Free Bad Intentions by Nacole Stayton Page A

all in. “Okay. When can I start?”
    “How about tomorrow?” He doesn’t pause to wait for my answer. “We get paid every Friday, so you won’t get a check this week, but the following Friday you will. I’ll look back over our emails and see how much you were told we could pay.”
    “Sounds good to me. Thank you again for understanding my tardiness. I promise it won’t happen again.” I smile coyly.
    “Shit happens. Oh.” He reaches behind the counter and pulls out a handful of papers. “Here is your new employee paperwork. Just fill it out and bring it back with you tomorrow. I’ll give you a key then, and we can go over anything else you might have questions about.”
    I reach toward him and retrieve the papers. “I have class until noon, but being the first day of the semester they might let us out early.” I try to sound like I know what I’m talking about, when really everything I know about college I learned from television. “What time should I be here?”
    “Afternoon shift is from two to seven. That work for you?”
    “Works great.” We exchange a smile. “I’m sorry you’re shutting down early because of my lack of punctuality,” I admit, as we walk in unison toward the door.
    Kaiser grasps the metal door handle, pausing before he speaks. “Don’t be sorry. It’s not like Ryle would have trusted you enough to stay open alone on your first night.”
    “Why would he have an opinion in the matter?” I’m curious now, and a little frustrated. I hope it’s not apparent from my tone.
    “He’d have an opinion, because he basically owns this gym.”
    It’s me who’s flabbergasted now.
    “He owns the gym?”
    “The school technically owns it, but it got a complete makeover and new equipment because of Ryle. He’s a giant benefactor of Braxton. Just to be blunt about it, he doesn’t trust anyone. Don’t take it personally.”
    With a small flick of the wrist, Kaiser opens the door. I’m too stunned to move. Ryle is a benefactor of the University? How does a dude his age have that much money? And what’s up with him not trusting anyone? Not that I’m surprised in the slightest by that one, but still. WTF?
    The warm, summer night breeze whips my hair and pulls me out of my thoughts. I’m surprised to see Zoe and Ryle still standing outside. Her finger is in his face and from the looks of it, she’s giving him hell. Their conversation becomes clear as we near them. “You’re out of your flipping mind! Making her believe I was ever with you,” Zoe shrieks. “You lied to her face and made me look like an ass!”
    “I didn’t say that,” he retorts, seemingly unaffected by her accusation.
    “You didn’t have to say it. You knew she would assume that after you planted the seed. You wanted it to blossom.”
    “I don’t have time for this bullshit. I have somewhere to be.” Ryle grabs his backpack off the ground and slings it onto one of his shoulders. Quickly he turns around and before I know it, his eyes hone in on mine. I can’t look away. There’s an apparent scowl on his face that seems only to be present when I’m near. I don’t know what his deal is, and I have to admit I’m curious to find out. “Let’s roll.”
    Kaiser pats me on the shoulder before jogging to catch up with Ryle, and with that, they’re gone.
    “Perfect timing,” Zoe says sarcastically, while rolling her green eyes. “He’s like… He’s a giant ass, and I want to slap that frown right off his face. What the hell does he have to be frowning over? If anything we, us,” she waves her hands around in the air, “everyone who shares air with him should be frowning because we have to put up with his doucheness.”
    “Feel better?” I ask, a smirk hanging on my lips.
    Zoe shakes her head in silence.
    “Listen, I’ve only had the utter pleasure of being around him twice, and it was too much. That’s saying a lot coming from me, since I’ve been brought up to love thy neighbor.”
    “I can