorts. “I give her two weeks, max.”
“Before what?”
“Before she gets sick of being told to go to hell!” He shakes his head in disbelief. “You seriously have to quit taking your moods out on her. What has she ever done to deserve it?”
His question gives me pause. “Nothing. I don’t talk to her differently than I do everyone else.”
He leans over and stabs a finger into my chest.
“No one likes to be talked down to, Cole. I can promise you that. Take my advice. Be nice to people that you want to keep around.”
When Sav’s car comes wheezing around the corner two hours later, I am parked outside of her house, waiting for her. She pulls up and Dexter flings his door open. He’s halfway across the broken concrete path that leads to the house by the time I climb out of my car.
Sav gets out, her arms full of Dex’s backpack and coat. She isn’t even looking my way and doesn’t notice me until I touch her elbow.
“Sav.”
She startles and drops the backpack on the ground. Then her heel catches on a strap and she trips.
I grab her by the back of her coat, holding her up until she can get her footing again.
Sav blinks a few times, and her cheeks go pink.
“Thanks… but what are you doing here?”
She politely plucks her coat from my hand and picks up the backpack. Her red plaid scarf falls to the ground and I retrieve it. Her mouth pulls to the side.
“Can you drape that around my neck?”
