Page 154 of Hide and Keep

“I can’t. I don’t have any other pairs of sneakers to run in.”

“Yes, you do. I saw—” She cuts herself off and squares her shoulders before continuing in a much calmer tone, “I’m sure that’s not true.”

Oh, there it is. That shame for engaging with the help. She was about to admit out loud to being in my room, snooping through my things, something a Munreaux should not be doing.

“How do you know?” I question with an arched eyebrow.

We hold each other’s stare for a couple long minutes and I can see the moment defeat takes over her body, her shoulders drooping but her chin lifting.

“You don’t need four pairs of sneakers.”

“Three. My other pair is ruined, thanks to…”

Her sharp inhale has me giving in, too. God, I’m pitiful today. One fingerjob and I don’t know how to act.

“Our last run. The mud got all over them, even inside.” I doubt anyone’s listening but just in case.

“You don’t need three pairs—”

“I do.”

“You—”

“Do,” I finish for her, ending the argument once and for all.

“Be that as it may, the Munreauxs aren’t cheap, so you will be returning them—”

“Like I’ve said many times now, I’m not a Munreaux. And until my first paycheck hits my bank account, these are all I can afford,” I lie. I got that five-K bonus already, but that’s my business.

Ever appears stunned as she asks, “You haven’t been paid yet?”

I forget she has no idea how the real world works.

“It depends on the employer but typically paychecks are deposited every one or two weeks. Or if you’re salary, monthly.” Which for the first time in my life, I am. “Considering it’s Sunday, I technically haven’t even worked here a full week yet.” It’s crazy to think I only got hired on Monday. It feels like I’ve been at this a hell of a lot longer. At the end of three years, I’ll be like every president coming off their term, looking like I served ten years longer than I actually did.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“To who? You? So you can make fun of me some more about being poor?”

Ever’s quiet for a moment, then says, “Well, I need to go shopping.”

On to her this time, I just shake my head. “No.” It’s not worth watching her dad get upset with her again while she lies her way through an explanation for spending thousands of his dollars on me.

“You can’t tell me no.”

“No,” I repeat before turning and heading up to our wing.

“Those shoes are ugly!” she calls out, the desperation in her voice giving her away. She thinks if I don’t have any other sneakers, I’ll have to wear the ones she decorated. It’s not happening. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing those on my feet if they were the last shoes on earth. I’d go barefoot through the Lut Desert before letting her win.

“They’ll match my other pair.”

Another growl from her earns another smirk from me, this one I actually let free once I’m at the top of the stairs.

“I’ll be in the gym.”

“You better be,” I mutter as I pick up the pace. If I had a tracker on her already, I wouldn’t have to question that kind of statement. As it stands now, I can’t trust anything out of her mouth.

In my closet, I quickly arrange the new shoes in a neat row, each pair on top of their boxes like an enticing display of in-season fruit at a farmer’s market. Ever can act as high and mighty as she wants, but one look at these and she won’t be able to resist. She doesn’t want anyone to know she likes what she’s not supposed to…

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