Read Online Curveball by Jen Estes - Free Book Online Page B

asshole parents blame me.” His tires screeched as the car sped out of the parking
     lot. “Where are you two staying?”
    “ La Concha Gran Hotel . It’s right there. We could’ve just walked home.”
    “I know where it’s at.”
    Cat hated awkward silences. The void of conversation made her anxious and since her
     mental resting state was that of a caffeinated squirrel, nothing good could come of
     this. She searched her mind for a safe topic.
    “So is the weather here always—” her eyes fell to the wood-trimmed steering wheel
     instead, focusing on the old-fashioned cursive logo in the center. “Wait a minute.
     Is this an Iso Grifo?”
    Chance grinned at her in the rearview mirror. “You know your cars. Most girls I meet
     have never even heard of Iso.”
    Paige’s glare was positively territorial.
    “I know some cars.”
    Her grandmother might have taught her baseball, but her dad taught her cars. Michael
     McDaniel loved vintage cars. Unfortunately, he wasn’t drawn by the solid craftsmanship
     or storied history; they were the easiest to break into and even more of a cinch to
     hotwire.
    She appraised the well-maintained interior. “We were in such a hurry and it was so
     dark out, I didn’t even notice when I got in.”
    Paige looked around her seat and crinkled her button nose in distaste. “It’s kind
     of old.”
    Cat leaned up in her seat and gave Paige’s shoulder a condescending pat. “It’s rare.
     Think of it like a pink diamond.”
    “Ooh!”
    Chance nodded. “This is a nineteen seventy-four: last year they made them and same
     year I was born.”
    “Hmm.” Paige paused in deep contemplation. “That would make you …”
    “The owner of a really cool car.” He winked.
    Chance pulled in front of the hotel. “We’re here.”
    Paige rubbed her eyes. “I just want to forget this whole day ever happened.”
    “That makes three of us.” He took his hand off the gear shift and placed it on Paige’s
     knee. “Except for the part about meeting you, of course.”
    Paige smiled at him. “You’ve got my number?”
    “I do. I’ll give you a call tomorrow.”
    “Well there you go. Come on, Paige.” Cat thumped the back of the passenger seat. Cat
     didn’t hesitate to slam the door before rushing the hotel.

     

Chapter 6
    Cat made the silent, groggy shuffle from her bed to the shower, slipping past Paige
     on her way into the bathroom. She dug through her flamingo-pink makeup bag for shampoo,
     conditioner and herbal body wash, steadying the three bottles crowded on the soap
     rack. Slipping her oversized Chicago Bears t-shirt over her head, she stepped into
     the tub.
    She stuck her feet under the faucet and adjusted the water temperature. The water
     was tepid at best and when it hit her back, she gasped. She fumbled for the hot water
     nozzle and turned it to its maximum pressure. She stood and enjoyed the pounding stream
     of hot water on her body, before blindly reaching for her body wash. The lavender
     gel covered every inch of her body and she basked in the release of tension. She did
     her hair next, rubbing the rosemary lather into her scalp in a therapeutic circular
     pattern. The hot water began to cool, taking her moment of relaxation with it. She
     supposed not even an industrial hotel hot water heater could sustain Paige Aiken and
     reminded herself to set her alarm clock for ten minutes before Paige’s for the next
     three weeks. She rinsed the conditioner out of her hair just as the water went cold.
    Any other day, the bags under her eyes might’ve sent her sprinting to Sephora, but
     considering the sandy corpse she saw every time she closed her eyes, puffy eyes didn’t
     seem so bad. She swept her face with a Kabuki brush of fair mineral powder, dabbed
     a little pink blush on her cheeks and brushed a swipe of black mascara over her light
     brown eyelashes. Whipping the towel off her head, she rubbed her auburn hair vigorously
     and tossed the towel on a