Page 14 of Wicked Flirt
“Thank you, Lexi,” Hailey replied sweetly. “Only you understand me.”
Josh went right back to his line of questioning. “Why don’t you just shop at your mom’s store with her discount?”
“Give it a rest, Josh,” Marcus put in.
Josh ignored him, his gaze glued to Hailey.
Hailey tossed her hair. “Because I’m an independent businesswoman not a clone of my mother.”
“Huh,” Josh said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Hailey demanded.
Josh lifted one shoulder. “I thought you came from a snobby elite beauty-queen line.”
Hailey’s jaw dropped. “You know what? You’re the snob!” She jabbed a finger at him. “You judged me from the first moment we met, and you’ve been making my life hell ever since!”
Josh’s brows drew together in apparent confusion. “No I didn’t.”
“Yes you did!” Hailey hollered at the top of her lungs.
All of their friends exchanged a look of alarm. Hailey was losing it.
“There was a lot of fighting,” Lexi put in, rubbing Hailey’s back.
Marcus went for a distraction. “Hey, Josh, how about a round of drinks on me?”
Josh stared at Hailey. “I thought we were just messing around.”
Hailey got quiet, staring at the bar.
Sabrina leaned close, speaking in a soothing voice. “Maybe there were some hurt feelings that came out as anger.”
“Did I…” Josh bent to try to see Hailey’s face. “Hailey, did I hurt your feelings?”
Hailey didn’t respond.
Josh swore. He leaned down, probably trying to get Hailey to meet his eyes. “I’m sorry. I admit to being pissed off with some of the stuff you pulled, but mostly I found you entertaining. You know, I push your buttons, you push mine.”
Hailey raised her head, her eyes shiny with tears, still saying nothing. Josh looked equally distraught.
Hailey never got this upset. This whole thing with her mom and his dad getting serious must’ve really gotten to her. Everyone looked at Hailey sympathetically and then turned to Josh expectantly. He had to fix this.
Josh offered his hand. “Let’s have a truce. A real truce.”
Hailey eyed his hand suspiciously.
“We’ll go back to the beginning and…fix it.”
“It’s a good idea,” Lexi said. “Shake his hand.” Their friends chimed in encouragingly.
Hailey met Josh’s eyes. “You’ll give me my money back?” That was where their frenemy war had begun. Josh had kept the money Hailey gave him for being her paid escort at weddings. After their falling out, Hailey had demanded it back. Josh always said she had to go back to his place and get it, which Hailey refused to do.
Josh nodded once. “Yup.”
Hailey seemed to be considering this. Mad returned with Rose. Hailey gathered Rose close, stroking her behind the ear. “What do you think, Rose? Should I trust the cad?”
Josh looked to the ceiling, but refrained from commenting.
