AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Why would you be worried?” I forced a grin on my face. “But I mean—wouldn’t it be better to have me there, just to put a face to the stories?”
Pathetic.
Piper threw more and more glances over her shoulder like I was a puppy that couldn’t be left alone for more than an hour. She twisted her hands. “I—I haven’t told them about…um…”
“About what?”
“About the…whole…thing?”
She hasn’t told her parents anything about me?
“I just broke up with a football player and now…” The elevator doors opened, and slowly, she walked inside. “They’re academics and I love them—but they can be…they wouldn’t understand about the…babysitting thing.”
I drew in a slow breath. She hadn’t told her parents at all. Because that’s what I was, the big, embarrassing dude who made a scene everywhere he went, not suitable for general audiences, and definitely not someone you bring to meet mom and dad. It’s why she kept her socials on private. It’s why she stayed out of every picture.
Piper held her arm out, holding the doors open. “You’re going to be okay, right?”
She’s asking if you can remember to shut off the stove after you use it.
“All great,” I assured her, hoping my expression didn’t betray anything. “Have fun.”
What the hell am I supposed to do while you’re gone?
“Thank you, Adam.” She sighed with relief again. “Don’t forget the interview!”
The doors shut with finality and I stared at them, still in that incredibly awkward position. I brought my hand away from the wall, thinking it over. I had a free day. A totally free day. I could do anything I wanted. And Hebe was right, I hadn’t thrown a party in ages.
Fuck it. Let’s party.
I scrolled through the contacts on my phone and started creating a mass message. Piper’s parents would get to see the deluxe package.
Slowly, I lowered my phone.
I didn’t want to throw a party. I didn’t even want the free day.
Piper’s words rang in my head. Her parents were academics and they wouldn’t understand me, the big clown. I wanted them to see more than that.
In an instant, I pulled up Cleo’s number.
“Adam,” Cleo said with a sigh. “What’s this I hear about Ruthless being signed up for clown college?”
“Jesus Christ, don’t call him Ruthless,” I muttered. “It’s Elijah Contractor. He’s got a big enough ego already.” My voice dropped. “Who the hell decided to call him Ruthless anyway? They should called him Useless.”
“A hockey player from Louisiana called him Bitchless and Elijah wore a shirt with the guy’s face on it, captioned my bitch,” Cleo answered automatically. “What would you call that?”
“I’d call him a snitch for one.”
“Uh-huh. Adam, he didn’t tell me you signed him up for clown college.”
I frowned. “What? But you just said—”
“No, I just found out someone did, and it took one guess for who did it. You. But I couldn’t confirm it until you told me. Thank you for confirming my suspicions.”
Goddammit. Got me.
“Contractor annoys the shit out of me,” I complained. “And Sloane needs to get a restraining order.”
“The only reason you don’t like him is because of the Marrs Manwhore hoodie,” she pointed out. “And Sloane hasn’t filed any kind of complaint and she even helped with—never mind—Adam, what do you want? Make it quick, I have a meeting.”
