Page 6 of Blindside Beauty


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He shrugs. Then, finally, nods. “Yeah.” He holds out his hands. “I know that sounds terrible, but I want to make it up to you. Come with me to my tryouts, and I’ll pay you. I know you need money for that European trip you want to take. Your mom told my parents.”

Is nothing sacred? I love my mom, but she blabs way too much. “Ezra, let me make this really crystal clear for you. I fucking hate you. You ruined my life! I never want to see you again.”

His eyes go dark. “Don’t be so goddamn dramatic. You’re being such a bitch. You were nothing when we started dating, just a little nerd with too much time on her hands. The only social life you’ve ever had is because of me.”

My chest constricts. What did I see in this man? And why the hell am I sitting here listening to this crap?

As I slam my door, I hear someone yell at Ezra, but I can’t make out what he says, and I’m not sticking around to figure it out. I throw my car into reverse and back out fast—way too fast. I don’t realize there’s a dark SUV parked behind me at a weird angle until I clip it and take off their front bumper.

Holy crap.

You’d think my night couldn’t get any worse.

I roll down my passenger window and lean over to get a better look. Damn, there’s a couple in the other vehicle. Not that I was going to just drive off, but I would’ve preferred writing an apology note with my phone number rather than have two other people witness me freaking out at my ex.

Awkwardly, my driver’s window is right next to the other driver, and based on the fact that a disheveled girl is sitting in the lap of some jock, I put two and two together and realize I’ve just interrupted their hookup.

“Sorry!” I wave helplessly. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your… your… sexy time.”

Sexy time? Really, Abigail?

The woman sticks her head out of the window and screams down at me, “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

I flinch, and it takes everything in me not to sink to the floorboards when I realize she seems familiar. “I’m so sor—”

“Have you ever tried using a rearview mirror? I’m calling the cops.”

“Larissa, calm down,” a deep voice says.

“Calm down? She ran into you!” A minute later, she hops out of the other side of the vehicle and yells, “Your bumper is on the ground!”

My tongue feels thick in my mouth, and I’m suddenly sweating. I want to explain I didn’t see their car because it’s really dark and they were parked at a bad angle, but I can’t seem to spit out any words. I wring my hands, hating how I get tongue-tied when people yell at me.

Ezra starts laughing and calls me a cockblocker and asks “Douche McLoser” if he always gets laid in dark parking lots. Leave it to my ex to make everything worse. I swear I never saw this side of him before I moved to Charming.

That’s when I finally get a good look at this woman’s date. Dark hair, chiseled cheekbones, and a beautiful rugged jaw.

I close my eyes.

The universe hates me.

Because Nick Silva’s glaring at me from the front seat.

I rest my forehead on my steering wheel and try to hold back my tears.

But it doesn’t take a genius to figure out he won’t be calling to follow up on my interview.

I just lost my chance to be a nanny.

1

NICK

JUNE

Sometimes I can’t get over how different Charming is from Dallas. It’s still Texas, but somehow worlds apart.

Although Charming has all the trappings of a big college town, with dozens of bars and coffee shops downtown lined up along cobblestone streets, it’s quaint as hell. Locals tell you ‘howdy’ and call you ‘sir’ or ‘ma’am.’ There’s a farmers’ market on every corner in the spring and summer. And the baristas always remember your name and order.