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13
Who Are You?
PARKER
It’s my first day at Gulliver Books and I’m right on time. I run my palm against the flat surface of my small desk that’s wedged in a cubicle.
In front of me, there are five other rows of people that are now my co-workers until the end of Spring.
I don’t really know any of their names except for, June, the girl across from me. She has gorgeous chestnut brown skin with curls that frame her face and saucer-sized green eyes with a spray of freckles across her button nose.
Since I had expressed my interest in learning every aspect of publishing, Rose decided that I should start with reading manuscripts. I have two manuscripts to work with for today. Each manuscript is thirty pages long, no more, no less.
The first story is a historical romance. I’m into the first six pages of the book when my phone starts buzzing on the desk and I stare down at the screen to an unknown caller ID pop up. Last time, I was with Hudson and I couldn’t answer it, but now I can’t possibly pass up the chance again.
Bending my head forward I answer the call and press the phone to my ear.
“Good girl.” I’m confident that it’s the same woman from the last phone call when I was in Mastic Beach.
I decide to stay silent.
“You’re smart. I was sure that you’d want to know more from our last conversation,” she says.
My heart starts to beat faster. Do I want to know more? I’m not so sure. She could be any random person.Maybe a bitter ex-girlfriend,I think to calm myself the hell down. I mean anyone who dated Hudson would feel bitter or devastated about the breakup. I know I felt like crap.
“Not going to talk? That’s fine, I can do all the talking,” she says. “Do you really know who Hudson is? Well, I’ll tell you. He did a lot of bad things and I really want you to know, only if you’re willing to listen and believe me.”
“Who are you?” I ask in a hushed voice. “I don’t want to know anything.”
I know it’s a crazy thing to say, but did I really want to know what Hudson did? No. And what’s the worst he could have done, anyway? Except be an asshole occasionally.
“I’m simply an onlooker,” she says. “Do you really want to love someone blindly? I thought you were smart, Parker.”
Before I can respond, the line goes cold and I stare at the screen dumbfounded for a few seconds. When I look up, I see June analyzing me. Her round wire-framed reading glass sits on the bridge of her nose.
“Are you okay?” she asks.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”Lie, lie, lie,I scold myself.
She shrugs. “Maybe I can’t read people too well, but you look a little pale.”
“I’m fine,” I assure her. “It’s just that this weird unknown caller continues to call me.”
“Do you want me to answer it next time?” She sincerely offers. “Because no one should be harassed, especially by a coward who hides behind a phone screen.”
This makes me smile. “I’d love to take you up on that offer, thanks. But I couldn’t burden you. I’m sure it will stop anyway.”Hopefully,I gulped.
June waves her hand like it’s no big deal. “Please, trust me, I look for a reason to randomly scare the crap out of people. Some people can be total assholes and need to know when to shut the hell up.”
“I will remember that for any future troubles,” I tell her.
My phone buzzes and thankfully it’s just a text from Hudson.
I slide the screen open and go into his chat.
Hey, would you want to go out with me tonight?—H
On a proper date that is,he adds a minute later.
