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Alyssa groaned. There was definitely more to this story than he was letting on. She wanted to ask more questions, but at the same time she didn’t want to probe. And considering it was history, she didn’t want to start any problems. Thankfully¸ Ben changed the subject. “So the restaurant I’m working at, Roxie’s, they’re looking for a part-time waitress. Do you have any experience?”

“I don’t, but how hard could it be?”

“I’m a bus boy, so I wouldn’t have a clue. But I know they train. We can go fill out an application if you’d like.”

She looked at him with hopeful eyes. “Could we?”

The panty melting grin he gave hit low and she felt it all around. “No problem.”

Twenty minutes later, they were leaving Roxie’s. Alyssa had a new job starting next week thanks to Ben. “Thank you so much, Ben! I really needed this job.”

A sly smiled slid across his face. “Wanna take a little ride?”

“Sure. Where to?”

“Nowhere special. Just this little back road I know about.” He opened his arm and ordered, “Come here.”

Alyssa scooted over to Ben and curled into his side. “Damn, girl. Those legs …” He said, and grasped her thigh. It was a little harder than what she was used to, but she’d be lying if she said she didn’t like it. As Ben turned off to the right and drove through a secret trail in the woods, he said, “How’s about I grab a few beers and we hang down by Whiskey River?”

She smiled cheekily at Ben and said, “Let’s do it.”

The sun had set by the time Ben dropped her off. With her mother still at work and all her school work caught up, Alyssa plopped down on the couch and flipped on the television. But before she could change the channel, glaring headlights shined through the windows and bounced around the living room.

Someone was pulling into her driveway. With a sigh, Alyssa stood up and threw the door open, the bright headlights nearly blinding her. The truck turned off and she heard a door slam.

“What the hell, Alyssa? Where’ve you been?”

Alyssa stepped outside, walking toward John. Where has she been? He said it as if she did something wrong.

“Why did you ignore me? I’ve been trying to call you.”

Alyssa was still a little tipsy from the beers, but she wasn’t going to let John walk all over her. She marched right up to him with her chin up. He may tower over her, but she wasn’t going to back down.

“First of all, you have no say in what I do. I can hang out with whoever I want, when I want.”

John waved his hand, arrogance written all over the motion.

“Second?”

“What?”

“You said ‘first of all,’ so what’s second?”

Alyssa thought for a minute. “Second was that you’re not my boyfriend so I don’t have to answer to you,” she said, and then let out a loud sigh. “Ben was helping me look for a job.”

As John leaned down and inhaled, she turned, backing up to the side of his truck. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Are you drunk?” John asked, his voice laced with accusation.

“What business is it of yours?”

Grinding his teeth, John said, “While drunk? He took you job searching while drunk? That’s real smooth.” He shook his head in disgust. “He’s no good for you.” How many times had he told her already?

“Oh,” she crossed her arms. “But you’re good for me, right?”

John brushed an exhausted hand down his face. “That’s not what I’m saying. He’s bad news, has an abusive drunk father, and is always in trouble. I don’t like that you were out drinking with that white trash.”

“Well that’s too bad for you, because I had fun with Ben. He even got me the job.”