AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You have mutual friends, Junie? Who?” She darts me a sharp look.
“You know…” I need to stop saying that. “He knows people. Lots of people. He’s wheeling and dealing all the time and probably has a third of Kansas City in his contacts.”
“Yes, but who introduced you, honey?”
Crap.
“…I don’t think you know her, Nana.”
She looks almost as frustrated at the conversation as I am. “It was aher, was it?”
“I mean…” I am royally screwed now. “Oh look, my phone’s going off. Hang on, Nana, be right back.” Waving my totally silent phone at her, I rush upstairs into the spare room and throw myself on the bed.
What the hell is wrong with me?
This whole mess hinges on me persuading everyone we’re dating and I can’t even convince Nana and still sound like a normal human being.
Yikes.
Nana, whosedying wishprobably involves me finding a man to settle down with because she can’t wait for my wedding.
Frustrated, I pull up Dexter’s contact and fire off a quick message, my fingers shaking.
I don’t know if I can do this. Nana’s asking lots of questions and I don’t have answers. Sorry I suck.
I toss my phone aside and stare up at the pale peach-pink ceiling.
Nana’s favorite color. Her whole existence is a splash of sunshine, and she’s worked her butt off for every ray.
Coming to her house feels like I’ve gone back in time forty years to the days when she was in her prime, basking in a happy, well-lived life.
Usually, that’s a good thing, but today it just makes me think of Jake.
You mean she’s finally entered the twenty-first century on some dude’s dime? Let me know the next time Big Fish comes in so I can shake his hand.
Groaning, I roll over and bury my face in the pillow.
I’m a laughingstock among the kids on staff.
Who else is laughing behind my back?
Who else will look at me and think Dexter Rory deserves better… besideseveryone?
To my surprise, my phone buzzes for real now. Twice.
Grabbing it, I peer at the screen to see Big Fish on the call screen. Yes, I’m guilty of using that stupid nickname in my contacts.
I swipe the green icon in a haze.
“Um, hello?” I say, slightly breathless even though I’ve been running approximately nowhere. “Who calls first these days?”
“It’s faster than texting,” he rumbles, also slightly winded. Though from the sound in the background, he’s probably using one of those treadmills I saw in his gym.
Does this man ever take a day off?
“What’s the problem?” he growls.
“Itoldyou. In a message. Like normal people.”
