Graham (Scandalous Boys Book 2) (6 page)

“Dude. That’s like completely fucked up.”

He nods. “Yup. So what’s your deal? Why did you ask me to come here with you?”

I shrug. “All my friends are off at college, and I’m trying to get this girl out of my head. I plan on hooking up with someone here. I asked you to come along because you seemed like the coolest person in our class.” Not a total lie. Dude obviously needs to get out more.

“I hate those classes. I shouldn’t be there. Before my worst mistake ever, I never touched a drop of alcohol. I went to parties—lots—and saw how stupid people got, so it never appealed to me. But that party was different. Elizabeth Dobbs walked in. I wanted that girl. But any time I went to talk to her I turned into a moron. One of my buddies—well, I thought he was. Anyway, he handed me a cup of alcohol and said it would help me talk to Liz.” He shakes his head. “Fucking judge was a total dickwad! His son lied on the stand and said I was always wasted. That it wasn’t the first time I was streaking through a neighborhood. After my sentence, that prick started dating Elizabeth.”

Fuck. No wonder he doesn’t open up in class. But I’m not about to shed light on the reason I’m in the classes. This night isn’t supposed to be about this depressing crap. It’s supposed to be about hooking up with a random chick and forgetting all about the past. That’s what I need. I chug the nasty club soda and slam the glass on the table. “I’m going to get us laid tonight, Justin. What do you say?”

“Uh … ”

“I’m taking that as a yes. Follow my lead.”

Chapter Eight

Sarah

Michelle gives me a wide smile first thing that evening. We’re both on the night shift tonight. I’m still recovering from the all-nighter I pulled for my biology exam this morning. As I reach the counter, I ask, “Why are you smiling at me like that?”

“Oh, your boy was in here yesterday. Holy hell, what a hot complication you have, missy.”

I shake my head. “He’s not mine. He doesn’t even want me. I think you’re confused.”

“Definitely not. He was looking for you.” She nudges me in the ribs. “Why do you think he’s not interested?”

Because he pushed me off of him after we started kissing. Told me to leave. But instead of giving her a replay of my rejection the other night, I just sigh. “It’s nothing.”

“Nothing, huh?”

“Yeah. So how was your date with that, um, one guy?”

She frowns. “He didn’t show.”

“Oh. That sucks.”

She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, well. Whatever. That’s what I get for doing the online dating crap. I swear this shit shouldn’t be so difficult. You see a person. You feel a connection. You go on a date. And it either leads to more, or it doesn’t. None of this, ‘Well, what religion are you?’ crap. Or, ‘You have a kid? How old?’ And, ‘Oh … well, what about his father? Is he going to hunt me down? Your kid isn’t going to call me
Dad
, is he?’ What kind of batshit crazy nonsense is that? I swear I should give up on men entirely.”

I smile. “You’ll get it right. Some day. We both will. But for now I totally feel you on giving up on them.”

“All the decent ones are gone by the time you hit my age. Plenty of fish in the sea my ass. You know what kind of fish are left in my sea? Fat men with thinning hair who have no idea what a belt is used for. And if they do, they don’t use them right because I’m getting flashed butt crack at least ten times a day. Then you have the ones who have failed at life. Not that I’m doing much better working here, but at least I’m making close to twenty an hour. These fools don’t have jobs, still live with their moms, and are looking for a replacement. Um. No. I have my own child to raise, thank you.”

I cringe.

“Shallow waters, chica. Real shallow.”

I can’t complain. I haven’t been trolling for a hookup or a boyfriend since I started college. Sure, guys have asked me out. But I only said yes to two guys. And I ended both after the second or third date. Not trying to be a bitch, I just can’t fall back into my old habits. My old self is never making an appearance ever again. Besides, once the guys figure out who I am, they either curse me out for my parents losing their families a fortune, or they start treating me like a criminal. I had one guy ask for his pen back in class. Claimed it was his favorite. I handed it over, and he snatched it away as if I were trying to keep it.

It’s just … Well … It sucks, okay? It royally freaking sucks to be labeled. And I guess this is karma getting back at me for being a total bitch to everyone on the planet until I turned nineteen. And I’ve accepted this, but it still hurts.

Michelle snaps her fingers in front of my face. “Helllllllloooo! Earth to Sarah Bells! What has you so deep in thought?”

I shrug. “Same usual crap, I guess. School and family.”

“I told you, Sarah, you aren’t your parents. Let that shit go, girl. You are you, and as long as you stick to your path, you’ll be fine. Those dumb reporters don’t keep calling you, do they?”

I nod. It’s been a year, but I don’t think it will ever end.

She pulls me into a hug. “You’ll be okay, Sarah. You’re stronger than you think. And don’t worry, everything will turn out as it should.”

“Thanks, Michelle.”

***

My shift is ending. I just want to go home, snuggle up against the couch, and watch some
Supernatural
.

My phone dings.

Tucker: Morning beautiful.

Me: Morning.

Tucker: Would you like to grab a coffee with me?

Me: I’m actually getting off work right now and was heading to bed.

Tucker: Oh. Well, how about a rain check. Say lunch-dinner later?

I should say yes. I should. But this will just lead to failure. Once he figures my whole story out, boom, he’ll be gone just like the rest. There was only one person who actually knew and didn’t give a shit about what my parents had done. He saw me for me, not the by-product of them. And I had to ruin it by convincing myself that I was only here temporarily—there was no reason to get attached. But I could see the things I did to get him to leave weren’t working. So I made out with a guy gunning for his spot on the baseball team, his basic archenemy, and told myself it was to save him from me hurting him. But I ended up screwing us both over, because I can’t seem to get him out of my head and he hates me.

Me: Maybe later. Sorry, I really need to stay in tonight.

Tucker: That’s cool. Call me when you wake up later.

Me: Okay.

Michelle walks over to me right as I’m punching out and says, “You look … confused. Are you okay?”

“I’m exhausted. I just want to go to bed.”

She shrugs. “Okay. But here comes Mr. Complication.”

I turn and watch as Graham walks in with some girl who has short hair and a crap-ton of piercings and tats. My heart plummets with every little detail I witness. From the way he holds her hand, to the way he lowers his lips to her ear and whispers something. My stomach instantly clenches.

Michelle grumbles next to me, “What the hell is this?”

I give her a scathing look and answer, “That would be the reason I said he doesn’t like me.”

Michelle frowns and tries to pull me into a hug, but I step away and hurry off to the parking lot. I will not let him or anyone here see me cry. Upon my exit, I accidently slam into a couple strolling through the entrance. “Sorry,” I mutter.

Some guy looks down at me and says, “No worries. You okay?”

“Fine. Sorry again.”

I start to move around but freeze the moment he shouts, “Hey, Graham, wait up.”

I think all the blood in my body instantly drains. I turn and notice the guy pull a giggling girl closer to his side as they walk over to Graham and his new lady friend.

Two can play this game.

Me: You know what? I’d love a cup of coffee.

Tucker: Oh, okay. Where are you at? I’ll come pick you up.

Me: That would be great.

I type in the address and wait only a few minutes. In fact, as I’m meeting Tucker in the parking lot at seven in the morning, Graham, his date, his friend, and the other girl with them are all walking out of the store with a bag full of what’s probably condoms. I throw my arms around Tucker as he gets out of his car and kiss his cheek. “Hi,” I giggle.

“Hey. Wow. If I knew you’d be this excited about coffee I would have asked you out sooner.”

I playfully smack his chest. “Oh, stop.”

He smiles. “Um. Okay.” He walks around his car, and I follow. I glance behind me and notice Graham has stopped walking. His stare is on me, and man, is it a deadly one. Good. That’s what you get for rejecting me and then bringing your next conquest to the place I work. Asshole.

Chapter Nine

Graham

I knew coming to her work was a mistake. Justin insisted on getting some stuff though, and he’s been pretty cool to hang with, so what was the worst that could happen? Apparently, seeing Sarah throw herself at some fuckstick.

She giggles and kisses him, and I just watch. My blood is boiling. I flex my fingers into fists and somehow gain control of myself. She’s just doing this to piss me off.

Her body pulls back a little, and I get a real good look at the dude she’s clinging to. My gut twists. Something isn’t right about this. That guy looks way too familiar. I need to let her ass go, though. I can’t get jealous and pissed off at every guy who tries to date her. She’s not mine to worry about.

Besides, I’ve got someone in the car who’s going to help me forget all about Sarah. There is something about that guy that bothers me, though. I just can’t place my finger on it. I snap a picture of him and send it to Bryce.

Me: Why do I feel like I know him?

Bryce doesn’t write back, not that I expect him to. It is Saturday and seven in the morning.

I slip into my car. Justin laughs at something and then smacks my shoulder. “You aren’t laughing, man.”

“Sorry. I wasn’t listening.”

“Dude, you’ve been acting weird ever since we walked into that store. You all right?”

“My ex works there.”

He nods. “Gotcha.”

Why would Sarah kiss me and look so hurt if she’s dating some asshat? Was she looking to cheat on him with me?

My phone pings right as I pull up to the lake. I glance down and see Bryce’s message.

Bryce: That’s Tucker Adams.

The knot in my stomach tightens. Fuck! He’s a bigger player than Madison’s brother Kyle. I should let her get played. Let her fall for all his stupid games and then—wham—have to nurse a broken heart. It would serve her right for cheating on me.

As Jasmine’s tongue rakes across my ear, my mind isn’t focused on how good it feels. Nope, it’s worried about Sarah. “I gotta go.”

Justin gives me a look like I’m out of my fucking mind. Honestly, I must be. “What do you mean?” he asks as Jasmine’s friend straddles his lap.

I unhinge Jasmine from my neck and stand up. Her lower lip sticks out, and that just makes me roll my eyes. It’s not cute. It makes her look like a baby, and I’m not hooking up with a child. I only hook up with women, so that pouty lip right there resolves my decision to cut my ties right now. “My friend needs me,” I say and make my way to my car.

Justin shrugs. “All right, man.”

Jasmine scowls. She grabs Justin’s date, whose name I’ve forgotten, and pulls her into the backseat of my car.

Justin slides into the passenger seat, and right as I’m about to start the engine, Jasmine purrs, “I hope whoever you’re ditching me for is up for stuff like this.” I glance in the rearview mirror and watch as Jasmine makes out with her friend.

Justin smacks my chest and says, “Oh, damn!”

I shoot a glare at him and then start the engine. The chick-on-chick action is doing nothing for me. That right there, my friends, tells you how screwed I am when it comes to Sarah Morris. I’m supposed to be forgetting all about her, but instead I’m going to go out on a manhunt and look for the girl.

Jasmine says, “I hope the image of me and Alice is in your head all day.”

It won’t be. Because they both have the wrong hair color, eye color, and height to be what will be on my mind all day. But Justin whistles from the passenger seat. “It’ll be on my mind all day.”

As soon as I drop the girls and Justin off at his house, I head to every place in town that is open. Assuming they still stayed in town. Crap, if they went to Nashville, I am royally screwed.

I try to keep a positive frame of mind though and stop at all the diners. No luck. I head to the Starbucks—nope, they aren’t there either. I’m about to give up when I spot the Tick-Tock Coffee Shop.

Pulling into a parking space, I sigh. “Please be here.”

I step inside the rustic joint. Relief washes over me once I spot her red hair. But it doesn’t stay when I see her eyes dancing with amusement. As I stalk up to the table, her giggle fills the air then all of a sudden it stops. “What are you—”

“We need to talk,” I interrupt her. “Right now.”

The fucker named Tucker tries to block me from getting her out of the booth. “Whoa, buddy, we’re in the middle of a conversation. And I’m pretty sure she can make up her own mind about whether she wants to talk with you or not.”

I push his arm away. “No one gives a fuck dude,” I snap. “Sarah, this is urgent.”

She folds her arms and raises a brow. “Is it?”

“Um, yes. Very.”

Tucker stands up. “Look, man, she obviously doesn’t want to go with you, so get lost.”

“Why don’t you sit back down before I beat you back into that fucking seat?”

Sarah growls. “Oh my God. This is ridiculous. I’ll be right back. I’m so sorry.”

Her fingers wrap around my bicep, and tingles rush along my skin from head to toe. My pulse quickens, and I hate it. My body wants her, but I can’t. She screwed me over, and I won’t give her the chance to do it again.