Read Online Ghost of a Chance by Lauren Barnholdt - Free Book Online Page B

annoying.”
    â€œAw,” I say. “I’m sure she thinks you’re just as good-looking as he is.” Robbie has frizzy hair and a little bit of acne, but beauty is only skin deep. I’m sure his girlfriend loves the way he looks. Otherwise, why would she be with him?
    â€œNo, she doesn’t,” Robbie grumbles.
    â€œHow do you know?” I ask. Click, click, click. I switch through the channels fast, trying to get a look at as many different programs as I can. I think it’s probably important to be diverse when it comes to figuring out picture quality.
    â€œBecause she says, ‘Wow, you really aren’t as good-looking as Ian Somerhalder.’ ”
    â€œThat’s really rude,” Lily says. She’s sitting on the floor of the store now, watching some kind of volleyball game playing on one of the screens on the bottom shelf.
    â€œThat’s really rude,” I echo. “It might be time for you to get a new girlfriend.”
    â€œYes,” Cindy chimes in. “If someone isn’t treating you with the respect you deserve, it’s time to find someone who will.”
    She sounds very wise. I wonder if it’s because of her and my dad. There was this whole big scandal involving him not wanting to tell me about the two of them being together. So he kept the relationship a secret, and Cindy got super-annoyed by it. And so then she got offered this job in Virginia, and she threatened to take it.
    That’s why my dad bought her that promise ring—to, like, prove his love to her. And it seemed to have worked, because from what I can tell, they’re happier than ever. Well. As long as Cindy never meets Ian Somerhalder.
    â€œI was thinking it might be fun to try out the single life,” Robbie says. He watches as a girl walks by, her long blond hair swishing as she goes.
    When did this trip turn into some kind of counseling session for Robbie’s love life? I’m sure he’s a nice guy, but priorities, people.
    â€œYes, well, I’m sure the single life will be fun,” I say. Not. I’ve been single for, like, a day, and I already realize how bad it sucks. Not only am I single and without a boyfriend, I’m single and without a best friend.
    Thinking about Ellie starts to depress me, and I feel a warm tingle at the back of my eyes. I look down at theremote in my hand and try to keep myself from crying.
    â€œYou okay?” Lily asks. “Why are you crying?”
    I obviously can’t tell her, but it’s nice of her to ask. I wonder what she would do if she knew that part of the reason my life is such a mess is because of her dumb sister. After all, if Madison hadn’t told Brandon that I liked Micah, Brandon wouldn’t have been so suspicious, and maybe he wouldn’t have been so upset when he saw me and Micah at the bowling alley together. And then I wouldn’t have told him that I could see ghosts, in an effort to make sure he wasn’t mad at me anymore.
    â€œWhatever,” I say, taking a deep breath in through my nose and letting it out through my mouth. “I think we should get this one.” I point at the TV I’ve been watching. “Let’s wrap it up.”
    â€œUm, okay,” Robbie says. He looks a little startled. Probably he’s not used to people making such quick decisions.
    â€œShouldn’t you ask your father if the price is okay?” Cindy pipes up and asks.
    I stand on my tiptoes and look toward the front of the store. Of course, now that I’m ready to get out of here, my dad’s nowhere to be found.
    â€œThis TV is very reasonably priced,” Robbie says. It’s definitely the wrong thing to say, since apparently Cindy shares my dad’s belief that salespeople are the devil. She glares at him suspiciously.
    â€œMaybe we should try calling my dad,” I say, and pull my cell phone out of my purse. “And let him know we’re