In Too Deep (Wildfire Lake 1)
“Jealous,” Chloe says.
KT smiles. “Whatever.”
“Considering so many people around this town don’t like me,” I say, “we could use someone making friends.”
“What does that guy have against you?” KT asks.
I shrug. “The same thing others have against me—not keeping up the marina. I can only hope it’s short-lived.”
“Are we telling the waitress it’s our birthday?” Chloe asks, expression hopeful.
“Please, no,” KT says. “I’ll buy your dessert if you don’t say anything.”
Chloe drops her chin into her hand. “Whatever.”
A waitress comes to our table, and we all look up.
“We’re not quite ready,” KT says.
“Oh, I’m not your waitress. I’m just stopping by to say hi to Laiyla.”
She looks familiar, but I can’t place her, which makes me uneasy, not knowing whether she’s friend or foe. “I’m sorry, you look familiar, but—”
“Tina,” she says. “Tina Morris.”
Oh, shit. This isn’t going to be pretty. “Right, good to see you.”
“No, it’s not. We’ve always hated each other.”
I frown. “I’ve never hated anyone.”
“Well, you might when you hear Levi and I have a thing.”
A thing? I don’t even want to know what that means to her. Jesus, could this night get any worse? Tina is pretty, and she’s got one of those bodies that is naturally voluptuous when young, but one that will sag as she ages if she doesn’t work really hard at taking care of herself. But the worst is that she’s got a mean spirit. Always has. She’s also always been a compulsive liar, and I doubt that’s the kind of thing that fades with time. The thought of her with Levi turns my skin inside out.
“Good for you, I guess.” What the fuck else am I supposed to say? Then I remember the bet Levi mentioned that first day. “So, you were in on the bet that I’d never come back?”
She grins. “Yep, and I won. I knew you’d show up eventually.”
“What did you win?” I want to know.
She dodges the question. “We went double or nothing about how long you’d stay. Levi bet a month, and I took it. You won’t last more than a week.”
It’s bad enough that Levi bet against me once, but even more hurtful to learn he did it a second time, knowing my plan. Especially after that kiss. “Good luck.”
When I still don’t take the bait, annoyance flashes across her face. “Just steer clear of him and we’ll be fine, but if you get too close, the claws will come out.”
“Threat noted.” I gesture to the table. “In front of witnesses. Thanks for that.”
She saunters from the table, smug.
“If Chloe wasn’t blocking my exit,” KT says, “her ass would be on the sidewalk.”
“She’s not worth the effort,” I say.
“So, Levi’s still in town,” Chloe says.
Nope. Don’t want to go there. “Let’s focus on the here and now. Cop talk. Spill.”