“What’s wrong?” Reed’s attention tracks to the booth. “Is that Ben?”
“Shh, keep your voice down,” I scold.
“Why are you whispering? Ben’s not allowed to take a girl on a date?”
I toss my bangs as if they’ll shield my eyes from the cheating taking place before me.
“Notagirl…thatgirl. Madison Walter.”
His pupils dilate. “Dean’sgirlfriend?”
She licks the shell of Ben’s ear and then giggles, and I jerk Reed’s arm toward the exit.
“Hurry, before they see us.”
Reed’s chest puffs up even broader than it already is. What is he going to do, start a brawl? He looked like he wanted to deck Ben the other day, and I can’t say I’m Madison’s biggest fan, but this is not the time or place for a fight.
Before we can clear the door, bright blue eyes swivel in our direction and widen in delight.
“Oh my gosh, Hailey? Is that you?” She jumps from Ben’s lap and rushes over to us. “I didn’t know you were back!” Her boobs smash against my chest with her hug.
“Oh… hey, Madison. I didn’t see you there. Yeah, I moved back about a month ago.”
“No way!” she squeals. “I thought for sure you were getting out of here for good when you left.”
She’s never been very tactful about other people’s feelings judging by the way she’s cheating on her long-term boyfriend.
“Guess I couldn’t stay away.”
With her smile brighter than ever, she turns to Reed and pins her arms behind her back, swinging from side to side. “Hailey, we’re being rude. And you are?”
I expect him to hold out his hand when he greets her, but he wraps his free arm around my shoulders instead. “Reed Morgan.”
“Reed.” She samples the way it sounds coming out of her mouth, and I hate it.
“Iron Summit firefighter,” he adds.
She releases a puff of air and avoids eye contact with him. Then, like a wig, she puts on that smile once more.
“Well, it was nice to see you, Hailey. We should get togethersometime!” Her eyes dart to Reed and back to me again. “Ya know, like agirls’night kind of thing,” she adds, making thegpop.
In all the years I’ve known her, we’ve never had a girls’ night.
“Yeah, sure. See ya, Madison.”
She scampers away, and I level Ben with a glare.
Just as we break through the exit, I hear my coworker calling after me.
“Hales, wait!”
The door to Grenaldough’s swings closed in his face. He pushes it back open.
“Hales!” he says again.
I spin around. “Don’t call me that!”
“Hailey, I’m sorry! I didn’t know until today, okay?”
