I need to clean myself up more, heal, and get far, far away from Odette Chambers.
It’s been a long enough day as it is, especially since I’ve been up since four, and I don’t need it to be any longer with the way my nose and eyes are already starting to swell.
“We’ll do it later,” I say through clenched teeth, trying to ignore the pain radiating through my face. “Go home, Odie.”
She frowns, her shoulders sloping down, her chin nearly meeting her chest.
I instantly feel bad for upsetting her. I don’t like seeing her this way.
But I also don’t like that I’m now going to lose a few days’ worth of work because I went and busted up my nose trying to help her out.
“Okay,” she says. “I ... I’m sorry, Noah.”
“It’s no big deal,” I tell her, even though we both know it is.
The people in this town are nosy, and I serve them booze every day. They’re going to want to know what happened, which means I’m goingto have to come up with a damn good story, because there is no way I’m telling them the truth.
She nods but doesn’t say anything else.
I hold the door open for her as she climbs down the steps I need to get around to replacing one of these days, then gets into her tiny car.
Pale-pink lace. Red hearts. A matching bow.
I squeeze my eyes shut, shaking away the thought for I don’t even know how many times today, and pain from my nose radiates through my face.
I’ve only been working with Odette for one day, and one thing is for sure—I’m already in way over my head.
Chapter Six
Odette
I can’t remember the last time I was so thoroughly embarrassed, and that includes the previous two disastrous weddings I planned.
First Noah got an up-close-and-personal look at my favorite pair of underwear.
Then he busted his nose because I needed toilet paper and threw me out of his house.
And that doesn’t even include the wipe of shame I had to do in front of the spider that I’m pretty sure is still sitting in Noah’s bathroom, waiting for its next victim.
I have half a mind to sacrifice myself.
Anything to escape the complete awkwardness of the Stevens family dinner.
This get-together happens every other Saturday or so, and it includes the Stevenses, me, and my mother, who has been best friends with Izzy’s since they were kids. Any other night, I wouldn’t be bothered to be here. I love our dinners. This place is like a second home to me.
But then again, normally, the events of two days ago don’t ever happen either.
I slide my eyes over to Noah as subtly as I can. He’s been wearing aviator sunglasses all evening, making it obvious he’s trying to hidesomething. Even when he’s gone inside, he’s not taken them off, and I know that because I’ve been watching him far more than I care to admit.
It’s probably a good thing he’s wearing them. If his mother saw the state of his face, she’d have a conniption. I know only because of the texts he sent the morning after it happened.
I pull my phone from my purse, looking over the exchange again.
Noah:image
Noah:You did this to me.
Me:Me? I’m not the one who made you run into a door.
