Page 182 of Ice Princess

Indignation swells in my chest. “Who said that?”

She primps her hair. “A reputable source.”

I bet her ‘reputable source’ is one or both of the conniving Davis sisters. They smiled so brightly at me when they thought the donation was coming through. But they didn’t waste any time gossiping about me as soon as the deal fell apart.

“I’ll call Rodney and sort this out.”

“I tried that. His office keeps saying he’s busy,” Marjorie tells me.

Rather than take her word for it, I call the office myself, but I meet the same resistance. The secretary won’t even tell me when Mr. Rodney will be back.

“Why don’t you call the son?” Marjorie suggests. “Since you two are so close.”

I give her a chilly glare.

“These are desperate times, Rebel. What will we do about the senior citizen care packages? The after-school library initiative? Will you tell all the grannies who signed up to our program tobuy their own groceries? Or will it be the dear children who get cut from the budget?”

My breathing turns shallow and my chest squeezes painfully.

Marjorie steps closer to me. “You wanted to be a part of the Society so badly.” She aims a disdainful look at my ponytail. “Time to prove you deserve it.”

CHAPTER

FIFTY-FOUR

REBEL

I promisedGunner I wouldn’t flirt my way out of a problem.

But some promises are made to be broken.

Or so I keep telling myself as I fluff my hair and rifle through my closet for the perfect outfit, one that screams ‘be kind and don’t let your dad take his money back pretty please with sprinkles on top’.

It’s not like dressing up for the occasion iswrong.

I plan to have a professional conversation on behalf of the Lady Luck Society. So what if I look extra nice in the process? I’m in charge of this project, and it’s my job to fix the problem by any means necessary.

‘I thought other men being interested in you would suddenly not bother me. But that’s not how it’s working out’.

I stop, mid-brush and stare unseeingly at the mirror.

Gunner was vulnerable with me, and in return, I promised him I wouldn’t use my looks or flirt my way out of a situation.

I chew my bottom lip until my lipstick wipes clear off.

Gunner and I are taking a break. Technically, we’re not together right now. Dressing nicely for a meeting with Benji is arelationship grey area, but Gunner’sentire familystole the land that belongs to my mother so…

That makes us even.

I get all the way to the door before my conscience hits me with a whispered‘if the shoe were on the other foot, Gunner would NEVER. He’d walk over hot coals barefoot than do anything that you clearly told him made you uncomfortable.’

I change out of my daring pink dress and into a button-down blouse and wide-legged pants.

But I keep my hair down and my makeup the same.

It is the twenty first flipping century.

And women have rights.

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