Page 35 of Rebel Summer

“Gross. It’s everywhere. You’re shedding like a cat.”

I looked over at him, unable to help the laugh that came out from seeing his disgusted face dry-heaving while scraping long brown curls off his desk.

“Sorry,” I said in a sweet enough tone that Dax looked at me with a wary expression.

For good reason. I just had a great idea.

T-minus 46 days to exit

Dax hours remaining: 176

THE SENATOR

How many hours do you have left at the mechanic?

???

Ivy. Answer me.

ME

176

THE SENATOR

You’ve only worked twenty four hours? You’ve been here for a week. How is that possible?

ME

I’m working at the cafe too.

THE SENATOR

That’s on a volunteer basis. You need to cut your hours back there and wrap it up with the mechanic.

Ivy?

???

ME

I’m on track to be finished in plenty of time. Leave it alone.

“I’m dying,” I said dramatically, bursting into Dax’s shop a few days later, flinging the top half of my body onto his work bench. I eyed the bag of Sun Chips on the counter and snuck my hand inside for a quick dip.

“I saw that.” Dax finished changing out the battery on a golf cart before wiping his hands on a towel.

“I can’t do this anymore,” I moaned.

“What? Eat my chips?” He made his way toward me, taking a few swigs of a Coke sitting on the counter. I watched his Adam’s apple do its thing while the liquid slid down his throat before flicking my eyes away.

“The Legos. I hate it so much. Why can’t I pay someone to do it?”

“Sorry, Books. If it’s any consolation, I’m having lots more fun this way.”

I glanced around his space, seeing another stack of invoices yet to be filled out. “Do you want me to do some of these while you work? You can just tell me what you did.”

Dax pointed at himself. “Did you just offer to help me?”

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