Oh, shit! Marissa!
As I accelerate up the entrance ramp, I turn to Olivia. “Do you mind if I let Marissa know?”
She smiles and shakes her head.
I click a couple buttons on the console to turn off the Bluetooth. I don’t want Olivia to hear my conversation with Marissa.
“Where are you?” Marissa asks as she answers the phone.
“Olivia’s car wouldn’t start. I’m taking her to work and then I’ll be there.”
“Olivia? My cousin, Olivia?”
“Of course. Who else?”
“And you’re taking her all the way to work? In Salt Springs?”
“Yes.”
Silence greets me. I know what Marissa is like to others. I’m fully aware of the comments and the tantrum she’s suppressing for my benefit. She’s very good at maintaining her carefully forged façade. She knows our relationship would cease to be if she didn’t. For that reason, she doesn’t speak until she has her temper under control.
“That’s awfully nice of you to do that for her. Just know that I don’t expect it. She’s related to me, but I would never ask you to go out of your way like this.”
“I know you wouldn’t. I don’t mind. Really.”
Another pause.
“All right. I guess I’ll see you in a couple hours then.”
“See you soon.”
When I lay my phone in the cup holder, I see Olivia watching me.
“Something wrong?”
“I was wondering the same thing. Is she mad?”
“No. Why would she be mad?”
“Do you even know who you’re dating?”
I can’t help but laugh. “She’s not all bad. She was fine with it.”
“Hmmm.”
“Obviously there’s no love lost between you two. So why are you living with her?”
I glance at Olivia and I see her face crumble.
“I sound like an ungrateful witch, don’t I? And she is your girlfriend. I’m so sorry!”
Damn, I’ve made her feel bad.
“Please don’t apologize. It wasn’t my intention to make you feel bad. I was just curious how it all came about.”
“Marissa didn’t tell you?”
“No. She doesn’t talk much about it.”
“Figures,” she murmurs. I act like I don’t hear her. But it makes me want to smile. “Well, the roommate I’ve had for the last two years up and followed her boyfriend to Colorado without telling me. It was time to renew the lease and I didn’t have the money to continue it on my own, so I had to make other arrangements. My best friend offered me her couch, but she’s getting married next month, so that’s just not gonna happen. That left me with the dorms. Until Marissa’s father offered to let me stay with her. He isn’t charging me as much as I’d have to pay for room and board at school, which is great because that would’ve been a huge problem for me. I’m on a pretty tight budget, even though Tad pays me really well to bartend.” She looks to me and I nod my head in understanding. “It doesn’t sound like it, but I really am grateful. I’ve just had a rough week.”
“So you bartend?”
“Yep.”
“Can I ask why you drive so far when there are probably dozens of bars in the city that would hire you?”
“Tad pays better than any of the places I’ve checked. He has a lot of girls that call in for their weekend shifts, so he pays me extra to work every weekend. I’ve worked there for two years and I’ve known him half my life. He knows I’ll always show up.”
“I guess it’s a good thing I forced you into letting me bring you then.”
She grins at me. It’s a cute, sexy little grin that makes me want to kiss her.
And that’s not good.
“I guess I owe you one.”
“I’m sure I can think of something you can do to pay me back.”
Dude, now you’re flirting?
Even to my own ears, my comment sounds suggestive. The sad thing is, it was meant that way. There are literally a dozen things I’d love for her to do for me. Or to me. Or let me do to her.
Her grin widens into a smile. “Just let me know when you think of something then.”
Great! Now she’s flirting back!
I should mind. I should be opposed to it. But I’m not. Far from it!
I need to change the subject. “So, I don’t know how much my brother pays, but I’m sure he’s very competitive. Why don’t I talk to Cash about you? He might have an opening.”
I see panic on her face. “No!”
“O-kay,” I say, a little shocked by her reaction. “May I ask why not?”
She sighs and leans her head back against the head rest, closing her eyes. “It’s kind of a long and very embarrassing story.”
“Does it have something to do with you taking his clothes off?”
Her head jerks up and she turns wide eyes on me. “Did he say something about it?”
“No, you mentioned it that first morning, remember?”
Her expression calms. “Oh yeah. That’s right.”
“So just because of one little incident like that, you’d refuse a job offer that would keep you closer to home and probably put more money in your pocket?”
“Well, the more money in my pocket thing remains to be seen. You don’t know how much he pays.”
“I can almost guarantee it would be enough to make it worth your while. His club is pretty big.”
“Hmmm,” she answers again.
“You should at least think about it. Unless you want me to force you again. I could carry you in there, you know.”
She looks over at me and smiles. And I want nothing more than to pull over and drag her into my lap.
“On second thought, maybe I’d rather you make me force you.”
What the hell are you doing, man?
She picks up her head off the head rest then cocks it to one side. “Are you flirting with me?”
I shrug. She’s very direct. I like that.
“Would you mind if I was?”
“Marissa is my cousin, you know.”
“But you can barely stand her.”
“That’s not the point. I’m not that girl.”
I look at her. And I don’t doubt her for one second. She might think Marissa’s a cold bitch, but she would never purposely do anything to hurt her.