Page 20 of Rough Rider (Bad Boy High)
I let out a low whistle. We have strict orders not to call emergency services for the boys. It’s expensive and creates a paper trail about three inches thick. Andy’s probably facing a four-figure bill.
“That sucks. Well, I should go. You going to be around later?” I don’t want to leave, but she ignored my call earlier. I was going to try again later. I knew staying away from her wouldn’t be possible. If she didn’t answer again I was going to swing by her place again.
Right now she might want to be alone. I don’t want to overwhelm her. I haven't been able to stop thinking about her, worrying.
“I have to study.”
“At home or where?” I need to make sure everything has been handled at her apartment for myself. It should be, but I want to see it first hand.
“I don’t know. Not at home. The library is open until nine, so maybe there if Mom is feeling okay to stay by herself.”
“Gotcha.”
It’s hell to walk away from her, but there isn’t much of a choice. She doesn’t want the company right now.
So I take off, texting a quick note to Bam that I’ll meet him at the doc’s lobby. He replies that he’s starving and that if I don’t get back immediately, he’s going to start gnawing off his arm.
Roger.
I hurry down to billing. “I need to settle Andy Nunn’s account.”
The suburban housewife named Megan peers over her eyeglasses at me. “There’s no Andy Nunn with an account.”
“It’s her mom’s account.”
“You have a social security number?”
“No.”
“Date of birth?”
“Do you want the money or not?”
“Fine. Nunn, Jody. She owes $1800.00.”
Even though I was expecting this amount, I almost choke on my tongue when I hear it. And even though I want to pay it off, peeling eighteen Benjis off my roll is way hard.
“Where’d you make this money, kid?” the billing clerk wants to know.
“Is there a discount if I tell you?”
She purses her lips and wants to curse me out, but in the end, cash is king. She prints me off a receipt which doesn’t match the first number she quoted. She’ll probably skim some off for herself, but I don’t care because the paper in my back pocket says that, at least for today, Andy can be happy.
Chapter Sixteen
ANDY
“Andy.” I feel my hair being brushed out of my face, tickling my skin. I jerk up. I blink a few times, my eyes trying to adjust to the soft light. “Shit, it's me.” I know that voice. I’m not sure I could ever forget it.
“Sorry,” I mutter as it finally clicks where I am. “I only meant to lay my head down for a few seconds.” Niki is sitting in the chair next to mine, facing me. His thighs are parted, encompassing the chair I'm sitting in, like a shield blocking me from everything else.
I'm over in my normal little corner that I always take up residence in. The ladies here all know me. They're sweet. They would have woken me up at the last minute, letting me sleep until they had to lock up.
“You were snoring.” Niki gives me a lopsided smile that makes him, for once, appear more his age.
“I don’t snore.” I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand to make sure I’m not drooling. That would be really sexy.
“It’s light.” He shrugs. “Kinda cute.”
