Read Online Catch by Michelle D. Argyle - Free Book Online

turned over her fourth card. Ollie
had a queen. When she opened her eyes, she grinned. She’d put down
a king.
    “Nice,” Ollie laughed. “Hey, do you want more
coffee?”
    She glanced at her empty cup. “Are you trying
to avoid my question?”
    “Just stalling,” he admitted, and grabbed her
cup. When he returned, she had gathered all her winning cards and
was thinking about how she’d ask him about those scars. She took a
sip of the rich, hot coffee and swirled it around in her mouth as
Ollie settled back into his chair.
    She nodded toward his hand. “Can you tell me
what happened?”
    He looked confused for a minute then glanced
down at his hand. “Oh, that.”
    “It looks like it was painful.” As she sipped
her coffee, she studied the raised, white flesh spread in a large
spider web pattern across his knuckles.
    “The cuts were pretty deep,” he explained as
he studied the scars. “But if I had to do it all over again, I
would.”
    “That sounds like an interesting story.” She
smirked. “That’s a subtle hint to tell me, by the way. I’m really
curious.”
    “Oh, I can tell you. It’s nothing, really. I
had a girlfriend a few years ago and her ex found us at a party one
night. He tried to attack her with a beer bottle and I got in the
way—on purpose, of course.”
    “Wow … that’s amazing, Ollie.”
    He laughed. “Why? I did the right thing, even
if she did leave me a month later.”
    “I’m not sure any of my old boyfriends would
have done something like that for me,” she said, watching Ollie rub
the scars as if he was remembering how much it had hurt.
    He lifted his attention to her. “Then they
didn’t deserve you.”

 
3.

    When Miranda returned to the hotel room, it
didn’t seem anyone had missed her. It was two-thirty and she was
full of coffee and pastry and sugar. She was high as a kite. Ollie
was her friend now. The guy who stole her purse was her friend.
That was so strange, but cool at the same time. She pulled off her
T-shirt and slid into bed, thinking over everything Ollie had said.
After he told her about the scars, none of their questions were as
serious as they had been earlier. Things like favorite colors and
foods. Nothing too revealing. She figured they were both exhausted
from sharing all that emotionally draining information.
    Her phone buzzed, and she snatched it off the
nightstand to see another message from Ollie.
    When can I see you again, Miranda?
    She looked down at her sleeping sister. Julia
was the whole reason Ollie was her friend now. If she hadn’t dialed
Miranda’s cell phone number that day, none of this would have
happened.
    Tomorrow, I hope. When do I get my pictures
back?
    All in good time, my friend. All in good
time.
     
*
     
    When she woke in the morning, she showered
and stood in the bathroom to blow dry her hair. She couldn’t stop
smiling at herself in the mirror. Ollie had told her the truth
about everything. At least, it seemed like he had. He was so
genuine and open. Was it possible things could happen with him? A
real relationship that wouldn’t end up breaking her heart?
    “You’re certainly happy today,” Miranda’s
mother said as she came into the bathroom and started applying her
makeup. “What’s going on?”
    Miranda grinned. “Oh, nothing. Just got your
camera back last night.”
    “What?” Gabriela turned around, as if the
camera might appear in front of her. “Where?”
    “It’s on the dresser.”
    “Right here, honey!” Miranda’s father yelled
out. He appeared around the corner, holding up the camera. “Appears
to be in perfect condition. How did you get this back?”
    She gave them both a cryptic smile. “He’s not
really a thief. I mean, he is, but he’s not.”
    “What is that supposed to mean?” Gabriela
scoffed.
    “He’s going to return everything by the time
we leave. That’s all I can say. So there’s no use in reporting
him.”
    Her dad’s face crinkled in confusion. “What’s
going