Seriously?
“They do have these things calledface masksthat can help block odors.” I can’t help my tone. Not whenI’mbeing ganged up on, despite the fact thatmycar was the one taken without permission.
How does my sister respond? By practically chucking my spare set of keys at me before she storms out of the room, screaming that I “just don’t get it!”
Of course, my father comes in only at the tail end of the conversation, and I’m rewarded with another reproachful look, as ifIam, indeed, the bad guy here.
Super.
CHAPTER 14
I LOOK SO GOOD (WITHOUT YOU)
PRESENT
“‘Annoyingyou now is just an added benefit.’” I sneer Jase’s words under my breath, jamming a wad of fresh napkins into the dispenser so hard I’m surprised it doesn’t crack. “Yeah, well, you can go fuck a cactus for all I care. Or better yet, get fuckedbythe cactus.”
Thankfully, the restaurant’s counter is currently unoccupied, sparing me from having patrons overhear my internal Jase-fueled rant…that apparently isn’t so internal.
But Maggie’s still in earshot, because she returns with an empty tray in hand, her smile and voice as playful as a puppy. “Awww, sounds like someone’s gotten under your skin.”
“Yeah, like a massive-ass tick.”
“Oh, come on. Just admit it; you’re totally hate-crushing on him,” she coos.
“I’mwhat?”
Maggie rolls her eyes. “You know, when someone’s equally infuriating and hot that you can’t decide if you want to stab him in the eyes with a pencil or tear the clothes right off his body and fuck his brains out.”
I feign a gag.
“Oh please, if you aren’t fantasizing about riding him like he’s competing in the Kentucky Derby, why are you letting him get to you? Your sister’s been a total B-I-T-C-H, yethe’sthe one you’re fuming over.” She lifts a perfectly groomed eyebrow at me. “You wanna know why? Because there’s a reason apart from irritation as to why a certain someone’s got a hold on you.”
I scoff. “The man’s a selfish, shallow, egotistical asshole. I’d rather swim through the sewers than be stuck in the same room as him.”
“Anybody I might know?”
Maggie freezes, her gaze focusing behind me at the unexpected commentator, and I don’t need to turn around to know who it is.
“It wouldn’t surprise me,” I say sweetly, grabbing some silverware. “That’s your kind of company, isn’t it?”
“Are you always this charming with your customers?”
The rest of the empty napkin dispensers are stationed by the register, so I’m forced to meet Jase who’s now sitting at the counter, that infuriating smirk plastered to his face.
“You’re notmycustomer,” I clarify, giving him a stiff smile. “This isn’t my section. Nico handles the orders here at the bar.”
“Well, where might your section be situated?” I kid you not, the man actually bats his eyelashes at me.
The absurdity of such an expression coming fromhimis enough to make me laugh, but I manage to smother the sound as I drop out of view to grab more supplies from under the counter.
Only once I’ve wiped any semblance of a smile away do I stand back up. “I really don’t have time for this.”
“Forwhat? Serving me?”
“For dealing with whatever game you’re playing here.”
“I wasn’t aware that eating lunch was a form of passive-aggressive hostility.”
