Page 11 of The King Contract
“I hate that version of myself,” she groans.
“I see you’re going to be a fat load of help today.”
“Don’t be mean to me. My mum died.”
“That excuse has officially expired.” I smirk at her annoyed expression. “Plus, I’ve gottwodead biological parentsanda deceased surrogate parent, so I’m going to win every time. Now, could you please restock the napkins behind the counter while I take care of everything else?” I wait for her to snipe at me, but I don’t think she’s listening. “Ellis? You’re not going to be sick, are you?”
Ellis turns to me with a grin. “No, but you might be.”
“Why?”
Ellis tilts her head to the entrance. “Because Noah King just walked in.”
5
NOAH
I’ve got a proposal for you
Millie’s big,brown eyes widen as she drinks me in, her mouth parting in surprise.
When she’s not standing on a cliff-edge or soaked through from the ocean, she looks different. Curls pile atop her head, flyaway hairs sticking out of a burnt orange headband. My gaze travels down her legs, across denim shorts showcasing the definition in her thighs, to her spotless white sneakers. If we hadn’t traded verbal blows with one another yesterday, I might find myself speechless from her cuteness.
Next to me, tension rolls off Dan’s shoulders.
“You didn’t have to come,” I remind him.
“Bullshit,” Dan spits. “You need a full-time buffer to stop you putting your foot in your giant mouth.”
Dan knows me better than I know myself. He can tell what I’m thinking before I’ve even registered what’s happening. Sometimes I wonder how different recent events would’ve played out if I’d listened to him sooner. He’s nearly always right and the fact he’s not thrilled about me showing up to talk to Millie should make me second guess my decision to come here.
But something about this idea of Mack’s I can’t shake. It’s played on my mind since he suggested it yesterday and I went to bed stewing on the concept, wondering if there was some sense to his madness.
Despite me ducking home to Australia, the chatter about my debauched antics hasn’t simmered down. I thought if I disappeared for a while, the press would find something else to talk about, but instead, people are making up whatever they feel like. As my recently reinstated manager and agent (I fired him temporarily whilst drunk), Mack has pointed out I don’t have the luxury of time. Gossip about my partying antics won’t fade before the surf season picks up again unless I do something drastic.
According to my late-night internet stalking, the blonde woman next to Millie is Ellis, Millie’s cousin. She attended St. Xavier’s, but was a year above us. I don’t remember much about her, other than when she punched the bully who picked on Millie. Ellis’s social media isn’t on private, so I gained a lot of information on Millie without really trying.
Ellis’s captions and photos on her social media consistently describe Millie as selfless, kind, funny and hardworking, helping Ellis navigate the death of her mother. Ellis post from this morning was of Millie’s smiling face, hair drenched and water droplets dotting her face from our encounter yesterday. The caption read:Drowning in whiskey while this bitch was actually drowning. The best thing in my life. After my dog. ILY @millieschofield
Sure, the view could be biased, but I think it’s safe to say Millie is a genuinely good person, despite how she might feel towards me.
Millie’s eyes narrow with suspicion as she makes her way across the room, her gaze darting to Dan before landing back on me. “Two times in two days?”
I grin. “Some might say you’re a lucky gal.”
“Some might say you’re presumptuous.”
Touché. I should’ve known that was coming. “Millie, this is my best mate, Dan.”
Dan reaches out a hand and Millie shakes it. “Hi, Dan. I’m thrilled to learn Noah has friends, but what are you both doing here?”
She’s caught off-guard by our presence and the flush of her cheeks gives me hope she’s not immune to my smooth-talking.
“I came to check how you were doing,” I explain. “After yesterday.”
She folds her arms. “I’m fine, thanks.”
And still pissed. She’s hot when she’s pissed.
