Free Misguided Truths: Part Two (Misjudged #4) by Sarah Elizabeth

the steps, “Your friends have just arrived so I’m going to go and talk with them in my office before I head out,” Layla says when I look over. “Once you’re done in here can you take some beers through to the bar? We’ve almost run out.”
    “Sure thing,” I tell her , and wipe my brow with my forearm. “Just don’t mind Rye if he starts hitting on you. He has a thing for blondes.”
    “I’ll tell him I’m gay.” She winks and laughs. Yeah, like that’s gonna work.
    “No, I wouldn’t. It’ll make him even more determined,” I laugh out while grabbing a soda from the refrigerator. “It’s always been one of his fantasies.” When I see her eyes widen, and her shoulders tense, I laugh harder.
    “You’re not selling your friends to me very well. I’ll let you know when I’ve decided.” She says before walking back down the hallway.
    Once I’ve finished up in the basement, I grab some of the beer Layla asked me to fetch for her, and make my way back through to the bar. It’s not very busy in here tonight, but when I glance around, I feel my stomach twist. Yep. She’s here. Alexis that is. When I see Alyssa narrow her eyes on me, it becomes pretty clear that Alexis has obviously told her about what happened this morning. Great. Just great.
    “Can I borrow you for a few minutes?” I hear Layla ask when she taps me on the shoulder. I turn a round and see her wide smile. “The good news is that your friend didn’t try anything. The bad news is they’re going to be playing here in a few weeks’ time.”
    “That’s awesome, ” I tell her, mirroring her smile. They’re gonna be so stoked about this.
    “Yes, but I do need to speak to you about something other than that. Can you come to my office for a second?” Her eyes are bright, and I nod my answer while throwing the bar cloth down before following her out the back.
    Rye and Neil are jus t walking out of her office as I’m about to step inside, and they’re both grinning at me, “Hey. Good news, right?” I ask when Rye goes to high five me.
    “Love you, man! I fucking love you!” My eyes widen when he grabs the sid e of my face with both hands, before planting his lips on my forehead. Tell me he didn’t just do that? Taken aback, I stand and stare at him while he ruffles my hair before heading out through the door.
    “He’s …” Layla tilts her head , and she’s looking a little puzzled.
    “A dead man if he ever does that again,” I shake my head and step inside. “So , what did you wanna talk with me about?” The phone rings just as I take a seat by her desk, and I watch her grab the phone, smiling apologetically at me before she walks back out the room.
    While I sit and wait for her to come back , my mind drifts back to Alexis, and I wonder what exactly she’s said to Alyssa to make her look at me the way she did. Don’t get me wrong, whatever Alyssa thinks about me is irrelevant, but I would like to know whether Alexis has told her about everything, or just what happened earlier today. I’m hoping the latter. I could really do without things getting even more complicated for me while I’m here. It’s bad enough that I haven’t gotten anything new to work with, but having Blondie shoot me daggers every time she sees me is really something I could do without.
    I need to talk with Alexis because we still have a few things we need to clear up. The last time I tried , we got interrupted, so it really needs to be just the two of us, and no interruptions.
    I decide to write her a note, and lean forward to grab a pen and some paper from off of the desk. At least this way I’ll know if she’s actually willing to hear me out. Yeah. I think this is a better way. And, now I’m pissed. Why do I care what she thinks when I don’t care what Alyssa thinks about me? This is fucked up. Big time. I can’t explain it, but I need her to know that I’m not the asshole she seems to think I am, and I wanna make sure she keeps what