“You’re kidding!” I can’t keep the shock out of my voice.
“What do you say?”
It’s the second time she’s asked that question in our three-minute conversation. This woman is good at closing deals.
“Why?” I can’t help but ask. “Why us?”
“Like I said,” Marsha replies. “Your classmates believe their old prom king and queen belong together. You two received the highest number of nominations in your area. One of your classmates even sent a video clip where Kai ran through the homecoming game banner with you in his arms while the whole school cheered.Veryromantic.”
“Someone sent that?” For a moment, I’m back in Kai’s big strong arms, smelling his heavenly smell and basking in his warmth. That momentwasvery romantic. And so thrilling. Kai had scooped me into his arms, burst through the banner and onto the field. He ran straight to the mic and asked, in front of everyone, if I would go to the dance with him. It was a big deal considering that every girl in school wanted to go with him.
I consider agreeing to do the show, and a vision of my younger brother Nate comes to mind. He’ll kill me if I say yes; he witnessed firsthand how much that breakup hurt me. It feels like a million more wicks are flaring in my chest. Each one is sparking and spurting and ready to blow.
“I don’t know,” I breathe.
“How about I sweeten the deal and make it thirty thousand a day? I’ll send over the contract now, you sign it, and if Kai says yes, you head out to the location one week from today.”
I stare at my phone for a blink, then flinch when the text pops in.
“Did you just send me the contract?”
“Yes.”
“Already? With the thirty thousand per-day deal?”
“Yes,” she says again.
A vision of that dreamy time of my life floats through my mind. Early morning rides to school. Late-night kisses at the front door. What I wouldn’t give to kiss those lips again. Ihaveto know if Kai will agree to it. Handsome, hunky Kai, who’s probably been breaking hearts since the day he left me.
So maybe I was asking for a second dose of heartbreak, but who was I kidding? Money aside, it’d be worth it.
“All right,” I blurt. “I’ll do it on one condition. You can’t tell Kai that I already said yes unlesshesays yes. And if he says no, then act like you didn’t ask me yet and leave it at that.”
The line goes graveyard silent.
Marsha might not know it, but thisstipulation iseverything.I absolutely, one-hundred percent willnotagree to this if Kai—
“Deal.”
My brows try jumping into my hairline. “Deal?”
“Yes, deal. Sign that and send it back. I’ll call Kai and let you know once I have an answer.”
She hangs up, and I dive into the Millie-long—err mile-long contract. I should have a lawyer. If I were smart, I’d contact a lawyer, have them look it over, and tell me whether I’m signing my soul away or not.
But no. I picture the wordsuckerstamped to my head as I scroll all the way down to the bottom, type in my name, and do a finger signing on the designated line.
“There.” I stare at it, asking myself if I dare hit send.
But then something takes over. I’m not sure if it’s the emotions stirring within me or the buttery crumb on my cheek, but suddenly I’m hovering a thumb over thesendprompt and then lowering it until I tap solidly against the green, glowing box.
I gasp, then stare at the device as it makes that swishy sound.
The bombs are going off now. Massive explosions in my chest that make it impossible to sit still. At once, I’m pacing along the kitchen and scrubbing the buttery spot on my cheek. I can’t afford a breakout if I’m actually going to be on television.
But wait—I don’twantto be on television. Did I forget thatthat’spart of the deal? What the crap am I thinking?
But I already know the answer. Ihaveto see if Kai will say yes to it or not.
