Toxic Bad Boy Part 8

It still felt like forever to me.

When another text went ignored, I sent one to Hailey. This is Caleb. Need to ask you a favor.

Her response was immediate. What?

Talk to you about it later.

You out of juvie?

Yes. Call you later.

The art gallery was in the heart of downtown. It had dark wood floors and white walls, with a few black accent walls here and there. It was set up in sort of a maze layout, with small spotlights s.h.i.+ning on the pieces hanging. Sculptures were scattered throughout, along with several benches to rest on while admiring the artwork.

My mom introduced me to the gallery manager who met us at the front desk. Debra was around my mom's age, wearing a tan pantsuit, with her blond hair pulled back.

Debra showed us to the back office where the gallery director and owner, Jim Doran, waited. Jim was in his early thirties and dressed more casually than Debra, in jeans and a navy polo s.h.i.+rt. His office was painted a bright yellow with several black and white paintings hanging on the walls. It wasn't easy on the eyes.

He heaved himself up from behind a gla.s.s desk and came around to shake my hand. "Caleb, good to finally meet you. I'm Jim Doran."

"Nice to meet you, Jim."

Debra took a seat, as did the rest of us. My mom clapped her hands together. "So, now that Caleb is here, do we have a date for the show?" Her excitement was catching. Now that things had gone to s.h.i.+t with Gianna, I needed a distraction.

"Mid-July," he answered. "That should give us enough time to organize it and add any new paintings the artists create."

I suspected he referred to me painting the night of the attack. I'd been resistant, but things had changed. Gianna didn't want anything to do with me. She loved Gage now. She probably wouldn't even care if I painted it.

"I'll do it," I said.

"Excuse me?" Jim asked, leaning his elbows on his desk.

"I'll paint the night of the attack."

His smile widened. "Great, great. Tyler, our preparator, has stored all of your paintings so far until it's time to set up for the show. Any work you complete before then, bring in and if I approve it, he'll store it at the warehouse."

"When will I meet the other artist?" It was weird to consider myself in the same category, but I'd better start doing so if I wanted respect.

"Her name is Sydney Atwood," Debra said. "She's twenty-two and this is also her first show. Your mom has already met her. We'll all go out to dinner together soon to get better acquainted."

"Have Norah book us a reservation," Jim told Debra, who took notes on a tablet.

"Who's Norah?" I asked.

Jim answered, "Our intern. She's a soph.o.m.ore at the University of Denver." Jim clicked on his mouse, gazing at his computer screen. "This Wednesday all right with you?"

Having nothing planned, I let my mom decide. "That works for us," she told them, her hands clasped together in eagerness.

"Good." He stood up, reaching for my hand again. "See you then, Caleb, Eliza."

Debra walked out with us. As we neared the front desk, I noticed the girl sitting behind it. "This is Norah," Debra said. "Norah, this is Caleb and you've met his mom, Eliza."

Debra jumped up, shaking my hand. "It's great to finally meet you, Caleb. I love your work."

"Thanks," I said, dying to get out of here to see if Gianna responded while my phone was on silent.

"I'm no artist, but I hope to run a gallery someday."

My mom wandered off with Debra to check out a new piece. Since I'd be sort of working with Norah, I figured I should be polite. "Jim said you're at DU?"

Norah's smile brightened, making her green eyes sparkle. I belatedly noticed she was really pretty, with dark brown hair that fell halfway down her back. "I just finished my freshman year."

"I just got out of youth corrections," I told her, wondering if she knew.

Her head tilted, but she didn't lose the grin. "I know. It's being used to drum up interest in the buyers." Green eyes swept down my body and I recognized her interest.

f.u.c.k it.

"Are you going to be at the dinner on Wednesday?"

She put a hand on my arm and I was disappointed it wasn't another girl's. Then I was p.i.s.sed at myself for being disappointed at all. "If you tell Jim you want me there, I will be."

"I'll let him know."

"Ready, Caleb?" my mom asked as she and Debra returned.

"Sure. Debra, will Norah be coming Wednesday night?"

She glanced between us, hesitating only a moment. "Of course. I'll let Jim know."

Norah went to answer the ringing phone. "See you Wednesday, Caleb!"

My mom wore a frown as we walked to her car. "Have you talked to Gianna?"

"Not discussing my ex-girlfriend with my mom." I put on my sungla.s.ses. The sunny weather was a direct contrast to my stormy mood. A glance at my phone told me Gianna was still ignoring me.

My mom huffed in frustration, but let it go.

I had her drop me off at my car so I could go over to Hailey's, texting that I was on my way. Since Hailey's parents were home, I'd be picking her up. Hailey's dad hated me and wasn't afraid to let it be known. He considered me one of her wild friends she partied with and a bad influence on his daughter. It was a good thing he had no idea of our past relations.h.i.+p as f.u.c.k buddies.

I could easily talk Hailey into hooking up to relieve my need for s.e.x. After puking my guts out Friday night, I'd laid in bed all day yesterday, sick from drinking and hurting over Gianna. If I was honest with myself, I didn't want any girl but her.

I wanted my girl.

It didn't feel right she now belonged to another guy.

And that was why I needed a favor from Hailey.

She waited on the sidewalk, smoking a cigarette and wearing a tank top and shorts. Her hair was blond now instead of red and a lot longer. Pulling open the pa.s.senger door to my Camaro, she hopped in. "How's it going, inmate 666?"

I started driving when a car honked behind mine. "I'm a free man now."

"You on probation?" she asked, flicking her ashes out the open window.

"Until next year when I turn eighteen." That part sucked, but I'd do my best not to get into trouble before then. "How about you?"

Her grin was smug. "I'm too sneaky to get caught."

"Right." Her a.s.s was always in trouble.

"So what are you doing hitting me up when you could be with your perfect Gianna?"

I clenched the clutch, taking a turn too fast. "Maybe I missed you."

Her bugged out and she chuckled. "You got dumped!" The laughter got louder and more obnoxious. "This is great! That prissy b.i.t.c.h dumped your a.s.s the moment you were sprung!"

I pulled into a gas station, parking in front of the convenience store. "Shut up, Hailey."

"I freaking told you! Didn't I tell you that b.i.t.c.h wouldn't stick with you?" Her cigarette flew out the window and she automatically reached into her bag for the next one. Lighting two, she handed one to me.

I took a drag, turning off the car. "You're the one acting like a b.i.t.c.h right now."

She pouted, pretending at commiseration. "Oh, I'm sorry, Caleb."

"Jesus Christ. Don't f.u.c.king say you're sorry. I'm tired of hearing that s.h.i.+t from people. Everyone is f.u.c.king sorry, even Gianna."

"So what happened?" Her concern was almost genuine, but the lingering glee in her eyes couldn't be hidden.

Moving my gaze to the winds.h.i.+eld, I muttered, "She supposedly fell in love with her friend, Gage."

"The one you were paying to watch out for her?" Her expression was finally genuine as she looked puzzled for a moment. The laughter renewed to the point of tears. "You paid him to steal your girlfriend!"

"I didn't pay him," I clarified. "Ian did."

"Same thing!"

"Do you want to quit?" I asked as she wiped at her tears.

"Fine, fine, I'm done. Now what favor did you want, Caleb?" She leaned against me, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s brus.h.i.+ng my arm in invitation.

Not a twitch down below. "I need you to have s.e.x with someone."

She pushed her body harder against mine. "Feeling h.o.r.n.y after months locked up?"

I pulled away, leaning against the door. "Not me. Gage."

Hailey reared back. "What the h.e.l.l?"

"I'll pay you," I offered.

Punching me on the arm, she yelled. "Do I look like a hooker to you?"

"Then will you do it for free?"

She faced forward in her seat, glaring through the winds.h.i.+eld. "You're such a jerk, Caleb. No wonder Gianna broke up with you."

"I'm going to get her back." My determination grew stronger. I couldn't live without her and after months of h.e.l.l I refused to accept it.

"And that's why you want me to screw her new boyfriend? So she'll come running back to you? How pathetic can you get? She doesn't want you anymore."

"I can make her love me again."

She pushed open the car door. "I need Twinkies to deal with this."

Following her into the store, I got a soda. When my phone beeped, I yanked it out of my jeans hoping it was Gianna. Dante had sent the text, Cece is acting weird.

Pulling out my wallet to pay for our snacks, I texted back, Did she dump you for another dude?

h.e.l.l no, but she won't talk to me.

Join the club. I'm with Hailey. Call you later.

Later.

"Who was that?" Hailey asked as she tore open her Twinkies.

"Dante." I took a swig of my soda and ate some cashews.

"Haven't seen him in awhile. Is he still with that Mexican chick?"

"Yeah." Driving off, I turned up the radio when a song I liked came on. "So, are you going to do it?"

"Dammit, Caleb! Let me digest my Twinkies before you start trying to pimp me out. Is Gage even hot?"

"How would I know?" I randomly cruised around, sticking to one way streets downtown. My car was reflected in the mirrored windows of the skysc.r.a.pers we pa.s.sed. I drove by the building my dad worked in, thinking I should meet him for lunch one day next week.

Her head swung my way. "You wouldn't cheat on Gianna. What makes you think this guy will? Isn't her t.w.a.t made of twenty-four karat gold?"

I gripped the wheel, trying to push down my rage at the thought of Gage touching what belonged to me. "Will you do it or not, Hailey? If not, I need to find someone else."

She slouched in her seat, her shorts riding up. "How much are you willing to pay?"

"That's my girl. Will two hundred dollars be enough?"

Her arms crossed under her chest, shoving up her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. "I'm clearly worth five hundred."

"Three hundred. Final offer." I could probably find another girl to do it for less, but I trusted Hailey to get the job done.

"Deal." She held out a hand, wiggling her fingers. "I want a hundred up front whether he'll cheat on her or not."