Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 35763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 179(@200wpm)___ 143(@250wpm)___ 119(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 179(@200wpm)___ 143(@250wpm)___ 119(@300wpm)
“Hey,” I toss back.
“You didn’t Snap me.”
“I really don’t use the app,” I tell him.
Willa and I downloaded it because it had funny filters a few years ago. We played with it for a few months, then fell off and went back to normal texting. I find it strange he wants to Snap. I get it; everyone else does it, but I find it oddly sneaky that you want messages to disappear.
“Oh, you should have told me.” He pulls out his phone. Damn it. “We can text.” Derrick gives me a familiar smirk that all the girls in school recognize.
“I don’t know.”
“Come on.” He leans in closer. Thankfully, Mrs. Barnes enters the classroom, welcoming everyone back to school.
I sink down in my chair wishing I had West’s number. I wonder what he’s doing and how he feels about last night. He’d been protective over me when Rich was being hotheaded, but that could be his norm. In the kitchen the other day, he’d been pissed about us horsing around with a pot of hot marinara on the stove.
I really hope that it's more because I know that to me, it is.
Chapter Eleven
WEST
“You don’t look like shit, but you do look pissed.” Jack places a coffee down on my desk.
“I got sleep.” I give it to him, hoping he drops it there.
“Not in your bed.” Of course he noticed. Nosy bastard notices everything.
“Have my cameras or the shadow tags come yet?” I change the subject, not entertaining him. It takes an additional day to deliver items to the island. I’ll have to find a solution to that.
“What are you trying to find?” Jack leans over to see my screen, and I shut it. “Was that the Lighthouse High School website?”
“Is there something you need?”
A slow smile spreads across Jack’s face.
“I’m going to strangle you with your stupid bow tie.” We’re on an island and barely go anywhere, and he’s still wearing it every day.
“Don’t be cruel.” Jack pretends to straighten it. “You’re just mad I can pull one off while you’d only look like an overgrown cat that can't stay out of the treats and your collar is now too tight, if you wore one.”
“Sorry,” I say dryly.
“Drink your coffee.” He moves it closer to me. “Now tell me what you want to know about the school.”
“I wasn’t aware it started today.”
“I put it in the notes.” Jack has a tab that keeps daily notes on things he thinks I might want to know. I scroll through them at night, but I was busy last night.
“Must have missed it.”
"That can happen when you're cuddling on a sofa with a pretty girl asleep."
“You saw us.”
“I make sure the house is shut down each night.” I lean back in my chair, running my hand down my face.
“It’s fucked up.”
“It is. When did you start watching reality TV? I’ve been trying for ages for you to watch Big Brother with me.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I know.” Jack sits down in one of the chairs in front of my desk. “You can fight it or go with it.” Why is he making this easy for me? He should be trying to sway me to leave her alone, not encouraging me.
“She’s in fucking high school,” I remind him.
“I know, and it lets out at two.” Of course that fucker knew what I was searching for on the website.
“It’s wrong, and you know it.”
“What I know is that in all the time we have worked together, you have never dated or entertained a woman before, and some have tried.”
“No one tried.” I don’t know what he’s talking about.
“You don’t recall Rebecca Simms?”
“I remember her. She came up with some of the tech I used in the shadow tags.”
“That’s what you remember?”
“Those shadow tags are some of my best work.” How could I forget that?
“But you don’t recall her fawning all over you? Asking you to get dinner?”
“No.” I try to think back, but I couldn't even tell you her hair color. A blonde? No, maybe her hair was red.
“Oh, and what about Vivian from Fallware?”
“Who?” I am familiar with Fallware, but I can't recall any instances of a Vivian.
“Precisely.” Jack chuckles, and I don’t know what’s so fucking funny. I’m coming undone at the seams. My eyes glance at the clock. It’s only ten. Why does each minute feel like a goddamn eternity today? I shouldn’t be counting down time; I should be coming up with a way to keep my hands to myself.
“What is the point here, Jack? I have things to do.” Like stalking a pretty, curvy brunette. I still need to find out who the prick was that Willa asked if she was going to message. What was his name? David? No, Derrick!
"You notice Teddy. You don't notice anyone else." Jack stands from the chair. "Think about that."