Free Slow Burn - a Novel: The Elite by KB Winters

here. She went out with them today and was supposed to keep her phone on her, and turned on. But, I’ve texted a few times to check in and she isn’t answering. I don’t know anything about these kids she’s spending time with and whenever I start asking questions, she gets all defensive. It feels like she’s hiding something and I don’t know what to do.”
    “I’m sorry, Carly. She seems like a sweet girl but I can see how she might be a handful too.” Carly nodded in agreement, but dropped her gaze back down to the counter. “Sorry, I don’t mean to say anything against her —”
    Carly interjected with a wave of her hands. “No, no, you don’t have to say that. I know what you mean. Hell, I should be apologizing to you for the way she’s been shamelessly throwing herself at you every chance she gets.”
    To my surprise, Carly’s words had a glimmer of amusement in them and when she looked up, her eyes reflected that with a slight smile. “I would say I’m used to it, but that makes me sound like an arrogant prick.”
    Carly laughed and the sound radiated through the coffee shop, lifting some of the heaviness that had settled between us. “It’s not like it would be a newsflash,” she replied, still smiling. “I see the looks you get around here.”
    I held up my hands, feigning innocence. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
    “Nick,” Carly said, with a slight eye roll.
    I lowered my hands and set them on the counter between us. “Okay, fine. But then again, I could just be getting looked at because I’m new in town.”
    Carly scoffed and I couldn’t help but feel a little excited by her non-verbal confession that she was into me. If she wasn’t, there was no way she would have been paying attention to the way that other women looked at me. I decided against pointing that out though. I was slowly winning her back to a good mood and didn’t want to risk alienating her by pushing the issue.
    That would be a conversation for another day.
    “So, what are you going to do?” I propped my elbows on the counter.
    She eyed me suspiciously. “You don’t really wanna hear about all that.”
    I shrugged. “I just got off the phone with my boneheaded little brother. So, trust me, if nothing else, at least I’ll understand where you’re coming from.”
    “How old is your brother?”
    “Just turned twenty-two. But he acts like he just turned sixteen. He’s still in that party animal phase and it’s not a good look.”
    Carly frowned. “I’m sorry.”
    “I can’t say too much ‘cause I was the same way. Once upon a time. Feels like forever ago…Nate’s in the Marines, stationed over in Japan and the whole crew has too much time on their hands. At least from the sound of it. Out drinking and tearing it up anytime they’re not on duty.” I heaved a sigh. “Exhausts me just thinking about it. I’m getting old I guess.”
    Carly laughed and the thrill of victory swept through me. “Sounds familiar. Alesha is probably out there doing the same thing, but trust me, it’s even less cute since she’s underage.”
    “And a female.”
    Carly grimaced. “Yeah. A thousand times scarier.”
    “Does she throw your past in your face? That’s Nate’s favorite thing. Any time I get on his case he gives me the same fuckin’ line ‘it’s not like I’m doing anything you didn’t do.’ It’s infuriating.”
    “Right. Like that’s a reasonable excuse.” She shook her head, staring off into space for a moment. God, she was sexy. Real sexy, no matter what she was doing.
    Carly propped her elbows on the opposite side of the case and leaned into her hands, raking her fingers into her hair.
    “How come she stays with you in the summer? She said something about it the other day, but I don’t remember. I was a little distracted…” I smiled at her, leaving my meaning unspoken—but obvious.
    Carly blushed and looked away, before pouncing on her sponge to continue her scrubbing.