Page 29 of Truly

“I’ll give you today off since yesterday was a shit show,” he says. “But starting tomorrow, your little ass will be out here with me.”

My laughter is more disbelief than humor. “Um, hey, Luke. Did you know I’m a singer—a very popular one, at that.A rich one at that.”

He chuckles. “I don’t give a shit.”

“I have money. Lots of it. I’ll pay you. In dollars, even.”

“I’ll see you out here bright and early.”

Is he joking? My hand goes to my hip. “You can’t ask me to stay and then demand I work. That’s illegal, I’m pretty sure.”

“While you’re going through my stuff today, try to find a pair of sweatpants or something that’ll fit you. Kennedy’s shorts won’t cut it out here.”

“Luke,I am not working in the barn.”

He winks and climbs into the truck. “You should find yourself a hat, too.”

“Luke …”

The engine roars to life, and he closes his door.

“I hate you,” I shout, hoping he can hear me through the glass.

He rolls the windows down and smiles. “Now you get the couch, too.”

“Luke!”

But my yelling is pointless because he’s already pulling away, his laughter barely heard over the exhaust.

I’d love to kick the gravel like I see angry people do in movies. It looks so spectacular when they do it. Me? Not so much.Especially without shoes.

AndI’m notreallyangry. I’m not even a little mad. It’s hard to be in a bad mood when Luke is so playful.

I look over my shoulder.Unless he really thinks I’m going to work in that barn. Ick.

CHAPTER 9

Luke

“Hey,Troy, it’s Luke. I’m pulling out of the driveway.”

I take a left onto the gravel road in front of my house, my gaze lingering on my house through the trees.

“I see you,” Troy says from his SUV backed into the woods. “Are you expecting anyone to come by today?”

“The only person who might swing by, although I don’t expect him to, is my brother Gavin. Chase, one of my other brothers, is working out of town, and my parents are probably at church. Since Chase is gone, they’ll go to lunch with their friends, I bet.”

“Gavin drove the black truck last night, correct?”

“Yes. Oh. She’s trying to get her stuff here from Stephanie. I don’t know what that will entail.”

“All right,” Troy says. “I’m in communication with Stephanie, so that’ll be fine. I’ll call you if I need anything.”

“Not a problem.”

The line goes dead.

I turn away from the highway and take the back roads to Cotton’s.