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

that guy said about me to herself.
    “Sorry about that,” I fold the paper , and slide it into my shirt pocket when I hear Layla stepping back inside the room. “I need to be out of here in like five minutes, but I just wanted to run something by you.” She places the handset back down on her desk, and then grabs a pen and her notebook.
    Sitting forward, I narrow my gaze on her as she takes a seat opposite to me, “This sounds interesting.”
    “How would you feel about becoming my event manager?” Okay, now that I wasn’t expecting. I’ve worked here for like, what? Three and a half weeks?
    “What? Me?” I point my index finger to my chest , and see her nodding at me a few times as a smile spreads over her face.
    “You seemed pretty excited when I mentioned about it earlier, and I’m not going to have a lot of time to do it myself anymore. That was my mom on the phone , and she told me that she needs me to help manage one of her other bars on the other side of the city as well as this one for a while,” she taps the pen on the notebook a couple of times, and then leans forward, resting her hands on the desk. “I’ll double your pay.”
    “Okay, well …” I start talking, but my voice trails when I notice her pleading eyes. “I’d love—”
    “Okay, well , phew! And, now I really need to get going. I’ll see you when you’re next on shift.” And with that, she grabs her bag from the drawer underneath her desk, and runs right out of the room.
    Right. Did that just happen? Of course I’ll say yes to the extra pay, and it’s not like it’s gonna be a hard thing to do. Yeah, this is exactly what I need. More pay , and less time on my own so I won’t be able to think so much.
    “Congrats, guys!” I say when I head back into the bar area and see the four of them heading out. This is likely the best time to hand Alexis the note. I try not to concentrate on her being here, and focus all of my attention over on Neil and Rye instead.
    “We owe you some beer the next time you have a night off,” Rye pats my shoulder. “We’re heading back to campus , but we’ll see you in class first thing.”
    “Oh, could you do me a favor?” I reach for my shirt pocket , and take out the note I wrote for Alexis. Seeing as though she’s already walked out of the bar, it looks like I’m gonna have to try some other way of getting it to her. Think . “James, um … He asked me to pass this onto Alexis the next time I saw her. Something about class or rehearsal time or something.” Rye takes it from out of my hand, and luckily for me, he doesn’t seem too interested in what’s written on the inside. Alyssa narrows her eyes again, and I find myself to be clenching my jaw. Now’s not the time, princess. “Alright, I’ll see you guys later.” I say, and watch the three of them head out onto the sidewalk.
    I asked Alexis to meet with me tomorrow night at seven o’clock by the lake. Yeah, an ironic place, huh? Well, it’s the only quiet place I know of around here, and I need to make sure she’ll keep what she heard to herself.

Chapter Five
     
    “What can I get for ya?” The barista asks me once she’s finished serving the guy in the line ahead of me.
    I’ve been browsing the menu for the past fifteen minutes, but nothing seems to be jumping out at me. Luckily for me, though, the guy ahead ordered the exact thing I need, or at least, I hope he did. It looked the same, anyways, “Can I get the same as what that guy just ordered?” I ask, and point over to the paper cup he’s carrying as he walks by me. “And, um … what’s it called?” Yeah, I know what she must be thinking. I don’t even know the name of the drink I wanna order. I’m not an overly huge fan of coffee, but then again, it’s not for me. I don’t need to consume any caffeine to help keep me awake at night because my memories and thoughts do that alone. I gave up trying to sleep a long time ago.
    “ It’s a Caramel Macchiato,”