You can look all you want, buddy, but you’re not getting any of this.
I walk past him, and open up the back door, tossing my backpack inside, then set my laptop bag on the seat beside it.
He opens the car door for me. But before getting in, I turn and face him. “We need to get something straight.”
He raises an eyebrow.
“This will be strictly a business arrangement. Understand?”
His lips slip into a smile. “Obviously. What did you think it was?”
Oh, right. I sound like a complete jackass. “Nothing, never mind. Let’s go.” I slip on my sunglasses and slide into the car. The interior is sleek and black, trimmed in shiny silver. Classy. As I pull my door closed, I notice it smells good in here. Like cologne. Well that’s distracting.
Colt gets inside, and tosses the black assignment envelope on my lap.
It’s been torn open along the flap and I slip the single sheet of paper from inside as Colt pulls out, kicking up gravel in his wake.
I read over the assignment while Colt turns on the music.
Hi s phone is buzzing as soon as we start moving. He answers it as he maneuvers us down the single-lane drive toward the main road.
“Yeah?” he answers.
I can tell it’s a girl’s voice coming through the speaker, but I can’t make out what she’s saying.
“Listen, Bria, we already talked about this.”
He listens to her for a few seconds more, then cuts in again. “ I know, and it was fun. But I was clear about what I wanted from the beginning.”
He listens to her carry on for a few moments; her voice raised just enough for me to detect the anger in her tone. I cringe into my seat. I know how bad it sucks being dumped.
“ Look, I’m sorry you’re upset, but there’s nothing more to talk about. I’ve gotta go.” He clicks the phone off.
Damn, that was harsh. I shake my head. “Nice, Colt.”
He straightens in his seat. “I’m sorry you had to hear that.”
I wave my hand. “No biggie. I’ve been briefed on how you roll.”
“How I roll?” He pulls out onto the highway, picking up speed.
“You know, with the ladies?”
His mouth tugs down in the corners.
“Look, I’m not judging. It’s your life. You don’t have to explain it to me.”
He’s quiet for a second, and he focuses on the road. “If we’re going to work together, I don’t want you thinking I’m a douche bag.”
Too late. “Don’t worry about it.” I wave him off. I turn and look out my window, watching the pine trees pass by in a blur. For some reason, my mind wanders to Wes.
We dated for five months earlier this year. One night, with his parents out of town, he’d made a bed of blankets in front of the fireplace. It was the first, and last time we slept together.
He was distant the next day when we talked on the phone, and then didn’t answer my calls or texts for the next two days. I found out online that he’d be snowboarding with his friends that Sunday, and I drove down to the ski hill and waited in the lodge all afternoon. I had to know what was going on. I finally met up with him in the parking lot. He and his friends were sweaty and laughing as they made their way to his truck. His face dropped when he saw me.
He said he didn’t want to be tied down, and things had been getting too serious between us. Serious? No shit. Three days before, he told me he loved me and took my virginity. When I reminded him of that, he just said he didn’t want a serious girlfriend right now. His friends stood beside his truck, loading their boards inside while he broke up with me.
I didn’t even wait for him to finish, I turned and walked calmly to my car. I needed to get away from him before I broke down. I went straight home and spent the afternoon hacking into his personal files, social networks and email, intent on making his life a living hell, all the while tears streaming down my cheeks.
Colt keeps the music playing low, one hand on the wheel, his face relaxed. I watch him drive from the corner of
I walk past him, and open up the back door, tossing my backpack inside, then set my laptop bag on the seat beside it.
He opens the car door for me. But before getting in, I turn and face him. “We need to get something straight.”
He raises an eyebrow.
“This will be strictly a business arrangement. Understand?”
His lips slip into a smile. “Obviously. What did you think it was?”
Oh, right. I sound like a complete jackass. “Nothing, never mind. Let’s go.” I slip on my sunglasses and slide into the car. The interior is sleek and black, trimmed in shiny silver. Classy. As I pull my door closed, I notice it smells good in here. Like cologne. Well that’s distracting.
Colt gets inside, and tosses the black assignment envelope on my lap.
It’s been torn open along the flap and I slip the single sheet of paper from inside as Colt pulls out, kicking up gravel in his wake.
I read over the assignment while Colt turns on the music.
Hi s phone is buzzing as soon as we start moving. He answers it as he maneuvers us down the single-lane drive toward the main road.
“Yeah?” he answers.
I can tell it’s a girl’s voice coming through the speaker, but I can’t make out what she’s saying.
“Listen, Bria, we already talked about this.”
He listens to her for a few seconds more, then cuts in again. “ I know, and it was fun. But I was clear about what I wanted from the beginning.”
He listens to her carry on for a few moments; her voice raised just enough for me to detect the anger in her tone. I cringe into my seat. I know how bad it sucks being dumped.
“ Look, I’m sorry you’re upset, but there’s nothing more to talk about. I’ve gotta go.” He clicks the phone off.
Damn, that was harsh. I shake my head. “Nice, Colt.”
He straightens in his seat. “I’m sorry you had to hear that.”
I wave my hand. “No biggie. I’ve been briefed on how you roll.”
“How I roll?” He pulls out onto the highway, picking up speed.
“You know, with the ladies?”
His mouth tugs down in the corners.
“Look, I’m not judging. It’s your life. You don’t have to explain it to me.”
He’s quiet for a second, and he focuses on the road. “If we’re going to work together, I don’t want you thinking I’m a douche bag.”
Too late. “Don’t worry about it.” I wave him off. I turn and look out my window, watching the pine trees pass by in a blur. For some reason, my mind wanders to Wes.
We dated for five months earlier this year. One night, with his parents out of town, he’d made a bed of blankets in front of the fireplace. It was the first, and last time we slept together.
He was distant the next day when we talked on the phone, and then didn’t answer my calls or texts for the next two days. I found out online that he’d be snowboarding with his friends that Sunday, and I drove down to the ski hill and waited in the lodge all afternoon. I had to know what was going on. I finally met up with him in the parking lot. He and his friends were sweaty and laughing as they made their way to his truck. His face dropped when he saw me.
He said he didn’t want to be tied down, and things had been getting too serious between us. Serious? No shit. Three days before, he told me he loved me and took my virginity. When I reminded him of that, he just said he didn’t want a serious girlfriend right now. His friends stood beside his truck, loading their boards inside while he broke up with me.
I didn’t even wait for him to finish, I turned and walked calmly to my car. I needed to get away from him before I broke down. I went straight home and spent the afternoon hacking into his personal files, social networks and email, intent on making his life a living hell, all the while tears streaming down my cheeks.
Colt keeps the music playing low, one hand on the wheel, his face relaxed. I watch him drive from the corner of
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