Better Off Red (45 page)

“Mom?”

“No, Ginge. It’s me,” Dad said. “…Linda, I will. Sorry, your mother is trying to talk through my head…Linda, I’ll ask her…

Sorry. How you doing, sport?”

I looked over at Camila, completely confused about what to say. She just shrugged, the same shocked look on her face. “I-I’m fine. Um, are you and Mom…”

“We’re fine. Linda…Okay. Hold on. Your mom has to speak with you immediately.” There was a space filled with some affectionate arguing, before my mom came on the line.

“Gingey?”

“Hi, Mom,” I said, my voice shaking.

• 335 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Hi. Sorry we’re late calling. We were supposed to meet that Dalhem man last night, but I got the time mixed up. Anyway, everything’s all straightened out. Did you go by the post office yet?”

“No. Wait. Mom, what do you mean you were supposed to meet Dalhem last night? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. We were going to call you earlier, but we went into the city to meet the people we’re supposed to feed. We had to pick up Todd on the way, and then your father got lost on the way back and then there was traffic. It was a big mess. Anyway”—she sighed dramatically—“I don’t know when you’re coming home, but I’ll call the chancellor’s office this afternoon and we’ll withdraw you from your classes…Ginger, honey, what’s wrong?”

I seriously had to stop crying. “Nothing, Mom. I—”

Camila was nice enough to take the phone. She pulled me closer, wrapping her arm around my waist. I buried my face in her shoulder, sobbing like a baby.

“Hi, Mrs. Carmichael…Hi, Linda…No, she’s just a little overwhelmed at the moment.” Camila paused. She held the phone away from her ear as she playfully rolled her eyes. Then she said to me, “Your parents want to know what we’re doing for New Year’s.”

“Tell them we’ll be there,” I nearly shouted. And we would. I wanted my amazing, demon-wife to meet her new family.

• 336 •

About the Author

After years of meddling in her friends’ love lives, Rebekah turned to writing romance as a means to surviving a stressful professional life.

She has worked in various positions from library assistant, meter maid, middle school teacher, B-movie production assistant, reality show crew chauffeur, D-movie producer, and her most fulfilling job to date, lube and harness specialist at an erotic boutique in West Hollywood.

Her interests include Wonder Woman collectibles, cookies, James Taylor, quality hip-hop, football, American muscle cars, large breed dogs, and the ocean. When she’s not writing, reading, or sleeping, she is watching Ken Burns documentaries and cartoons or taking dance classes. If given the chance, she will cheat at UNO. She was raised in Southern New Hampshire and now lives in Southern California with an individual who is much more tech savvy than she will ever be.
Better Off Red
is her first novel.

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