Bad Girlfriend (First & Last #4) (17 page)

That was not at all what I was expecting to hear from Louise. 
It didn’t surprise me that she didn’t trust Angela, because I doubted there was anyone she did like.  But the fact that she was warning me, like she was protecting me, like she actually gave two craps about me?  That shocked the hell out of me.

“Thanks, Louise.  I’ll keep that in mind.”

She nodded her head once and sat back at her desk.  Still baffled by the events of the last half hour and slightly apprehensive about having lunch with Angela, I walked out of the school.  Thomas’ car was pulled up in front of the school and I slid into the backseat.

Angela and Thomas kept up the conversation on the short drive to the middle of town.  When Thomas parked his car in front of The Last Call, I silently cursed him.  Brooke’s salon was just one block down and Ford was probably working today.  Not that I was doing anything wrong, but I knew having lunch with an ex-girlfriend would throw up all sorts of red flags if Brooke found out before I had a chance to explain.

Just my luck, Ford was behind the bar when we walked in.  The place was crowded, but there was an open booth near the bar.  I sat down on one side and Thomas on the other.  Angela slid in next to me.

Since we were so close to the bar, Ford came over with ice waters and menus.

“Hey Adam, Mr. Cole,” Ford said.

“That game last week was a great one, Ford.  Coach Wallace is lucky to have you on his team this year.  But I heard a rumor you won’t be sticking around after this season?”

“That’s right, sir.  My girlfriend is going to medical school…somewhere.  And we’re kind of a package deal.  I go where she goes.”

Thomas shook his head.  “It’s a shame to lose you.  But I can’t compete with that pretty lady of yours.”

Ford chuckled.  “You got that right.”

Angela stuck out her hand to Ford.  “Hi.  I’m Angela Cole, Thomas’ niece.”  She looked at me slyly out of the corner of her eye as Ford shook her hand.

“Angela and I went to college together,” I quickly interjected.  “I knew Thomas from then, and that’s how I heard about the job opening here.”

Angela leaned over to bump her shoulder playfully into mine and winked at Ford.  “We did more than just go to college together.  For goodness’ sake, Adam, we were practically engaged.”

I instinctively reached for my collar, which was suddenly feeling two sizes too small.  Ford raised an eyebrow.

“Well, Angela, who used to be practically engaged to Adam, what can I get you to drink?”  Ford
said, the amusement at my obvious discomfort evident in his tone.

I slumped back against the booth, scrunching into the corner and as far away from Angela as I could get.  I didn’t like the predatory look in her eyes or the way she kept casually touching my arm or my leg.  We hadn’t seen each other or spoken in more than five years, and suddenly she appeared
out of nowhere acting like we were just going to pick up where we left off.

When our food arrived, Angela finally stopped talking about what she’d been doing since graduation, namely working on her Masters and now PhD in English, and asked me about my job.

“I hear there’s a carnival at the school tonight, Adam.  Do you need help setting up?  Or we could meet up later?”

Ah ha.  Here was my chance.

“Most of the teachers are staying after school, so I think we have all the help we need lined up.  And later…well, my girlfriend will be at the carnival, so we will probably grab a bite to eat after the carnival.  If we run into each other, I’ll introduce you.”

Angela’s pleasant smile stayed in place but a layer of frost descended over her hazel eyes.  “You’ve only been here a few weeks and already you have a girlfriend?”

“Yeah, well I rent the apartment over her garage, so we see each other a lot,” I said.

“
You’re seeing the Mills girl?” Thomas asked around a mouthful of bacon cheeseburger.

“
Mmm hmm,” I mumbled, having just taken a bite of my own burger.

Thomas seemed displeased at my choice of women.  “I don’t know her grandmother well, but I do remember the girl was something of a troublemaker in high school.  A bit advanced for her age, if you know what I mean.”

I was immediately on the defensive hearing anyone say anything negative about Brooke, especially someone who didn’t know anything about her.

“People can change, Thomas.  And who hasn’t done things they regr
et?” I said curtly, my appetite quickly diminishing.

“Now, now, son.
  I didn’t mean to ruffle your feathers.  Just watch yourself with that one.  Remember what I said about upholding your professional reputation.  This is a small town, and parents might not like finding out their child’s principal is cavorting with the town floozy.”

I glanced toward the bar and saw Ford intently watching our table.  He could probably see the steam coming out of my ears and was ready to stop me from wrapping my hands around Thomas’ meaty throat.
  Tossing my napkin on the table, I motioned for Angela to let me out.

“Thank you for
lunch, Thomas.  Angela, it was good to see you again.  I just remembered I have a 12:30 appointment.  You two finish your lunch.  I’ll walk back to school.”

I left before I would say something I would regret or that would cost me my job, because I would never regret defending Brooke.  Throwing open the door hard enough that it slammed against the outside
wall; I stormed out onto the street.  Looking to the right, I considered walking to the salon just so I could see Brooke.  But decided against it.  She would wonder why I was all worked up, and the conversation I just had would be one she would never hear about.

Chapter Seventeen

Brooke

Poppy had texted me ten minutes ago that they would be here soon to pick me up.  That meant I needed to choose an outfit pronto.  Since I hadn’t been to the elementary school carnival since I was in elementary school, I wasn’t sure what the appropriate attire was.  It was early September and still warm in the evenings, so I settled on a pair of white shorts and an asymmetrical off the shoulder floral print top.  I knew Adam lik
ed my hair down, so I styled it in loose beachy waves.

I heard the horn on Ford’s truck honking out in my driveway, so I slipped on my sparkly sandals and grabbed my purse.  Ford’s football team was taking turns in the dunk tank, so he was going to support them and probably throw a few
balls.  This way I could ride home with Adam after the carnival was over.  Ever since waking up in his bed this morning, I was counting down the minutes until we were alone again tonight.

“Hi guys,” I said when I slid in the front seat next to Poppy, who scooted over to the middle
of the seat to make room for me.

“You look so cute, Brooke.  I always feel way underdressed next to you,” Poppy said, looking down at her denim
cutoffs and gray t-shirt.

“You’re perfect, baby,” Ford said, squeezing her knee.  He glanced over at me and said, “You talk to Adam today, Brooke?”

“Not since this morning.  Why?”

Ford didn’t get a chance to answer, because Poppy slapped my arm and said, “This morning?  What were you doing with him this morning?”

“Probably the same thing we were doing this morning,” Ford said, half under his breath.  He got a slap on the arm from Poppy too for that comment.

Fortunately we were already at the school, and I didn’t have to explain what we had been or not been doing this morning.  Ford and Poppy headed in the direction of the games in search of the dunk tank, while I wandered around the food carts keeping an eye out for Adam.

“Yo, Brooke.”

I recognized the voice, but it took me a second to comprehend because Chet didn’t usually call me by my name.

Turning around I saw Chet behind the funnel cake cart.  Looks like he had taken on a second job as a carny.  Seemed fitting.

I tossed my hair and started to walk away, but he reached out and caught my wrist.  When I looked at his hand on me, he released it immediately.

“You want a funnel cake?  It’s on the house.”

“What do you want, Chet?  I’m with someone else now.”

He sighed and flipped a fresh hot funnel cake out of the fryer and onto a plate.  “You’re really into that guy?”

I watched as he doused the funnel cake with powdered sugar.  “His name is Adam.  And, yes, I’m really into him.  He’s…nice.  He treats me well.”

Chet frowned at something over my shoulder.  “He looks like Mr. Rogers’ grandson in that fucking sweater vest,” he grumbled.

I looked
over my shoulder and saw Adam across the lawn, talking to a woman with dark hair.  Probably one of the teachers.  Just seeing him made me smile.  His sleeves were unbuttoned and rolled up to his elbows.  He still wore his glasses and his hair was disheveled.

“Jesus, Brooke.  You really do have it bad,” Chet said.  Whatever he saw in my expression when I lo
oked at Adam must have convinced him I was serious.

“If that’s
really what you want, I’ll back off.”

“Thanks, Chet.”  I took the plate from him and tore off a piece of funnel cake and popped it in my mouth.

“But it looks like you’re not the only one who’s turned on by a pansy in a sweater vest.”

I looked back again and narrowed my eyes at the woman, who now had her hand on his upper arm.  She was leaning into his body and laughing.  Adam wasn’t sharing in her humor
and had a tight smile on his face, and when his eyes swept my way and saw me, he stepped back so her hand fell off his arm.

He said something to the woman and they both started walking toward me.  Adam looked nervous, but the woman wore a smile that immediately made my claws come out.

Behind me Chet whistled.  “Cat fight.”

“Shut up, Chet.”

“My money’s on you, babe.”

I rolled my eyes at him and set the funnel cake on the counter, so I could shake this woman’s hand or claw her eyes out, whichever the situation called for.

“Brooke,” Adam called out when they were close enough for me to hear.

He was walking faster than her, so he reached me first.  “Hi,” he breathed with what sounded like relief.  Then he framed my face with both his hands and kissed me.  Pulling back he
snaked his arm around my waist and rested his hand on my hip.

That wasn’t the greeting I was expecting, but I wasn’t complaining.  Especially when I saw that our kiss had wiped the snarky smile off that bitch’s face.

“Angela, this is my girlfriend, Brooke.”

I was almost too excited at being called his girlfriend that I missed her name.  Angela.  Angela?  The Angela he dated for years?

“Brooke, this is Angela, my ex-girlfriend from many years ago that I told you about.  She is in town visiting her aunt and uncle.”

Mmm
hmm.  Sure she is.

I held out my hand and the bitch looked at it for a minute like it was beneath her to shake my hand.  Then she
put out her own hand.  I made sure to squeeze hard and dig my nails into her skin just a little.

She winced and narrowed her eyes at me.  Then she gave me the up and down look while I did the same to her.  She was dressed in Capri pants and a simple blouse. 
Not at all sexy.  I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a pair of mom jeans in her closet.

“Adam, you didn’t tell me your girlfriend was so…young.”

Chet covered his laugh with a cough.  We all turned to look at him.  I could feel Adam tense up next to me as he just realized who was there.

Chet gave a wave to Angela.  “And I’m Brooke’s ex-boyfriend.  Maybe we could all get together
later and reunite.”  He waggled his eyebrows suggestively at Angela, who looked utterly disgusted and offended.

I covered my mouth with my hand to stop from laughing out loud.  Adam sighed and shook his head.

Angela tucked a strand from her sleek bob behind her ear and said prissily, “It’s nice to finally meet you, Brooke.  Adam told me all about you when we had lunch together today.”

I knew what she was trying to do. 
But that didn’t stop it from working.  I turned slightly to look at Adam, enough that he had to drop his arm from around my waist.

“Is that right?”

Adam cleared his throat and fiddled with the open collar of his shirt.  The truth was that we had only been on a few dates.  And despite him calling me his girlfriend and telling me he wasn’t interested in any one else, the fact remained that we weren’t officially exclusive.  He was free to have lunch with whomever he wanted.  He didn’t have to tell me everything.  That didn’t make it sting any less.

I grabbed my funnel cake off the counter and said, “That’s nice.  I’m going to go find Poppy.  You two have fun catching up.”

Adam called out to me as I hurried away, but I ignored him.  I was done being made a fool of.  And there was no way I was going to stand there and let that haughty bitch look down her pointy nose at me.

While I
quickly walked across the school lawn and stuffed the funnel cake into my mouth at record speed, I kept my eye out for Poppy.  What I really wanted to do was go home, but I didn't have my car and I knew Poppy and Ford wouldn't be ready to leave yet.