He barked sharply.
“Yes, my sentiments exactly.” I opened the pink. “Okay, here we go…”
CHAPTER 30
Jamie
I pulledinto Hank’s driveway next to an unfamiliar blue minivan. I was guessing it was Rachel’s, which meant they were here instead of out as Hank had expected.
Shoot. I hoped I wasn’t interrupting alone time.
I jogged up the porch steps and lifted my hand to knock, then hesitated. Maybe I should let myself in? I could sneak into the kitchen and grab Hank’s lunch and get out before Corey even knew I was there.
That seemed less awkward for everyone.
I turned the doorknob and eased the door open, peeking through the gap. The coast was clear. I scurried across the living room.
Just before I reached the kitchen, a door slammed in the hallway. “I can’t believe you!” a female voice yelled.
“Well, Icanbelieve you!” Corey called back, sounding pissed. “Which is way worse, by the way.”
Footsteps stomped my way.
Oh, shit. I darted toward the kitchen, but I was too slow.
Rachel saw me first, brown eyes widening. “Who areyou?”
“Sorry, I’m just here to pick up something. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“Well, you did!” Her cheeks were flushed red, and she looked ready to claw my eyes out.
“Don’t yell at Jamie,” Corey snapped. “He has just as much right to be here as you do.”
I motioned to the kitchen. “I’m just here to pick up Hank’s lunch. He forgot it this morning.”
“I put it in the fridge.” Corey turned to Rachel. “See, Jamie came by to get Hank’s lunch. That’s what caring partners do. They support each other.”
“Exactly!” Rachel insisted. “They don’t put work first.”
“Jamie is getting my brother’s lunch because he’sat work! That’s not the same thing at all…”
I hurried into the kitchen as their argument picked up again, stomach twisted with discomfort. The fight looked like an ugly one and I was sure my presence wasn’t helping.
I opened the refrigerator and grabbed the insulated lunch box that sat inside, then edged my way to the threshold, trying to gauge when it would be safe to make a run for it.
“I don’t get that much time off babysitting,” Rachel was saying. “You know how suffocating my family can be.”
“You’re the one who came back to live with them,” he shot back.
“Not by choice! They wouldn’t keep paying for college after I dropped my third class. Youknowthat.”
“I can’t live my life on your family’s schedule,” Corey said. “This job is important to me.”
“More important than me, obviously!”
I winced at the gaslighting. This girl seemed to be a pro at twisting Corey’s words.
“I won’t compete with your job,” she continued. “Either you show up Saturday night as we planned or we’re through.”
