Page 18 of Professional Consult
Luke:You think having her hauled into jail, terrified of getting framed for a crime she didn’t commit, is for her own good?
Clint:Like I said, she’s been playing this game since she was four. I felt she needed to get out and see a different side of life. Something that isn’t so manufactured. Something like you.
Luke:Maybe she should have had a say in it.
Clint:She went willingly. The only reason I had to resort to those tactics is that you wouldn’t have said yes. I could get you for a day, but not two weeks.
A knot tightensin my throat.
Luke:Yeah, well fuck you.
Clint:She in your bed right now?
My hand tightensaround my phone.
Luke:There is no way in hell I’m crossing that line.
Clint:Then she is in your bed. The question now is whether she sleeps naked.
Luke:Fuck you!
I pocket my phone,now haunted by that last question.
Which I’m sure is a no, but my imagination isn’t quite so convinced.
I exit the bathroom and see that the bedroom door is open a crack. I peek in and see a massive form taking up half the bed.
Dammit, Riggs!
Lexi is pushed to the edge, stretched out and covered by a blanket, so the question still stands. Not that I plan on ever figuring it out.
Angry as hell, I continue down the hall until I get to the living room and fall back onto the couch. At least with Riggs staying in the bedroom, I’ll have some peace.
But I know damn well that’s a lie. Because as long as that girl is under my roof, the only thing I’ll be feeling each night is torture.
CHAPTER6
LEXI
Sleeping in a stranger’s bed is never easy. Throw in a giant dog, and it’s damn near impossible.
Yet, somehow I awaken fully rested and eager to start the day.
A few things happened last night that changed my outlook on the whole Pond Spring situation.
First, I found out that Mr. Grumpy Pants Police Chief isn’t such a bad guy. He might not like me or appreciate my presence, but he’s a far cry from his brother.
And while that certainly made me feel better about the situation, there was something else that couldn’t be ignored.
My whole life, I’d never known what it was like to be completely disconnected from the outside world. The entire time in jail, I didn’t have my cell phone, and being released to find my battery dead was a blessing. I didn’t wake to an alarm clock telling me I was going to be late. I woke to sunshine streaming in through a window and a giant dog deciding it wanted to spoon.
And I’ve never felt more relaxed.
I don’t think I’m going to hate it here. In fact, I’m determined not to. For the next two weeks, I’m going to stop and smell the roses, bask in the sun, and eat an ungodly amount of carbs.
Having worked my tail off since before kindergarten, I’ve never had a chance to get to know me. I’ve always longed for something different, but I’m too good at my job to give it up. One day, my star will dim, and I’ll be able to explore other things. Things that normal people get to spend their whole lives doing while I worked myself to death to get the privilege.
I’m well aware that complaining about my cushy lifestyle is the very definition of obtuse, but I promise you, money does not buy happiness. It buys safety, security, a roof over my head and the promise I’ll never go hungry. But happiness has ever eluded me.
