One and Done - S. Briones Lim Page 0,60

whether she was either totally oblivious, or just one really good actress.

My mom’s an excellent liar too. She’ll manipulate you in no time…unless that’s what you’re planning to do to her, which in any case, welcome aboard!

I finally forced a smile. “Well, looks like you two have already made up your mind on this arrangement. There’s really no need for me to put my two cents in.”

Michelle’s smile quickly faded. “Um, I hope I didn’t offend you. I didn’t mean that I had this job for sure. It’s just—”

I cut her off. “Don’t worry about it.”

Seriously, you need thick skin to work for her.

Michelle nodded in relief, turning back toward the couch. Taking advantage of her turned back, Mom threw me a scowl, but kept her voice kind. “I told Michelle it was important she meet you before we moved forward.”

“Why?” I asked blankly. “I gave you the list; you picked one, end of story.”

Mom inhaled, causing her tank to tick a bit louder than usual. “Because we said we’d decide together, of course. I couldn’t say yes without your blessing.”

“Because I’m paying?” I shot back.

That was all it took for my mom’s mask to fall off. Unable to keep her kind facade, she snapped, “Because I need your signature on the contract.”

The fact that we hadn’t scared Michelle off was a good sign. Snorting, I shook my head and turned back toward the poor soul who had no idea what she was in for. “When can you start?”

“Seriously?” Her eyes widened. “But you didn’t even interview me.”

I shrugged. “Anyone who gets along with my mom this well is a winner to me. So? When can you start? Would you be able to start tomorrow? I really need to get back to my business in Charleston and if I need to train you, I need to start now.”

Her jaw dropped. “Well, needless to say this is beyond protocol but I see no problem with it.”

“Good.” I was already turning toward the door.

“Um, when are you planning to leave?” she asked in confusion.

“I just have to tie up some loose ends first…”

***

It was as if I was dragged across town by some magical force. Whipping in and out of traffic, slowing at stop signs and lights—I was a zombie if not a robot under mind control. I don’t even know how I made it to Rocky’s house, but before I knew it I was parked across the street, gaping at the foreign red two-seater sitting pretty behind Rocky’s old car. There was no way her parents came home from their work convention early (nor drove that ostentatious piece of shit) and I doubted it belonged to her sister, Emily, either.

“Shit, that must mean…” My voice trailed off just as Ethan walked past an open window looking as cheesy as ever. Heat rushed through my extremities, culminating at my hands, which gripped my steering wheel tightly. I pried each finger off quickly; worried I’d do something as crazy as rip the wheel off my dashboard.

What are you doing? Just leave! What loose ends do you need to tie up? Rocky obviously hates you!

But I couldn’t leave. I couldn’t even move. I was frozen, staring into a house where the one woman I continued to push away had finally fallen into the arms of another man.

“What did you expect to happen? That she’d wait for you again?” I spat out with distaste.

The front door opened with a bang, startling me. I sucked in my breath and scooted down into my seat, worried that Rocky would catch a glimpse of me. However, it wasn’t Rocky at the door. Ethan jumped from the cement step, tossing his keys in his hand. Like tiny bells, his keys jingled in the night, a song of happiness—a song that wasn’t mine. As if feeling my presence, his gaze immediately jumped to my car and though I was hidden behind the darkness of night and behind tinted glass somehow I knew that he saw me. A smug smile rested on his face, and for the first time I noticed his messy hair and haphazardly thrown on sweater, which was wrinkled as if somebody had been gripping onto its sides. My stomach lurched with the realization of what he and Rocky must have been doing inside.

“Well, your plan worked, genius. Rocky’s finally gone.” I waited until Ethan peeled off before I restarted my car. I threw one last glance at her house, feeling an odd sense of déjà vu. Stifling