Page 23 of Breakaway Bet

And if she does? Well, it would suck since I live with her and since I actually do like this job—especially now that I get to work one-on-one with Cash Maddox.

She wouldn’t fire me.

But even if she did, maybe that would be the motivation I need to find somewhere else to work.

I finish my lunch and then my workday, and I head home at four o’clock—separate from Everleigh, who stays behind to put in a few extra hours.

That gives me six hours to burn before I’m meeting Cash.

Six hours to figure out what the hell to wear. Six hours to avoid Bruno, who’s maybe sort of starting to grow on me. She’s usually pretty quiet except for when she hears someone drunkenly fumbling at the front door, and it’s sort of nice to know there’s someone on guard in this huge house when I’m home alone.

I flip through the clothes in my closet. Blue dress after blue dress, blue shirt, blue sweater. I wore black on my birthday just to look different since I’m pretty much always in blue.

I’m not feeling blue tonight, though.

I need something more…expressive. Flashy. Eye-catching. Vivid. Bright.

I think about peeking through Everleigh’s closet since hers has as much red in it as mine has blue, but instead, I think a shopping trip is in order.

I look online first, call ahead, and find a store that has what I’m looking for. And then I head over to try it on. I may be living paycheck to paycheck, but I’m not paying rent, and I want to look perfect tonight.

A few hours later, I do a once-over.

I went with white. I’m not sure why, but it makes my skin glow a golden tone, and it makes my highlighted hair shimmer. It’s a sequined minidress that’s asymmetrical across the neckline, with straps on one shoulder along with five little pearly chains that twine around my arm and cascade down. Twice already I’ve swatted at an invisible fly, thinking there was one on me when it was just the pearls.

Once I get a drink down, both the nerves and the invisible flies will surely disappear.

I’m meeting him there since that’ll give me an out if I need one, and Ashley and I are going together. She lives in an apartment complex not far from where we’re going, so I added a stop to my Uber so I don’t have to walk in alone.

Instead of sneaking out like I’m inclined to do, I let Everleigh know I’m going out with Ashley.

“This late?” she asks, glancing at the clock.

“Yes, Mother.”

“With Ashley from work?” she asks as she eyes my outfit.

“Yes. I don’t have any friends in this town who aren’t married to one of my siblings, so I’m trying to make a new friend.” It’s a lie. It’s not my real motivation. But it wouldn’t hurt to make a friend out of the deal, and this way, I don’t have to go alone.

“You look gorgeous. Have fun and be careful,” she says, riding the line between sister and mother.

“Yes, Mother.”

“Where are you going?” she demands.

I think about not telling her. I shouldn’t tell her. I have a feeling she’s going to try to stop me or send Dex after me or something. But I tell her anyway.

“Drai’s.”

She purses her lips. “Don’t forget we have our weekly nine-thirty meeting tomorrow. I’ll need you there and alert for notes.”

“I’m not in my thirties, Ev. I can still hit the town late and wake up on time for work.” I roll my eyes.

“I’ll believe it when I see it.” She raises her brows pointedly, and okay, fine. She maybe has more experience when it comes to men and alcohol and all the things, but she’s eleven years older than me.

She got there through experience, and I’m ready to get out and have my own experiences, too. I need to make my own mistakes. I need to show up to work hungover.

I need to spend the night in a stranger’s bed and lose my virginity.