Brazen and Breathless (Untouchable #6) - Heather Long Page 0,11

and I had to wonder how I got into this program. The guy on the stage was talking about leadership and how it was a choice. One you had to make every single day. Instead of an auditorium setting, we were seated at these oversized round tables. Instead of being at a business, we were at a hotel in a really bland, beige colored room with a geometric patterned carpet that gave me a headache if I looked at it too closely.

There were about thirty altogether in the program. It didn’t seem a huge number, but I really didn’t look like most of the people here. I’d dressed nice enough, I supposed, but there were a lot of kids here in actual suits, like the kind you wore to go into an office daily. Of those not in suits, they were still in slacks, or skirts and looking put together.

I’d worn jeans. Probably not my best choice, but the paperwork said this was orientation. A day to spend on leadership skills and workshops. Who wore a suit to a workshop? My shirt was nice, and I’d paired it with a fun patterned vest. I looked kind of sassy.

At least, if Archie’s reaction this morning had been any indication. I’d had to talk him out of undressing me, because they had to get to school and I had to go to orientation. Talk about strange. Ian left on his bike, and Coop rode with Jake, while Archie took his own car. And I wasn’t leaving with any of them. It was just weird.

Not that I minded the very sound and thorough kisses I got from each of them. Those had my toes curling, and thankfully, the thirty-minute drive to the hotel where they were hosting the orientation had given me time to get my hormones under control.

Barely.

Ten minutes into the presentation, a girl slid into the seat next to mine. I’d chosen one of the tables near the side and to the back. Mostly because I didn’t know anyone, and while there were six tables, they weren’t all full. Mine was me, a guy with glasses and a friendly enough smile who’d just nodded to me when he sat down, and now the newcomer. Weirdly, I didn’t mind the fact that all these people were strangers, but I was glad the chick who decided to pick my table had dressed in jeans, too.

Solidarity.

“Hey,” she whispered as she hurriedly unpacked a spiral bound notebook and a bottle of water. I still had my coffee from the drive-thru this morning. I’d cheated and gotten two. One I pretty much shot-gunned on the way here, and the second I’d been sipping to keep up my strength. Because based on the last ten minutes, I was going to need it.

Interesting material or not, our presenter was dull as dirt.

“Hey,” I answered, barely moving my lips. I’d mastered the talk without looking like you’re talking trick a long time ago. Largely because Coop could be annoying if I ignored him too long when he wanted to tell me something in class, even if we weren’t supposed to be talking.

Granted, that was elementary school and he wasn’t as bad about it in high school since we could text and shit, but still a useful skill to have.

“How much did I miss?” she asked, her gaze almost as steady on the PowerPoint on the screen as mine was. The sad part, this guy wasn’t offering anything beyond the details on each of the slides. Seriously, I could copy it all down and get as much out of it as him telling us.

More maybe. I read faster than he spoke.

“Not much,” I told her. “Just introduced himself, said we’d be discussing leadership, then started this on how it’s a choice.”

Seriously, she hadn’t missed much.

“Cool.” Then she was quiet as the guy droned on and on and on.

Kill me.

Please.

I was half-tempted to text the guys to get me out of this. But I couldn’t, not after Archie checked, then re-checked to make sure everything was legitimate and on the up and up. I doubted Ms. Fajardo would have recommended me for a shady program, but Archie wanted to be sure.

It was only after he’d gone over everything twice with us and even Jake seemed to relax that I got it. Archie wasn’t just checking on it to soothe me, he did it to soothe them. The guys worried about me, and after the last few months, I got it. It