A Good Boy Is Hard to Find (The Naughty List #3)(14)
Author: Suzanne Young

Just then Izzie broke away and jogged down the hall after Kira.

Witch’s brew! We were all in a heap of trouble.

SOS

INTENT TO INVESTIGATE

CASE: 068

CLIENT: Janet Springer

SUBJECT: Garrett Bash

This is the SOS official notice of intent to investigate Garrett Bash. The client has accused Mr. Bash of spending more time with his band as a cover for a cheat. We suspect that the subject has been playing more than the guitar.

If you wish to cancel this investigation, please text a stop-work order to 555-0101. Stop orders must be placed within 24 hours of this written notification.

Thank you for thinking of SOS, and we truly hope that our investigation ends with positive results. Have a great day.

Keep smiling,

SOS : )

SOS

Text: 555-0101 * Exposing Cheaters for Over Three Years

Chapter 7

The Washington sky was beginning to cloud over, the rainy season getting ready to start. Glancing at it through Leona’s windshield, I wondered if it were a sign of things to come. Sunshine would feel so much more upbeat right now.

Leona sighed just as she entered my side of town on her way to drop me off at home (no driving until my cast came off). When I looked sideways at her, she was chewing nervously on her bottom lip. Poor thing. She was probably still distraught about Chris.

“Chris is such a jerk, you know?” she said before I could offer my sympathy.

“Oh.” I was obviously way off base on this one. She continued to watch the road as she spoke.

“Did you know that he applied to Harvard?”

Definitely not. “I didn’t know he was that bright.”

She snorted. “He’s not. But he said he wanted to go away to school with me.”

My stomach flip-flopped. “Did he get in?”

“Hell, no. His GPA is, like, a two point four.” Her face fell at little. “But it was sweet of him to try, right?”

“Very sweet.” Worry lines creased her forehead and wished I could say something that would help. But when it came to ex-boyfriends, I wasn’t an expert. In fact, I should write a handbook on what not to do.

Leona turned into my neighborhood and glanced over at me. “Can I talk to you about something?” she asked.

“Of course.”

She paused, almost as if she’d changed her mind, but then she furrowed her dark brows and turned back to the road. “Do you think Izzie has been acting a little strange?”

I nodded, thinking about it. “She’s definitely lost a lot of her shine. What have you noticed?”

“When she doesn’t think anyone is looking, I see her texting and making phone calls; crying in the locker room.”

I gasped. “She’s been crying?”

“Yeah. When I asked her what was wrong, she blamed it on her period. But I didn’t buy it. You know our cycles are all synced.”

“Have been for years. Well, what do you think it is?’

Leona pulled onto my street. “Suspicious. I think it’s suspicious.”

My heart stopped at her words. “You don’t seriously think—”

“No. I don’t think she’s the rat, but there’s something going on, and we’ll need to investigate. Just the two of us. You in?” Leona parked at the curb in front of my house and looked pointedly at me.

Investigating another Kitten felt like a huge betrayal, but then again, if we’d done that last time, we might have stopped Kira before she’d taken things so far. “Light surveillance,” I agreed. “And we’ll talk to her. It might be something completely unrelated. Her and Sam have only been broken up for a month so there might be some residual damage.”

“Agreed.” Just then Leona looked past me toward my house. She chuckled and then met my eyes. “Looks like your boyfriend beat us home.”

“Aiden?” I turned my head quickly expecting to see Aiden, but instead Joel was leaning against his car, not exactly happy to see me.

Leona tsked. “Freudian slip?” I was too red faced to answer. I didn’t know why I expected it to be Aiden. I mean, Joel was closer to being my boy—uh-oh. “He knows about SOS.”

“By the look on his face? I’d say so.”

“Tequila sunrise! What do you think he’s going to say?”

“Well, he’s here. So that’s a good sign.”

I turned to her. “Really?”

She shook her head. “No. But I’m sure you’ll work it out. Just do something cute. He might forgive you. And if he doesn’t, no big loss. I mean, you were hoping it was Aiden anyway.”

“I was not.”

“You so were.”

“Not.”

“Whatever, Tess.” She laughed. “I’ll pick you up before practice. Don’t go running off anywhere.”

I pushed open the door and motioned to my cast. “Don’t think you have to worry about me running anywhere.”

“Point taken.”

I reached into the backseat, grabbing my crutches before climbing out gingerly. I couldn’t imagine three months of this crutching business. It definitely wasn’t worth a handicapped spot at the mall (Kira’s first reaction).

My crutches crunched the leaves as I approached Joel and my stomach was twisting in knots. Would he scold me? Would he tell me off? I almost turned around and hobbled after Leona’s departing car. But before I could, Joel met my eyes.

“Hi,” I said cautiously. My insides were bouncing with anxiety.

Joel chuckled as he stared at the ground. “Hi? That’s it? I mean, you might have a little more to say than that, don’t you think?”

“I was just starting. Thought maybe hi was a good first step.”

Joel raised his head. He was so handsome, dressed in a brown fleece pullover that looked great with his hazel eyes. “Not much stepping for a while though, huh?”

I held up one crutch. “At least three months.”

“Ouch.”

“That’s what I said!”

He smiled. “Are you in pain?”

His concern for me only succeeded in making me feel worse. “I think it depends how angry you are with me.”

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, we stood there, the wind blowing softly through the trees, sending orange and red leaves around us. Just when I was about to repeat myself, he sighed.

“Can I come in?” he asked.

My heart rate sped up. “Really?” Even though I knew Joel was a nice guy, I half expected this to be a practical joke. Like Blaze and his cronies would jump out any second and laugh at me.