Page 16 of The Way I Hate Him
“Thank you, that’s what I thought until he decided to pin me for the crime and threaten to call the cops on me.”
“Nooooo,” Maggie growls. “He did not do that.”
“Oh yes, he did. Which then led to me going inside his house to save my ass, and guess what, Mags?”
“Tell me.”
“I’m now working for him.”
There’s a pause. “Wait . . . what?”
Yeah, I’m still trying to process it all too.
“Apparently, the man has no sense of organization because his office and garage are trashed. Matt was supposed to clean it up, but because he fired him for stealing—shocking—he now needs the help and told me I could take the job or he would call the police.”
“That’s blackmail.” Her outrage is just what I need at this moment. Find yourself a friend like Maggie. She’s the absolute best.
“Are you surprised? The guy has no moral compass.”
“I can’t believe that,” she says as I make my way toward The Almond Store. “Is he going to at least pay you?”
“Yes, thank God, and I hate to admit it, but given my circumstances, I could really use the money.”
“True, but it’s Hayes Farrow . . . your brother hates him.”
“That’s why Ryland is not going to find out.”
“And how do you plan on keeping your new employment a secret? What are you even going to tell them about being in town?” Maggie asks.
“I thought about that, and since I’m returning midsemester, I’m going to tell them I spoke with my professors, and we all agreed that I need to take some time off because of Cassidy’s death. They don’t need to know that time off is because I failed every one of my midterms. I came back here to gather myself and found an internship to help tide me over.”
“Internship. That’s believable.”
“I’ll say one of my professors hooked me up with it. And thankfully, since Hayes lives outside of town and far away from any family members or townspeople, it won’t be a problem.”
“Okay, and what about the whole he’s the sexiest man ever to walk the planet thing?”
“What about it?” I ask.
“Uh, are you going to be able to control yourself?”
“Maggie,” I say on a huff as I drive down Almond Ave. “Unlike Hayes, I have standards, convictions. He might be hot, but there’s no way I’d touch that man with a ten-foot pole. Also, he’s twelve years older than I am. He’s the same age as Ryland.”
“That’s hot.”
“Wait, so Matt gives you the ick, but a twelve-year age difference doesn’t?”
“Age gap is in.”
“Something is seriously wrong with you.”
“Come on, the thought of being with an experienced man doesn’t make your body tingle with anticipation?”
“No,” I say even though that’s slightly a lie. Sex with Matt was . . . okay. I did fake it a lot, but there were some good times . . . maybe like a few. Not many actually. Either way, who’s to say Hayes would even be good at sex? He probably has a gaggle of women lined up and ready to fake it as well.
“I don’t believe you.”
I sigh. “Can we just agree that I’m in hell?”
