Read Online The Bridge by Rachel Lou - Free Book Online Page B

against the doorframe, dressed in his uniform pants and a tight white T-shirt.
    Everett tried not to stare at Bryce’s muscled arms. “I didn’t think I would, but Kwang Jang-nim called my grandfather.”
    “I’ll sign him up.” His grandfather gestured for Ann to hand over the paperwork.
    “What?” Everett said.
    “Excellent.” Ann slid the signup sheets and a pen across the table.
    Bryce’s face lit up with a wide smile. “Christmas came early.”
    Everett gaped as his grandfather palmed the sheets and pen. “But—”
    “Forty dollars is nothing, and I think martial arts is an excellent character builder,” his grandfather said, smiling as he straightened the papers in front of him.
    “It certainly is. Look at me. I have great character,” Bryce said. He flexed an arm muscle, and Everett’s mouth dried in a second.
    Ann chuckled. “You certainly do.”
    Defeated, Everett slouched in his chair. He watched his grandfather scan over the fine print and whip signatures on the paperwork.
    His grandfather made him fill out the emergency and medical forms. His numb hands trembled as he filled the sheets from top to bottom.
    Bryce watched from the doorway. “Hey, Everett, did you bring salt with you again?”
    Everett’s grandfather paused in midsignature.
    “I did. Why?”
    “I have unsalted pretzels in my car.”
    “The salt won’t stick to the pretzels,” Everett’s grandfather said.
    “I have Nutella as glue.”
    “It’s in a fabric bag, not plastic anymore. It’s dirty. I don’t think you’d want to eat it,” Everett said.
    His grandfather warned him with a stern look.
    He couldn’t imagine how much trouble he’d be in if his grandfather knew about the information he had already slipped to Bryce.
    “For the experiment?” Bryce came into the office and sat on the corner of Ann’s desk, close enough to make Everett’s heart beat harder.
    “Experiment?” Everett’s grandfather repeated. “I haven’t heard of any experiments you were conducting.”
    “He didn’t tell me either. Apparently I’ll think he’s crazy or something.” Bryce said, having no idea of the line Everett was balanced on.
    “Crazy?” Everett’s grandfather smiled.
    “It’s nothing.” Everett looked at Bryce and tried to convey a message through his eyes.
    Bryce shifted his jaw and made a slight nod. “Whatever you say. So, what lessons are you taking? Private or group?”
    “It is forty dollars either way,” Ann said, “so you may as well take private lessons.”
    “Private will suit you much better,” Everett’s grandfather said.
    “I also teach private lessons sometimes, so….” Bryce shrugged, smiling devilishly.
    Everett struggled to moisten his mouth without looking like he had oral problems. “Oh? What days?”
    “It doesn’t matter. If Kwang Jang-nim lets me, I’ll teach all your lessons. I’m pretty good with kids my age since, you know, I am a kid myself.”
    Ann swatted Bryce off the desk with a rolled newspaper. “Bryce is an assistant instructor. He’ll be promoted to an actual instructor when he turns twenty-one, but for now he’s limited to assisting and hosting private lessons. He has a year of private-lesson experience, but if you want someone more qualified, you can train with Antonio.”
    Bryce made an X with his arms and pretended to cut his throat with the top V. “You don’t want Antonio. He leads the boot camps. That should tell you enough.”
    “He’s the head master of the dojang. Very experienced and smart with his technique. You’ll learn more from him than from Bryce,” Ann said.
    Bryce leaned on the desk and gestured to Ann. “She didn’t deny it. She agrees Antonio is harsh.”
    Ann didn’t respond with anything more than a sigh.
    Everett’s grandfather finished filling the info sheets and slid them to Ann with finality. “Who do you want?” he asked Everett.
    There was no question about it. “I’d feel more comfortable with Bryce. Antonio would