Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 57888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
“She doesn’t know. We were in class together.”
“You don’t even go here.”
As I said, these bow-wearing girls always know the inside scoop. We stare at each other. Finally, she sighs. “It’s probably someone on the basketball team. The vice principal found something, not sure what. I heard they were whispering about how they needed to get it back before he reported it to the district office. It would ruin their college scholarships.”
“This must be related to Cole being”—Josie cuts herself off—“missing”—and changes the last word. She probably was going to say dead.
“Who’s Cole?” the blonde wants to know.
“A basketball player. He’s been missing for two weeks. Thanks, Candace. You’re a peach.”
Candace, the blonde, lifts a finger to her mouth. “If you want more information from me, you’ll have to pay for it.” There is no missing from her tone she is trying to flirt with me. Hard pass.
I pull Josie out from behind me and step back. A smart man knows when to hide behind his woman’s skirts, and this is one of those times.
Chapter Twelve
JOSIE
The hell? I get my own man, and someone is already trying to poach him from me. It’s a bunch of bullshit. Candace has every boy in this school falling at her feet. If I wasn’t so annoyed at the moment, I’d find that rather impressive. I bet you could get all kinds of information out of each of those boys.
“You see this giant here?” I point over my shoulder at Bam with my thumb. “He’s mine.” I decide to set the record straight so that she keeps her paws off my man.
“He’s yours?” Candace lets out a small laugh.
“Yes, we’re in a situationship,” I inform her. Not really sure I can call him my boyfriend yet, and if I say he’s just my assistant, I think that makes him fair game. He’s not. Wow, I’m getting rather possessive.
“Situationship!” Candace laughs again. I also hear Bam mutter the word from behind me. Did I call it the wrong thing? Is he mad I put that out here? Now I’m kind of mad, so I elbow him. “The point of a situationship is you can still be with others.”
I really don’t care for the sound of that. Bam doesn’t say anything, but I did just elbow him. I can feel my cheeks heating, but I try to power through.
“Don’t forget, Candace. I have my notebooks, and I write everything down. Years of information. Lots and lots of it,” I remind her. We did all of middle school together, so I’m not lying about having details.
Candace audibly swallows, glancing around. “I was only teasing.” That’s right, Temu Sabrina Carpenter, back it all the way up.
Besides, I don’t really think I have much on her, but clearly there is something she doesn’t want out that she fears I might know.
She takes another step back. “He’s all yours. All you had to say.” Candace flicks a glance up toward Bam before turning to leave. All her minis follow after her.
I notice Bam didn’t say crap about her hitting on him. Why didn’t he simply shut it down? All these weird feelings and emotions I don’t fully want to understand start to bubble up inside of me.
“Cat got your tongue?” I ask Bam, sarcasm dripping from every single word.
I expect him to start explaining himself to me, but that’s not the reaction I get. You know what he does? He smirks at me. Not the funny ha-ha kind of smirk, either. It’s the I know your green monster is rearing its head type and I’m finding it funny type.
“I’m not jealous, just so we’re clear.” I totally am. I fold my arms over my chest.
“Never said you were.” That sexy-ass grin turns into a full-on smile.
“I will assault you again.” I narrow my eyes on him. Bam rubs the spot where I elbowed him.
“Can’t have that.”
“Then stop smiling,” I order. He doesn’t.
“Josie.” He says my name way too gently for my liking, and what? I’m Josie now? What happened to rebel and those other cute names he called me?
“You know what? Forget it. You know who hasn’t slept with Candace?” He points at himself.
“I’m sure you’ll get there. You marched right up to her to get all chatty. Had nothing to say when I was trying to explain this.” I stop and motion between us. Yeah, I’m going too hard right now and should let this all go, but it’s as though I have no self-control. I have been told that more than once.
“Josie,” he says my name again.
“Wrong! I haven’t slept with her.” I point into his big, broad, hard chest that I’m sure has the perfect amount of chest hair. Not too much, but enough that it’s all manly.
“Better not have.” That smile drops from his face.
“Matt. That’s who.” I keep going. “Bet he’d be my assistant.” I spin around to go somewhere else. Where, I have no clue, but Bam’s hand wraps around my forearm, spinning me back around to face him.