at least not without wanting something in return. But I didn’t have time right now to play games. I’d worry about his ulterior motives later.
“Okkkay. Well, the list is over there. Just find something that still needs to be done and get started. Thanks.” I turned to finish what I was doing, but Brent didn’t leave. I faced him again. “Was there something else you needed?”
Brent looked around. “Actually. I was hoping I could talk to you for a few minutes. Alone. Is that okay?”
As I suspected. Ulterior motives. I glanced at the time on my phone. “I really don’t have time right now. We only have a few hours before people start showing up.”
“Five minutes. I promise. And I’ll call a few of the guys on the team and tell them to get their asses down here to help, too. That was fucked up what those kids did.”
Having a conversation with Brent was pretty much the last thing I wanted to do, but if he was going to get me more help, I couldn’t pass that up. I needed all I could get. I blew out a breath. “Okay. Sure. Five minutes. But I’m serious, I have a ton of stuff I still need to do and can’t—”
“Trust me. This’ll only take a few minutes.” He took his hands out of his pockets and swung an arm around my shoulders, leading me behind the house toward the garage.
M Y LAST CLASS FOR THE day finally ended, and tonight was the night. The night I revealed all to Hadley. I was a nervous wreck, but excited too. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and frowned, reading a text message I’d received from Hadley.
“Have 2 cancel. Sorry. Punks trashed the haunted house and need major clean up b4 we open 2nite.”
Holy shit! That sucked, especially for Hadley. I knew how hard she’d worked for this fundraiser and to have someone do that must have really upset her. Although, knowing her, it probably just enraged her and motivated her to make it even better than before.
I flipped through my contacts and dialed Piper, and when she didn’t answer, I called Chloe. Thankfully, she picked up right away.
“Hey. What’s up?”
“I just heard about the haunted house being trashed. What the hell happened?”
She sighed heavily. “Some high school brats, apparently. Place is a mess. I’m here now trying to help clean up, but I have no idea how we’re going to get it all done before tonight.”
“Do you need any extra hands?”
“Yes! And grab anyone else who doesn’t look busy. Seriously. It’s a Friday, and it’s Halloween, so not a whole lot of people came to clean up, ya know?”
“Yeah, I’ll see who’s around.” I pulled out my keys and headed for my truck. “Who all is there?”
She started rattling off a bunch of names, mostly just the regular crew. “That’s about it. Although, I was really surprised to see some of the people who showed up.”
A bad feeling washed over me. “Like who?”
Chloe hummed under her breath, as if she were thinking. “Well, one of the professors from the chemistry department for one.”
I blew out the breath.
“And for some odd reason, Hadley’s ex is here too.”
I halted in my tracks. “Brent? Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
Fuck! He was probably over there telling her that he was the one behind everything. I needed to stop him. Now. I hung up with Chloe and hopped in my truck, peeling out of the parking lot, praying I wasn’t too late.
B RENT LED ME TO THE edge of the property behind the detached garage. I was more than annoyed but didn’t say anything. I needed the extra bodies he’d promised to get, and I was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I had shit to do and he was already wearing on my nerves.
“Why did you bring me all the way back here, Brent?” I leaned against the siding, crossing my arms.
He stepped closer, boxing me in with his hands. “I wanted some privacy for what I’m about to tell you.”
My brows furrowed. “And what is
“Okkkay. Well, the list is over there. Just find something that still needs to be done and get started. Thanks.” I turned to finish what I was doing, but Brent didn’t leave. I faced him again. “Was there something else you needed?”
Brent looked around. “Actually. I was hoping I could talk to you for a few minutes. Alone. Is that okay?”
As I suspected. Ulterior motives. I glanced at the time on my phone. “I really don’t have time right now. We only have a few hours before people start showing up.”
“Five minutes. I promise. And I’ll call a few of the guys on the team and tell them to get their asses down here to help, too. That was fucked up what those kids did.”
Having a conversation with Brent was pretty much the last thing I wanted to do, but if he was going to get me more help, I couldn’t pass that up. I needed all I could get. I blew out a breath. “Okay. Sure. Five minutes. But I’m serious, I have a ton of stuff I still need to do and can’t—”
“Trust me. This’ll only take a few minutes.” He took his hands out of his pockets and swung an arm around my shoulders, leading me behind the house toward the garage.
M Y LAST CLASS FOR THE day finally ended, and tonight was the night. The night I revealed all to Hadley. I was a nervous wreck, but excited too. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and frowned, reading a text message I’d received from Hadley.
“Have 2 cancel. Sorry. Punks trashed the haunted house and need major clean up b4 we open 2nite.”
Holy shit! That sucked, especially for Hadley. I knew how hard she’d worked for this fundraiser and to have someone do that must have really upset her. Although, knowing her, it probably just enraged her and motivated her to make it even better than before.
I flipped through my contacts and dialed Piper, and when she didn’t answer, I called Chloe. Thankfully, she picked up right away.
“Hey. What’s up?”
“I just heard about the haunted house being trashed. What the hell happened?”
She sighed heavily. “Some high school brats, apparently. Place is a mess. I’m here now trying to help clean up, but I have no idea how we’re going to get it all done before tonight.”
“Do you need any extra hands?”
“Yes! And grab anyone else who doesn’t look busy. Seriously. It’s a Friday, and it’s Halloween, so not a whole lot of people came to clean up, ya know?”
“Yeah, I’ll see who’s around.” I pulled out my keys and headed for my truck. “Who all is there?”
She started rattling off a bunch of names, mostly just the regular crew. “That’s about it. Although, I was really surprised to see some of the people who showed up.”
A bad feeling washed over me. “Like who?”
Chloe hummed under her breath, as if she were thinking. “Well, one of the professors from the chemistry department for one.”
I blew out the breath.
“And for some odd reason, Hadley’s ex is here too.”
I halted in my tracks. “Brent? Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
Fuck! He was probably over there telling her that he was the one behind everything. I needed to stop him. Now. I hung up with Chloe and hopped in my truck, peeling out of the parking lot, praying I wasn’t too late.
B RENT LED ME TO THE edge of the property behind the detached garage. I was more than annoyed but didn’t say anything. I needed the extra bodies he’d promised to get, and I was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I had shit to do and he was already wearing on my nerves.
“Why did you bring me all the way back here, Brent?” I leaned against the siding, crossing my arms.
He stepped closer, boxing me in with his hands. “I wanted some privacy for what I’m about to tell you.”
My brows furrowed. “And what is
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