Page 46 of Almost Beautiful (Beautiful 3)

“Hi,” the server said with a smile. His thick-rimmed, rectangular glasses, five o’clock shadow, and dark, wiry goatee must’ve been part of the uniform. Several of his co-workers sported the same.

“Just a cappuccino,” I said.

“Just a cappuccino?” the server asked, confused.

“Yes?” I replied.

“I’ll have a matcha latte with soy and one pump of hazelnut,” Parker said.

His order was significantly more acceptable to the server. “Great choice.”

I leaned in. “Everyone knows Travis fights. No one really believes he wasn’t there.”

“I heard hewasthere. He’s always there, he’s Adam’s main fighter.”

“Not that night. That night there was something more important.”

“Trapping you into marriage.”

I glared at him. “It was my idea.”

Parker’s mouth fell open. “I don’t believe that for a second, Abby. I have to say, if you’d stop lying, I’d be more inclined to help with whatever it is you need, if it’s not an attorney.”

“Justin and Ricky fromThe EasternStarare a problem.”

“Those idiots? Why on earth would you be worried about them?” His expression turned to disgust for the umpteenth time during our conversation. “They can’t find their way out of a card game. I took them for nearly eight hundred dollars last week.”

“You what?”

“They write half the term papers and essays on campus because they’re both obsessed with gambling. They must’ve been at the fights that night and saw for themselves whether Travis was there or not. Oh … that’s right. Adam banned them for non-payment.”

“What card game?” I asked.

“Poker night at the Sig Tau house. Every Thursday night. I was actually planning to invite you sometime. Normally women aren’t present, but once in a while we bring them for entertainment.”

I raised an eyebrow.

Parker chuckled and held up his hands, palms out. “A joke, of course.”

“Sure.” I picked up my phone and began tapping. “Thanks for the coffee, Parker, but this ran longer than I thought. I have to tutor a student in fifteen minutes. I’m sorry but I have to go.”

I stood, and Parker gestured for me to wait. “You need me to drive you?”

“I just ordered a ride.”

“Wait! Just … wait a moment. What was it you needed from me?”

“Nothing. I need nothing from you. Take care, Parker.”

Not two blocks from the coffee shop, Travis’s face lit up my cell phone.

I touched my phone, trying to psych myself up to sound normal while choking on guilt. “Hi baby!”

“I just got out of class. Want to meet for lunch before I head to Mrs. Pennington’s?”

“Who?”

“Dad’s neighbor. She offered me a shit ton of money to clean out her garage.”