Page 38 of Guarded Secrets
“Yeah. Suggesting we get lunch together is weird because we aren’t friends. When I subbed for her she was difficult, calling to make sure I was doing what she wanted, kind of hovering in the background even though I had it handled.
“Then when she returned to work, I was subbing for another teacher and she tracked me down to accuse me of stealing a bin of colored whiteboard markers from her classroom. It was totally stupid, but she wouldn’t let it go and reported me to the principal. Thankfully, the principal thought it was stupid too and hired me for the temporary position I’ve had for the past two years.”
“How has Demaris acted toward you during that time?” Owen asked, indicating to Jen to take care of customers while he gave Keeley his attention.
She shrugged. “Still weird. Her room was across the hall and I felt like she was always watching me, waiting for me to mess up so she could report me. Yousef says she’s jealous of me, but I don’t see it.”
“You said Yousef and some others had a going-away party for you the night your tires were slashed. Was she in that group?”
“No. She doesn’t really hang out with the other teachers, even the ones on her team.”
“But you did. Did you have a lunch group, other teachers you ate with every day?”
“Yeah. There were about six of us on our hall who ate together in Yousef’s room. Pam was invited, but chose not to join us. Mostly, she kept to herself or let students eat in her room.”
“Did you tell Sawyer about her?”
“No, why would I?”
Owen crossed his arms over his chest, brows lowered. “We’re looking for a motive for your tires being slashed. You’re pretty and popular with your coworkers, and I bet the kids loved you. Dude’s probably right that she’s jealous. She hasn’t been friendly with youand she has a connection to the little shit. She could’ve been the one to drop him off. And now out of the blue she wants to meet for lunch? I don’t believe in coincidences.”
He thought she was pretty? It was vain and small of her, but his compliment was like a surprise cupcake topped with frosting and sprinkles that’s created to make you happy.
Telling herself to focus, she brightened when an idea occurred. “I could agree to meet her and figure out what she wants. It’d be like I was undercover.”
“The hell you will. If she’s the one who dropped off the little shit to pull his stunt, I don’t want you anywhere near her.”
“I don’t know why Fernando would be doing her bidding. Beyond that, why would she want my purse?”
“Could’ve been a tactic to scare you. But the kid using a knife takes it up a notch.”
“I still think I should meet with her. It’s not like she’ll try something in broad daylight. I could even meet her here.”
“No.”
She sipped her cranberry juice, considering him over the rim of the glass. “You’re not being reasonable.”
“Fuck reasonable.”
She snorted out a laugh. Setting down her glass, she decided to go for the gold. Heart hammering like a deranged woodpecker on speed, she took a deep breath and asked, “Do you like me, Owen?”
“What? Why the hell would you ask me that?”
“Because other people seem to think you do, but you always act like I’m a huge pain in the butt, and I guess I want to know.”
His scowl turned so ferocious she felt like she’d poked a sleeping bear. He grabbed the towel he’d hung over his shoulder and began wiping down the bar. “I don’t have time for this heart-to-heart shit.”
“Right, okay, never mind. I thought I’d ask, but I can see this was a bad idea. Forget I said anything.” She rose and knew from the heat, her face was flushed with embarrassment. “I’ll get back to work, you know, because it’s my job.” He stopped wiping the bar and stared ather like she’d sprouted horns. Now she was furious. “You don’t have to be such a jerk about it.”
“How am I a jerk?”
God, she was losing it. “You just are.”
She wished she could flee the scene, run home, and bury her head under her pillow. But her dad had always told her to start as she intended to carry on, so she did exactly that.
For the rest of her shift, she treated Owen with determined pleasantness, hiding her hurt behind a sunny smile.
***
