Read Online Ex, Why, and Me by Susanna Carr - Free Book Online Page A

caught in her lungs. She grabbed his hand, wishing she had nails to use as a threat. Her fingers shook as she kept a tight hold on him. “What are you looking for?” she asked in a hiss.
    “Your phone.”
    She dropped his hand in surprise. “You need to call someone? Now?”
    “Turn it on,” he told her. She could hear his smile in his voice. “We’ll use the light.”
    She gave a start, her head bumping against the metal again. “We can’t do that!” she said as she rubbed the sore spot again.
    “Why not?”
    Was he being deliberately obtuse? Wait, he had been a rule breaker growing up. She had been fascinated by that side of him. Before she knew better. “That would be cheating.”
    Ryan made a scoffing sound. “No, it isn’t.”
    “Dr. Fielding said no lights.” And that woman was the type with eyes in the back of her head. She’d catch them for sure.
    “They didn’t say anything about bringing our own lights to the party.”
    “It’s cheating,” she repeated. And she’d keep on repeating it until he got it into his head.
    “No, it’s not.”
    “Yes,” she said through clenched teeth, wishing she sounded as patient as Ryan, “it is.”
    She heard him take a deep breath right before he changed tactics. “Do you really want to spend more time in this room?”
    Good point. She stuffed her hands into her pockets, bypassing the hard candy and paper she seemed to accumulate every time she wore the jean jacket. “Here’s the phone.”
    “You keep it.”
    Oh, sure. Have her handle the incriminating piece of evidence. “But we’re going to get caught and then we’re going to be disqualified.”
    “Explain why that would be a bad thing.”
    Well, he had her there. Michelle turned on the phone. The eerie green light didn’t go far. She held it to the floor and moved it around. “Found the tray.”
    Ryan grabbed the tray. “Okay, now the pieces.”
    “How many are there?”
    “I don’t know, but I’m sure we’ll find them all. The room isn’t that big.”
    The room wasn’t that large, but neither was her phone. By the time they collected all the pieces, her knees and elbows were sore, and she really wished the custodian swept the floor once in a while.
    “Aim the light at the tray and I’ll put the pieces together,” Ryan said. “We’ll be done in no time.”
    Michelle shifted her bottom jaw to the side. “Your optimism is beginning to annoy me.”
    “We have just as much chance as everyone else.”
    “Right.” She aimed the light at the tray.
    “And of all people to be pessimistic,” he muttered as he swiftly put the pieces together.
    “Huh?” She had been distracted by his hands. They were large and lean. Just like someone who worked with their hands a lot and knew how to use them. “What was that?”
    His hands stilled. “Never mind,” he said and worked faster. His fingers were a blur.
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” She wasn’t allowed to be cynical? Well, she had news for him.
    “Nothing.” His hands didn’t skip a beat as the replica grew. It was mesmerizing.
    “You better tell me.”
    “Or what?” he asked, his voice laced with amusement.
    “Or…or…” Okay, she had nothing. “I’m serious. Why did you say that?”
    “Someone who has the Midas touch shouldn’t be pessimistic.”
    Michelle almost dropped the phone. The light zigzagged as she held it steady. “Midas touch?”
    “You are Carbon Hill’s golden girl.”
    And therefore everything came easy for her? She wished! “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I have worked hard—”
    Michelle stopped and pulled back. Her fingers tightened around the phone. Now was not the time to discuss this. She quickly changed the subject. “Are you sure that matches the picture exactly?”
    He paused and Michelle assumed he was studying the replica one last time. “No, I’m not positive.”
    She waited, but he had nothing to add. That was it? That was all he had to say? Was there anything