Bye-Bye Jerk, Hello Mr. Right

Hayden paused for a few seconds before asking, “Have you been drinking?” His voice was magnetically pleasant.

I brushed off his question and pushed harder. “Are you willing or not?”

Instead of answering, Hayden asked, “Where are you?”

I sighed, frustrated. “Forget it, I already know what you’re gonna say,” I muttered, ready to hang up, but Hayden’s voice stopped me.

“Keira, where are you? Are you at home or somewhere else?” Hayden’s voice had this tone that made it clear he wasn’t messing around.

All the emotions I’d been holding back just burst out. “Who do you think you are, and why do you care? I

can be wherever I want-”

Before I could finish, Lena leaned in and grabbed the phone. “Don’t worry, she’s at my place. I’m her best

friend,” she said.

Then she whispered in my ear, “Be nice if you want his help.”

I pushed her away, laughing, still wrapped up in our little back–and–forth, when Hayden’s voice came through again. “We’ll talk when you’re sober tomorrow.

He hung up before I could say anything else. I just stared at the phone, totally stunned. “He thinks I’m drunk.” This text is © NôvelDrama/.Org.

Lena burst out laughing. “He’s probably worried you’ll say something now and regret it later.”

Sure, I’d been drinking, but I wasn’t that out of it.

Maybe this was his way of shutting me down.

I mean, he knew I didn’t like him like that. He probably thought I was messing with him–or maybe he was getting back at me for rejecting him.

That night’s drinking left me so out of it that I didn’t even realize when Lena left for work the next morning. I didn’t wake up until my phone rang, dragging me out of my sleep.

“Hello,” I mumbled, not even bothering to check the caller ID.

“Ms. Kay, can you come to the amusement park?” Gavin’s anxious voice eut through the fog in my brain.

I frowned. “Gavin, I quit. Didn’t you get the memo? If there’s a problem, talk to Wayne.”

“Ms. Kay, I’m calling you specifically,” Gavin insisted. His persistence made me chuckle and also fully woke me up.

I rolled over, stretching my arm out to smooth down the mess my hair had become from sleeping.” What’s going on?”

“We really need you to come. You’ll understand once you’re here,” Gavin said, with just enough mystery to pique my curiosity.

I glanced at the time on my phone. It was already ten in the morning, and here I was, still lounging in bed. Being lazy was a luxury I wasn’t ready to give up.

“I told you, I’ve quit. Whatever’s happening isn’t my problem anymore,” I reminded him.

“Ms. Kay,” Gavin’s tone shifted to something almost desperate, “even if it’s a personal favor, could you please come?”

I pressed my lips together. “I could, but why does it have to be at the amusement park?”

“Where would you prefer to meet?” Gavin asked.

He clearly had something urgent, but I decided to push back. “Just tell me over the phone.”

Back when I was still with RiverwaveCorp, Gavin, as Jace’s assistant, had often gone out of his way to help me because of my relationship with Jace. A lot of the gifts Jace gave me, and even the plans for every holiday, were handled by Gavin.

In a weird way, Gavin had done more for me than Jace ever did.

“It really can’t be discussed over the phone; it has to be in person,” Gavin pleaded.

Even though he sounded desperate, I wasn’t about to cave. “If you’re not going to tell me, then forget it.”

“Please,” Gavin suddenly blurted out, “if you don’t come, I might be out of a job by tomorrow.”

I frowned, my suspicion growing. “Is Jacè trying to trick me into going?”

“…Yeah,” Gavin admitted after a pause. “Mr. Johnston wants you to come to the amusement park because he’s planning to… propose.”

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