Page 134 of Slumming It

Emily sighed. "Booze probably. Like I said, the family was going through a really tough time."

Smalltown drama wasn't normally my thing, but I was riveted by the story. Even so, I realized that I was still missing a pretty big piece. "So where do you come in?"

Emily gave me a sheepish smile. "Well…that would be about the time Morgan's new designer jacket – one she'd gotten during a trip to New York – ended up covered in dog poop."

I had to say it. "You're shitting me."

Emily laughed. "No, that would be the dog. It was this cute little terrier that sometimes came onto the playground. Anyway, it was almost summer, and Morgan took off her jacket to swing on the swings or whatever, and I, um…well, rubbed the jacket in the poop and put it back where Morgan had left it, so she wouldn't notice until it was too late."

Now that was fucking funny.I laughed. "So she wore it?"

"Yeah, for like two whole minutes until the smell hit her nose, and a few kids started laughing."

I was grinning like an idiot. "That's fucking awesome."

"No," Emily laughed. "It was pretty immature, actually."

"Do you regret it?"

Emily paused to think. "Well, I got suspended for a week, which really sucked especially after Morgan didn't get suspended at all for whatshedid to Daisy.AndI've had to put up with Morgan's hatred ever since. But if I had to say…" Emily gave me a dazzling smile. "Yeah, it was totally worth it."

In that moment, I almost felt like I loved her. This would have scared the shit out of me, except that I knew better. Falling hard, falling fast, or hell, falling at all – I wasn't that type of guy.

And yet, I was still smiling when Emily said, "So anyway, you're probably taking a huge risk by inviting me to stay in your suite."

"And why's that?"

"Youdoremember, her parents own the resort."

"Yeah, so?"

"So who knows? They might kick you out or something."

I laughed. "Yeah, that's not gonna happen."

"Why not?"

"Because no one kicksmeout from anywhere." This was no lie. But the story's ending made me doubly glad that I'd set up that surprise of my own. In a weird messed-up way, it felt like a bit of justice or the next best thing.

Payback. Sometimes a little of thegoodkind kept everything in balance. At the thought of it, I felt almost happy – not just on the surface, but deeper in parts of my soul that had been hardening for years.

I should have been hearing warning bells. But allIheard was the sound of Emily's laughter chasing away the gloom.

Oh, yeah. I was in trouble, alright.

Chapter 50

Emily

I stared from the suite's open doorway. "What's that?"

Beside me, Reese said, "It's what you asked for."

My pulse quickened as I continued to stare. In front of me, the luxurious suite was brimming with high-end clothing – and not the masculine kind either.

I saw gorgeous dresses draped in hangers over both of the suite's sofas and folded slacks piled high on end tables along with so many skirts and shirts and sweaters – and even a few super-cute T-shirts – that I swear, the suite contained more clothing than I'd ever seen in anyone's closet, especially my own.

But it couldn't be for me.I whirled to face Reese. "Wait…you saidIasked for this? When?" I let out a nervous laugh. "Was I talking in my sleep or something?"