Better If He Goes (Always You #1) - Allie Everhart Page 0,78

in my head. Everything will work out. Always does.

"When?" I shout at the sky. "When does it ever work out?"

My phone rings. I check it and see Brad's name on the screen.

"Hey," I answer, taking a deep breath.

"I know I'm not supposed to call you during work, but I was worried about you. You sure you're okay?"

"No." I swallow. "I'm not okay."

"Talk to me."

I drop down to the ground, holding the phone to my ear. "My mom left. Just walked out in the middle of her shift. And she bought new shoes. We're two months late on bills and she bought new fucking shoes!" I wipe my eyes. "I don't know what to do with her. Or my job. My life. It's all a mess."

"I know it seems bad now, but it's all gonna work out. I promise you. It always works out."

"Maybe for you, but not for me. It just keeps getting worse."

"Riley, I know you wanted to get extra hours today but I don't think you should be there right now. I'm gonna come pick you up." When I don't tell him no, he says, "Be there soon."

I go inside and tell Renee I'm not feeling well and have to leave. I should stay and work the extra hours, but I'm too upset to be here right now.

Brad arrives, pulling up in back so people won't see him. I get in his SUV and we take off.

"See? It's just like I said." He smiles. "Everything worked out."

I give him my 'you're crazy' face. "Nothing is worked out. It's a total disaster. My mom and I are going to lose our jobs. Our bills are overdue."

"And you're spending the afternoon with me. You kept saying we wouldn't get to be together this week. But here we are, just the two of us."

"Only because I left work."

"Just take it for what it is. You wanted something, and it happened. Forget about how or why."

I turn to him, a smile forming. "Are you sure you and Nate are related?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"He'd never do something like this. He'd tell me I should stay at work and then go home tonight and start applying for jobs. He'd even send me links to the jobs he thinks I should apply for."

"You can do all that later. Right now you need to take a breath and tell yourself it'll all work out. I know it sounds lame, but it really does work."

"Why do you believe that?"

"Because it's true. Even if you don't get the outcome you want, you'll find a way to get out of whatever crisis you're in and move on. My first year of college I thought I was going to flunk out. I had to take all this math, which I've never been good at, and I kept flunking the tests. I panicked, thinking I'd never be a doctor if I can't pass these stupid math classes."

"So what'd you do?"

"Got a tutor, studied nonstop, and passed the class. I didn't get an A, but I passed."

"Then things didn't just work out. You made them work out."

"So can you. And you will. You feel like you're drowning now, but you'll find a way back to the surface. And sometimes things actually do work out, without us even doing anything. You just have to ride out the storm and see what happens. Like this shit with my dad? The gambling? I never saw it coming, and there's nothing I can do about it. So I'm riding out the storm and waiting for it to be over. And by riding it out here, I met you. Something good came from something bad. The same thing could happen with the salon. You're assuming the sale is bad, but maybe it'll end up being good."

"Even if the new owners let me keep my job, they won't keep my mom around. She always shows up late and calls in sick. Renee let her get away with it, but nobody else will." I look ahead and see we're heading for the interstate.

"Where are we going?"

"For a drive."

"For how long?"

"How far's the state line?"

I look at him. "What?"

"You said you never left the state. We're gonna change that."

"What about your date tonight?"

"I'll be back in time. If not, Nate will get two girls instead of one."

I laugh. "Nate couldn't handle that. You should turn around. We can do this some other day."

He keeps driving, and two hours later we're in Texas. We have an early dinner, then drive back. Brad calls