Read Online Wicked Love (Wicked White Series Book 3) by Michelle A. Valentine - Free Book Online

miles to work it off,” I say in a teasing tone.
    He looks at me and smiles. “Deal.”
    The waitress finally comes out wearing a pin-striped apron over her white oxford and takes our order. When she’s gone, Tyler and I make small talk about the city of Wellston and what a typical Friday night is like around here for single people like us. From what I gather from Tyler, there’s nothing to do, which is why he spends most of his weekends in Columbus.
    The next thing I know, our waitress returns with our food. She takes care to clip the tray onto the side of Tyler’s truck before she scurries off. After he divvies up everything, we sit in the cab of his truck with greasy burgers and fries on our laps. Not the most glamorous of first official dates, even though he claims this is date number four, but it’s kind of perfect. There’s no stress to try and impress him. Tyler seems content just being in the truck with me.
    I practically inhale my burger, fries, and shake. It’s been a long time since I allowed myself to eat anything like this and I forgot how wonderfully sinful a mouthful of fast food tastes. It’s like heaven in a wrapper. I keep having to mentally remind myself why I must limit myself with this kind of food. I don’t want to become Avery Gravy again.
    I shudder at those words. I haven’t thought of that name for a couple years now and I’ve done my best to keep that painful memory bottled up. Brad Rutherford ever so graciously gave that name to me in the sixth grade when I got upset because I couldn’t have a second helping of mashed potatoes and gravy during a class field trip. Everyone laughed, of course, when Brad started taunting me. I cried, but no one noticed. I was invisible—no one ever took the time to see me as a person who had feelings. All people ever focused on was the outside. Kids at that age never care how the fat girl feels.
    I shake my head to clear my mind and decide that I’m going to enjoy this meal and to hell with the dietary consequences.
    Every time I sneak a glance in Tyler’s direction, he’s watching me. That makes me feel a little self-conscious.
    What is he staring at?
    Doesn’t he know that we girls like to chow down without someone watching our every move?
    “Told you that you’d like the burger.” He smiles, clearly pleased that I’m enjoying the food.
    I nod, without saying a word. I can’t open my mouth to say anything even if I want to. I’m struggling to just breathe around the meaty goodness. We finish our respective meals and Tyler heads out for the next part of mysterious date number four.
    We drive around town, and he gives me the lowdown on what’s hot here in sticksville. Not much, but I can’t say that that shocks me. When we drove through town yesterday, there was a whole lot of nothing.
    Just as I think Tyler is about to take me back home and call our date officially over, he turns down a road leading out of town in the opposite direction of Granny’s place. The scenery here is pretty. Everything is overly green and looks like a landscape from a painting. The beauty of country living could really grow on me. No one is in a hurry, and everything seems simple compared to the hustle and bustle of my old city life.
    The truck slows to a creep and Tyler moves the indicator, signaling we are turning into the woods. It’s a road, I think. The only reason I’m guessing that is because the path is beaten down by what appears to be tire tracks.
    “Uh, where are we going?” I ask nervously.
    I have every right to feel skittish. It’s nearly dark and he’s dragging me into a deep, dark forest. Not a place I want to be, exactly.
    “You’ll see,” he says.
    We bounce along the path, until we reach a little clearing in the woods. I can make out a stream flowing into what appears to be a freshwater pool. There’re even some old rickety lawn chairs strewn around. Tyler turns the truck around and backs up near the water.
    “It’s so beautiful out