Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 22019 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 110(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22019 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 110(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
“Make you look bad? I just wanted to relax–”
“Hello, ladies!”
I try not to visibly cringe at the sound of Mack’s dreadfully corny greeting. Anna looks up, all smiles, while I keep my eyes on the table. He sounds like either the most arrogant guy on the planet or someone who has studied how to be a pickup artist on YouTube.
“Hey, Mack,” Anna says. “This is my friend, Penelope, the one I was telling you about. Penelope, say hi to Mack.”
If I could jump across this table right now and throttle her, I would. Not really, of course. I love her too much. But she’s gonna see some serious payback for this one.
I force myself to face Mack. He looks like a lanky pretty-boy who just stepped out of an Urban Outfitters catalog. Totally not my type. However, I force myself to smile the fakest smile I’ve ever smiled in my life.
“Hi to Mack,” I say flatly.
Anna slaps me on the arm and laughs. “She’s being silly, Mack. Have a seat!”
The overwhelming scent of Axe cologne wafts into my nose as I shift to the left to make room in the booth for my new suitor.
Axe? Seriously?
“So how you two ladies doing tonight?” Mack asks, sounding like a frat boy getting ready to offer us spiked drinks.
“Well, Mack, I’m great,” Anna replies. “But my friend here, Penelope? She’s not doing so well.”
My stomach drops, and I do my best to shoot Anna a glare that won’t be picked up by Mack. It must be my waitress training, but I don’t want to be rude to some guy I’ve never met, despite the fact that he’s coming off like a sleazy salesman. Then again, people do always tell me I’m way too nice.
“Oh?” Mack grins, sliding his arm over the back of the booth behind me. “And why’s that?”
The scent of his cologne overpowers everything, invading my nose like a toxic gas. I can smell the stench of sweat from his pits beneath it. Did he even bother to shower this morning? Or did he just bathe himself in spray and think that would be all right?
I can’t take this any longer. I’m going to be physically sick.
“I have lethal COVID,” I say.
“Say what!?” Mack jumps out of his seat, looking like he’s about to sprint for the door.
“She’s kidding!” Anna quickly replies. “She doesn’t have ‘lethal COVID.’ She’s not even sick. That’s just her sense of humor.”
Mack looks back skeptically, takes a sip of his beer, then actually smiles approvingly at me. God, this guy must be horny. I can see the singular goal in his eyes. The goal of getting some.
“You know, I heard through the grapevine you had....unconventional tastes.” I cringe even harder. Is he serious right now? “I guess that extends to your sense of humor too, eh?”
“She sure is a kidder!” Anna assures him. Mack nods and sits back down. I down whatever’s left of my drink. God do I need it right now.
“So, Penelope. Why don’t I tell you a little about myself?” Oh, Lord, here we go. “As you know, my name’s Mack, I’m twenty-six, a Sagittarius, and I do drop-shipping online for a living.”
“That sounds great.” Anna nods.
“And unlike other men who are too pussy to go all the way—” My body goes tense. Where’s he going with this? “I absolutely love to eat the ass of a pretty girl such as yourself.”
Even Anna has to clasp her hands over her mouth to stop herself from bursting out laughing as Mack drops that bomb on us.
My jaw drops, but I don’t even try to hide it as I turn to look at him in bewilderment.How could he possibly think that was the right thing to say just now?
“Mack, let me tell you something,” I reply, nudging his leg with my knee, signaling to him to move so I can get up. He does. “My wonderful friend, Anna, here must not have told you that I’m actually a virgin.”
“Hey, nothing wrong with that–”
“And men like you are precisely why that is the case,” I snap back. I turn to Anna and toss her a twenty for my share of the drinks. “Tell Todd that if he wants to recommend a guy to me again, find The Tree Saw Killer. At least he’ll put me out of my misery.”
And with that, I spin on my uncomfortable heels that I broke out just for tonight and march out the door.
What an epic disaster.
Men. They think they know what you want, but they never truly do.
2
HAWK
ONE WEEK LATER…
A posse of girls in skirts and heels pass by as I sit in my truck. The one in the middle with the dress that barely covers her ass is wearing a crown and waving around a sparkler. All her friends are chanting, “Twenty-one! Twenty-one!”