Page 32 of No Interest in Love

Milo tosses his hands in the air and says, “Whose side are you on?”

The cash crackles in my hand, and I stuff it into my pocket before hopping down.

“Oh dear Gooood,”I grumble, clutching at where my thighs meet my ass. Feels like I’ve been on a horse all day.

Milo walks around the semi and takes one look at me bent over and groaning, then bursts out with his booming laugh.

“Take it you didn’t go on long trips growing up.”

I shake my head. Mom and Dad didn’t do much other than work, my brother is seventeen years older than me, and Grandma didn’t really like…

Oh my damn.

Grandma.

“I need to use your phone,” I fire at him.

“Do you need to call one of your random women?” he jokes, pulling it from his pocket.

“My grandmother,” I answer, fingers flying over the cell screen. Call me a “Grandma’s boy” but I have a standing date with Grams every Monday night. Shit, she probably called a million times to my waterlogged phone.

“Hello?”

“Grandma, it’s—”

“Oh, Jace…don’t you do that to me!”

Shit. Her voice sounds on the edge of panicky tears. The only thing worse than girl tears is grandmother tears. “I know. I’m sorry. The flight—”

“I’ve been glued to the Weather Channel all day.”

“I know. There was a—”

“You were supposed to be here. I had Alec and Landon here to help set up the game for you.”

My grandma still doesn’t know how to turn on ESPN. “Shoot, Grams, I know. But I was—”

“I can’t get through to your phone. Do you not have your charger? I knew I should’ve sent an extra. Did you miss the flight?”

Ah, shit, her breathing’s going crazy. “Grandma, are you using your oxygen?”

“I’ve got it.”

“ ’Kay, you take a breath. And give me more than two seconds to explain.” I wait till I hear her breathing even out, then I dive in. “I changed my ticket last second because my agent got me an audition for this Friday in Alabama. I’m sorry I forgot to call you, but I haven’t been to the airport since the storm started, and my phone got big-time water damage.”

“So where are you?”

Middle of nowhere at the moment. But I’m not telling her that. She’ll send out a search party with money she doesn’t have.

“Heading to Albuquerque. Hoping to catch a flight there.”

“Do you need money?”

“I’ll be okay.” I’m not getting it from her.

“You sure? How are you paying for your flight?”

I could lie and tell her Shay’s agency is covering it. Anyone else, I probably would.

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