SECRETS & LIES 7 (Secrets & Lies #7) - H.M. Ward Page 0,1
a parking spot—or five—to wedge my bus into, I see Carter crossing the parking lot. I’m so pissed at him. Everything he said from day one was a load of crap. I don’t realize I’m doing it, but the bus creeps up behind him. It crawls forward in neutral, stalking him across the asphalt.
When Carter glances behind his shoulder, he flinches and frowns at me. I inch the bus closer, making him walk faster. He’s speed walking now, frantically looking over his shoulder. “Cut it out, Kerry!”
In response, I inch closer. Carter shrieks and takes off at a full run, spewing curses at me. I lurch the bus to a stop, occupying an entire row of spaces in the teachers' parking lot. I’m going to get ticketed, but as long as they don’t give me five tickets—one for each parking spot—I don’t care. There was nothing up by the dorm. I cut the engine, stuff the keys under the seat, and bound down the steps to see Emily rushing toward me.
She’s excited, her face bright. “Holy shit!” She slaps my arm—hard. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Tell you what?”
“That you took on the beast? And that you landed an internship at Le Femme! Holy shit, do you know how hard it is to get in there? They just opened that branch, too. I heard the entire staff relocated from New York. They're your people, Kerry. The mothership has landed!” She snorts a laugh and bumps her shoulder into mine.
“Le Femme? Who told you I'd be working there?” I make a face and glance over at her warily.
“First, did you or did you not hogtie your roommate in the quad this morning.”
“I did.”
“Awesome! Second, internships were just posted, and I got Le Femme. Jax said you would be there, too. You didn’t apply?”
I frown, trying to figure out what happened. “No, I didn’t. I planned to continue modeling here, but Dr. Jax said he was moving me, that he got me a job.”
“Holy shit! You’re modeling for Cole Stevens?” Her face is more expressive than I’ve ever seen it.
“No. Well, I have no idea.” I stare at her, wondering what Jax did. The old guy is shifty. It wouldn’t surprise me if I were hired as a model.
“Well, you need to find out. If you model for Le Femme, your face will be everywhere. Scratch that. Not your face. Your tits and hips—no one will care about your face by the time that guy is done with you!” Emily waggles her eyebrows at me.
I groan inwardly. I need to get my life together. Somehow everything went from being perfect to being insanely hard again. It’s like trying to catch a herd of cats. The little bastards won’t sit still. I’m staring straight ahead, lost in my own miserable life.
Emily keeps talking, but when I don’t respond, she scolds, “Hello? What’s wrong with you? Are you pissed because I’m working there too?”
“No,” I say, rolling my eyes involuntarily. Emily folds her arms over her chest, juts out a hip, and glares at me. “Emily, I didn’t know that’s where Jax sent me. I’m glad you’ll be there with me. I have too much shit going on right now. I feel like I’m going to lose it.” School and work are crazy enough. Add in Ferro, Nate, and Carter—and if I keep ranting my voice will get so high-pitched only dogs will hear.
She drops her arms and softens her expression. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to jump down your throat.”
“Don’t worry about it. I just have a lot on my mind. Sorry, I spaced out.” We talk about the internship and Emily begins telling me about her plans for after graduation. The internship is a stepping stone—one she needed to get where she wants to go.
I wish I had such a clear vision of what I want to do with my life. Lately, it feels like I’m bumping around like a drunk goat with a stomach full of trash. Things that shouldn't get to me do. It feels like there’s too much pressure and I’m ready to crack. I want to go to Nate, but Carter will know. Three days. How am I supposed to get Nate to do anything in three days? That timeline is insane. It’s time to crank up the crazy, and let the pieces fall where they may. If I’m alone at the end of this, so be it.
CHAPTER 2
Sunday evening creeps ever closer. As the night sky swallows the sun,