The One That I Want (Scorned Women Society Book 3) by Piper Sheldon (e book reader android txt) 📕

everything. He said he knew it was a last-minute shot in the dark.” Skip’s leg was bouncing so much it shook the whole couch.

“Why don’t you do the camping trip and I’ll do the MooreTek event. Serendipity that you’re here, then, hey?”

“I knew you were going to say that.” His thumb immediately went back to his mouth to chew.

“What am I missing here, mate?” I gently pulled his hand from his mouth.

This happened a lot too. Re: the ten steps ahead. Skip sometimes forgot that the rest of us were still in the present while he mapped out every possible series of events like Dr. Strange.

“I talked to Ford today,” he started. “I guess the company that cancelled heard that some of the kids had been in juvenile detention … which is just such bullshit. Kids like that need to experience the outdoors more than most. Statistics show that once a kid has—”

“It sounds like Ford needs help?”

He nodded. “I told him Outside the Box would help him.”

“Which is great. You know I want to help. But since I am otherwise engaged, you agreed to help?”

He nodded.

“Okay, so tell me where things went south.” I tried to meet his gaze but he wouldn’t focus on me.

“Ford hadn’t planned to go. He and Suzie are out of town for the week.”

I let out a breath. “I understand. You don’t want to take a bunch of kids you don’t know into the forest. I totally understand. I’ll talk to Roxy, there might be something else—”

He shook his head. “Jack is going. In Ford’s place. He’s—his friend Jack is going instead.” He glanced at me and looked away.

Okay, this time I really understood. I remembered how Jack and Skip were at each other’s throats. He didn’t want to be trapped in the woods with him when they couldn’t agree on anything.

“No worries, mate. You don’t have to go. Like I said, I bet Roxy—”

“I want to go,” he said. He looked at me and looked away. “It’s just two nights.”

“Okay. So what do you need from me?”

“Can you help me prepare? Maybe give me some topics to talk about?”

I kept my face serious. Was Skip worried about impressing Jack? Or did he not like him? Or maybe it was both. I needed to proceed with caution. “Of course. But you don’t need me. Just show him what you know about camping. You can build a fire in seconds. That’s hot.”

His eyes went wide and I regretted my bad joke immediately.

“It’s not like that,” he growled. “No. I just don’t know how to handle—you know, teenagers.”

I was so late to this party, but this time I really understood. He was so comfortable around me that I sometimes forgot that his slight speech impediment made him feel self-conscious. He was great when he knew the topic but he got easily flustered when conversations went off script.

“Teenagers are easy, Skippo. Just treat them like people. That’s all they want.”

“I didn’t understand them when I was one.”

“Nobody feels comfortable in their skin as a teen. But you’ll be great,” I finished. “You show them how to start a fire or catch their own fish and they’ll think you’re a god. The past, the things that happened, they don’t know any of that. You just walk in like you know shit and people will believe it. Plus, you have that sick beard. That instantly makes people believe anything you say.”

He blushed. “I’ll try. Maybe we can make flashcards before I go? So I don’t get stuck on my words. I’d like to be better about the customer side of things.”

“Of course. Whatever helps, mate. And if you need me at any point, I can leave and come get you. Okay?”

“Sounds good.” He nodded and took in a full breath.

I put my arm around him. “I’ve got you, okay? We’ve got this. That’s why we’re partners.”

He tensed under my arm but nodded.

“Also, we need to talk about OTB. Dev called and said he still hadn’t talked to you. You said you were going to talk to the team.”

My chest tightened and I frowned. I was feeling so good about Roxy and our kiss. I didn’t want to think about this yet. I didn’t want to feel the rainclouds building up behind me.

“I know, I just—”

My phone buzzed. I jumped on the distraction to see a notification of a voicemail. “That’s weird. It didn’t even ring.” I slid the call log open. “Oh, it’s from an hour ago.”

My heart dropped. It was my dad’s home. Or rather, his last home.

“Everything okay?” Skip asked.

“Of course.” I smiled. “I’ve just gotta listen to this. We’ll talk more in the morning. Make a whole game plan. Don’t you worry, I won’t leave you high and dry.” I walked away as he opened his mouth to protest. I gave him a thumbs-up and he frowned. The world around me went silent as I listened to the message.

There was a shuffling sound and then the voice of the owner saying, “Hello, Mr. Olsson. This is Angelina Montoya from Sunrise Care Facility. I’m just calling to let you know that some of your father’s belongings still haven’t been picked up. I know this is an extremely difficult time but your father’s room is needed for a new tenant. This is the third time I have called without hearing back from you. Please come pick up his things as soon as possible. Unfortunately, if I don’t hear from you in the next week, we will have to move his things into storage at your cost. I’m so sorry for your loss, once again. Please call me back. Thank you.”

Acid churned up in my throat instantly. I had been flying so high with Roxy and our plans for the future but this news brought me crashing back to earth. It reminded me that I had escaped an entire life back in Denver. I would have to go back and deal with it. I needed to be better for