Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Christ.
What was wrong with him? A mutual banging? Why had he said that?
Because you’re an idiot.
He turned away from her to see Megan gaping at them both in surprise.
Yeah.
This wasn’t the way he normally acted. Most of the time, he barely spoke. There was just something about this girl. When she wasn’t pricking his temper, then she was worrying him.
She’d felt so light in his arms. It was like he’d been carrying nothing. She needed to eat more. Was she eating? It seemed that she didn’t have much money so she might be going without.
He didn’t like the idea of that.
Who was meant to be looking after this girl? And why were they letting her drive around by herself? She could get into all sorts of trouble. Just look at what had already happened to her. If she was his then this would never have happened.
But she’s not yours. And you don’t actually have the right to fuss over her and boss her around.
Or slap her ass.
Right. He understood that. Didn’t mean that he intended to stop.
“Um, how did the two of you meet?” Megan asked as she got some supplies together. “You know each other well?”
“Not well enough for a mutual banging,” Casey told her.
For fuck’s sake.
He wasn’t going to live that down, was he?
“If Casey doesn’t want you here then I’m afraid you have to leave,” Megan told Jeb.
What was going on with her? Jeb didn’t understand. Megan was usually accommodating and friendly.
Although Wyatt wasn’t a fan of hers, was he?
How come he’d never really thought about that before? Maybe he should pay more attention to what his son thought.
“I’m staying.” He glared at Megan.
“It’s fine, he can stay,” Casey told her.
“Yes. I have a vested interest.”
Casey rolled her eyes. “A vested interest? What am I? A prize mare?”
“No, you are not. A prize mare would give me far less trouble than you.”
She gasped so hard that she nearly fell off the table. He had to catch her and put her back on. “How rude.”
“See what I mean?” he asked. “How have you survived without me this long?”
“Gosh, I really don’t know. Thank god you have come into my life to ensure that I do not walk around on my own two feet that work perfectly fine. Right, Megan?”
Wow.
If looks could kill, Casey would be dead.
What the heck did Megan have against her? Casey hadn’t met her before so she couldn't have insulted her previously. Surprisingly, considering the way her stay here had begun, most of the people of Oddity had been really kind to her.
Unfortunately, not kind enough to give her a job.
“You two are just so cute together,” Megan said through what seemed to be clenched teeth as she started to deal with Casey’s burn. “How did you meet again?”
“Well, Jeb here tried to get me arrested because I was having fun with his son at the playground.”
Jeb shot her a look. Oh, it seemed as if she was getting all the best looks today. Go her!
“Have you arrested?” Megan asked, looking alarmed.
Actually, she was kind of looking at her like she thought she might be dangerous.
“I wasn’t actually arrested,” she told Megan.
“Right, of course.” Megan gave her a shaky smile.
“Not then, anyway. I was arrested later that night,” she added.
“What?” Megan froze again.
“You know, I have other things to do today,” Jeb said. “So maybe we should drop this conversation.”
“You really don’t have to stay, Jeb,” Megan told him sweetly. “I will take care of your new friend.”
“Oh, we’re not friends,” Casey told her.
“No? What are you then?” Megan asked tightly.
“Hmm, frenemies,” Casey replied.
“No,” Jeb said.
“No?”
“I am not ever going to be associated with the word frenemy,” he told her.
“Ahh, ruins your bad-boy image, huh?” she asked as Megan bandaged her foot.
Her grandmother would shake her head at all this fuss over a small burn. By now her grandfather would have told her to harden up.
She missed them both so much.
“No,” he said.
“No? What is it this time?” she asked.
“I’m not a bad boy.”
“Really? You don’t like the term ‘bad boy’? Lots of women like bad boys, you know,” she told him.
“They do? Why?” he asked.
“I dunno. I guess they’re sexy. Especially when they fall in love and they don’t care about anyone else but the woman they’re in love with. And they’d kill for her. So they’re only soft for her.”
“I’m not soft for anyone,” he said.
“No?” she asked with a grin. “Good to know.”
He shot her a look then shook his head. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Ahh, so you’re hard, huh?”
“Brat,” he scolded. But she could swear she saw his lips twitch.
“Ouch!” She jumped as Megan pulled the bandage too tight.
Jeb turned and frowned at Megan. “Be careful, you hurt her.”
Megan’s face grew red. “I’m . . . I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine,” Casey said even though it wasn’t. Her foot was throbbing.
Megan quickly loosened the bandage and didn’t say anything else as she finished up. “So, it sounds like the two of you are complicated.”
“Well, I guess that’s a good way to explain it,” Casey said cheerfully. “That’s what you call a relationship that involves accusations of drugs, the police, a runaway child, lollipops, and hot coffee. Complicated.”
Jeb grunted so she guessed he agreed.
“There, all set,” Megan said with a tight smile. “How long are you staying, Casey? I’m guessing that a young thing like you would find Oddity a bit boring.”
Sheesh, she wasn’t that young!
“I’m just waiting for my car to get fixed and then I’ll be on my way. I’ve got a job waiting for me in Santa Barbara. My best friend lives there.”
Relief filled Megan’s face and her shoulders eased.
Curious. Man, her aura was all out of whack.
All right, so she didn’t really see auras. She just thought it sounded fun. Plus, she liked the way that people looked at her when she told them about their auras.
Either they looked aghast and horrified. Or interested and understanding.
Hmm. Maybe she needed a hobby.
“Oh, that’s good.” Megan actually managed a real smile.
“Uh, well, I would have preferred that my car didn’t break down and I didn’t have to stay,” Casey replied dryly. “Oh, and that this guy didn’t have me arrested then burn me with coffee. But yeah, on the whole, this has been a blast.”
Jeb sighed.
She was growing on him. She was certain of it.