AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Whatever you say, you can say in front of Ariel. We have no secrets from each other.”
Startled, I frowned up at him, wondering where he was going with this.
“Oh, well, I just wanted to see if you were free this week to go over the orders for the soccer team.”
“Sure. Just let me know when the committee wants to meet.”
She waved him off. “We don’t need everyone there. I’m sure the two of us can go through the orders.”
“The rules state that at least three committee members need to sign off on any purchases. And I’m not officially part of the committee, so I’ll be useless to you. But let me know when the meeting is on and I’ll be there.” He gave her an apologetic smile and turned us back around. “I’ll see you next week.”
Jude hastened his steps and ushered me into his truck, which Lenny had been waiting in front of. After removing balled-up food wrappers and empty soda containers, we squeezed onto the bench seat. Jude didn’t waste any time getting out of the parking lot.
Adjusting my position so I wasn’t pressed up against him, I leaned back into the seat. “Where’s the fire?”
“She’s been trying to start something since I first talked to her. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to miss out on Sibyl’s cupcakes because Chantal can’t keep her hands to herself.”
I finally got his sudden attentiveness. It was all for show to discourage Chantal. I pushed the disappointment at the realization aside. “Happy to be of service.”
“I’ll buy you dinner for a week if you don’t tell anyone that we’re not really together. They all think we’ve got something going on anyway. And after tonight, they’ll have confirmation.”
Lenny lifted his head, frowning. “Are you together now?”
Patting Lenny’s hand that was resting on the seat, I shook my head. “No, honey, we’re not. Jude just hasn’t found his big boy pants and needs me to help him before the big bad lady eats him up.”
Lenny looked more confused than before. But the phone called his attention once again, and he turned back to the screen with a shrug. I’d gotten it for him a year ago when I was out of the apartment more and more. I wanted him to have a way to contact me. I also made him check in with me throughout the day.
Pouting, Jude flicked my ear. “Hey, I’m wearing big boy pants.”
I fought the urge to look at his pants that fit him like they were tailored. But nobody tailored their jeans. At least nobody I knew.
“Fine. I don’t ever talk to anyone anyway. It’s not like I’d accidentally tell the truth. So I guess I can pretend to be your girlfriend.”
I huffed in exaggeration, but the idea of being someone’s girlfriend, especially Jude’s, didn’t scare me as much as it used to.
Once we were back home, Jude walked us to our apartment, waiting until we’d gone inside and locked the door before going to his own place.
Lenny went to bed without complaining for once, leaving me to prepare for tonight. Because I had plans.
* * *
The house was dark, the car that had been in the driveway earlier gone. If the chatty neighbor I’d talked to that afternoon had been right, then the Baylors had a date night every Wednesday, which meant no interruptions.
Hefting the canvas bag back onto my shoulder, I crept around the house to the back door. Testing the handle, I found it unlocked. The back door was usually a safe bet since people barely ever locked it.
Loud shooting sounds came from the basement, and I carefully placed my feet on the wooden floors.
He wouldn’t know what hit him until it was too late. I vibrated with excitement. For once, I didn’t have to kill my target. Oh no, this time I had a different plan.
Creeping upstairs, I found his room, going straight to his computer. The dumbass used his own name as the password.
Going through his files, I couldn’t help but grin. There was so much here I could use. But where to start?
A test he cheated on? Good start.
Photos of him drinking and smoking? Even better.
And for the grand finale, I would use his email conversations with his even dumber friends on how they were going to drug a girl. This was really too easy.
