Page 111 of Heartache Duet
I don’t expect him to respond, because I know he’s spending the lunch break on a conference call with his coach and agent.
“Damn, you look good, babe!” I whisper, holding my sandwich in the air as if I’m toasting him.
“What the hell are you doing?” I recognize the voice as Rhys’s and look up to see him walking toward me. His gaze shifts between fake-Connor and myself, and I say, “Talking to my boyfriend, who I miss dearly.”
Rhys laughs, plants his ass down next to me. “Yeah, he’s putting in the work at the moment. No off days for that kid.”
I nod.
“It’s nothing against you, A. You know that, right? He’s just trying to get as much exposure as possible.”
“I know,” I tell him. “I get it.”
He opens my paper bag and peers inside. Then he takes an apple and bites into it. I quirk an eyebrow. “You know I’m poor now, right? That apple was all I had for the rest of the day.”
Chuckling, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallet. He hands me a twenty. “I hear that’s the going rate for an apple these days.”
Shrugging, I shove the cash in my bra. He can spare it.
“How’s your mom?” he asks.
I stare up at twelve-foot Connor. “I’m kind of getting over that question, to be honest.”
“Fair,” Rhys says. “Manage to get your license yet?”
“No.” I haven’t even gotten my permit. “I should really look into doing that with all the spare time I have.”
“You’re feisty right now.”
“I’m feisty always.”
“True. So how are you and Connor doing?”
“I don’t know.” I turn to him. “How are you and the rotating door of girls doing?”
He chuckles. “It’s been slim pickins ‘round these parts,” he drawls.
“You should head over to West High. I’m sure there are plenty of girls there looking for a sugar daddy.”
His nose scrunches. “I’m not that desperate yet.”
I shoulder him, shoving him sideways. “You’re a jerk.”
He straightens up, throws his arm around my shoulders, then looks up at fake-Connor. “Hey, Ledger. I’m making moves on your girl. Whatcha gonna do about it?”
Out of nowhere, Connor appears. “Get your hands off my girl before I rip them off and glue them to your balls.”
“Oooh,” I tease, giggling. “You’re in trouble now.”
Rhys removes his arm, slides a good foot away from me. “We were just playing.”
Connor sits down next to me at the same time Rhys gets to his feet. “I’d love to stay and be a third wheel and all but… no… I don’t really want to. Peace out, fuckers.” And then he’s gone, disappearing around the same corner from which Connor appeared.
“Guess what?” Connor says, pulling his phone from his pocket. He taps a few times and then hands it to me.
I read the email on the screen:
Dear Connor Ledger,