exactly like cereal milk.
“This is delicious!” Miko sips on hers gingerly.
“It is delicious. How’d you come up with that?”
Max shrugs. “It’s slow sometimes in the late afternoon, and I have to fill up the time.”
“Well, I’ll have another.” Miko slams her now empty glass on the countertop.
“And I’d like another drink too, just not this exactly.” I smile at her. “Can I have a Jack rocks?”
Max looks surprised, but then the shock fades into the first real grin she’s ever given me.
“Well, well, well, Miss Landon, I’d never have pegged you for a Jack girl.” She pulls the bottle off the glass shelf behind her.
“I was born and raised in a dry county . . . Had to get your alcohol content in hard and fast.”
Max holds up an ice cube at the end of small tongs. I hold up two fingers in response. She drops the cubes in the finger of whiskey and sets it down in front of me.
“There may just be hope for you yet.”
“There is. There definitely is hope . . . There is also some slight depression mixed with disillusionment and maybe the teensiest bit of dark thoughts,” Miko agrees, studying me along with my roommate.
“And how do you know that?” I ask.
“Because I’ve competed as a tribute in the Games myself.” Miko’s gaze moves from me to her empty glass. She nudges it towards Max with her index finger. Max takes the hint and starts to make her another one.
“You’re right . . . I’m definitely bummed out.” I look down into my glass. “But my mama always said you can get mad and happy in the same pants.”
I raise my glass to both of them in salute and down a hearty swallow. I don’t even wince as it washes down my throat. Jack and I are old friends.
“What the hell does that mean?” Max sets the new shot down in front of Miko.
“It means that I refuse to let this get me down. I’ve worked too hard to get here; I won’t be detoured. I’ll find a way to get through this and come out the other side better for it. I will impress Selah. I will get promoted. I will start my own event-planning firm and have a feature in InStyle . I’ll do it all!”
I’m not sure if I’m trying to convince them or myself.
“Oh man.” Max shakes her head slowly.
“I know, right?” Miko agrees, even though Max didn’t actually make a statement.
“Oh man, what?” I ask, confused.
“This town is going to chew you up and spit you out.” Max is still shaking her head.
Miko is using one hand to prop up her head on the bar, but she’s nodding along with Max now. “It’s a definite possibility.”
I consider their words for a moment, and then a smile slowly curves my lips. Both of them stare at me like I’m going insane, but then they don’t know me yet. They don’t know that my parents lost four babies before I was born two months too early. They don’t know that because I was a preemie, I’ve always been the littlest kid in every class and have had to fight for acceptance for as long as I’ve been alive. They don’t know that I’ve been doubted since the moment I was born, and because of that nothing, nothing , motivates me more than someone telling me I can’t do something.
My smile is a Cheshire-Cat grin now.
“Oh, girls, you have no idea how much I’m gonna enjoy proving you both wrong.” I wink and knock back the rest of my drink.
Chapter FIVE
I walk into the office the next morning wearing an all-black version of a Catholic schoolgirl uniform, complete with Mary Janes. It’s not a look I’d ever gravitate to but, like I said, my options are limited. It hadn’t looked that bad when I stared at it in the full-length mirror on my closet door, but as I walk through the office I feel like a moron on parade.
I’ve got to go shopping!
“Walker needs you this morning,” McKenna directs me before I’m even all the way into his office.
“OK.” I drop my bag under the chair in the corner. “Walker is . . .”
“Production,” he sighs.
“This is delicious!” Miko sips on hers gingerly.
“It is delicious. How’d you come up with that?”
Max shrugs. “It’s slow sometimes in the late afternoon, and I have to fill up the time.”
“Well, I’ll have another.” Miko slams her now empty glass on the countertop.
“And I’d like another drink too, just not this exactly.” I smile at her. “Can I have a Jack rocks?”
Max looks surprised, but then the shock fades into the first real grin she’s ever given me.
“Well, well, well, Miss Landon, I’d never have pegged you for a Jack girl.” She pulls the bottle off the glass shelf behind her.
“I was born and raised in a dry county . . . Had to get your alcohol content in hard and fast.”
Max holds up an ice cube at the end of small tongs. I hold up two fingers in response. She drops the cubes in the finger of whiskey and sets it down in front of me.
“There may just be hope for you yet.”
“There is. There definitely is hope . . . There is also some slight depression mixed with disillusionment and maybe the teensiest bit of dark thoughts,” Miko agrees, studying me along with my roommate.
“And how do you know that?” I ask.
“Because I’ve competed as a tribute in the Games myself.” Miko’s gaze moves from me to her empty glass. She nudges it towards Max with her index finger. Max takes the hint and starts to make her another one.
“You’re right . . . I’m definitely bummed out.” I look down into my glass. “But my mama always said you can get mad and happy in the same pants.”
I raise my glass to both of them in salute and down a hearty swallow. I don’t even wince as it washes down my throat. Jack and I are old friends.
“What the hell does that mean?” Max sets the new shot down in front of Miko.
“It means that I refuse to let this get me down. I’ve worked too hard to get here; I won’t be detoured. I’ll find a way to get through this and come out the other side better for it. I will impress Selah. I will get promoted. I will start my own event-planning firm and have a feature in InStyle . I’ll do it all!”
I’m not sure if I’m trying to convince them or myself.
“Oh man.” Max shakes her head slowly.
“I know, right?” Miko agrees, even though Max didn’t actually make a statement.
“Oh man, what?” I ask, confused.
“This town is going to chew you up and spit you out.” Max is still shaking her head.
Miko is using one hand to prop up her head on the bar, but she’s nodding along with Max now. “It’s a definite possibility.”
I consider their words for a moment, and then a smile slowly curves my lips. Both of them stare at me like I’m going insane, but then they don’t know me yet. They don’t know that my parents lost four babies before I was born two months too early. They don’t know that because I was a preemie, I’ve always been the littlest kid in every class and have had to fight for acceptance for as long as I’ve been alive. They don’t know that I’ve been doubted since the moment I was born, and because of that nothing, nothing , motivates me more than someone telling me I can’t do something.
My smile is a Cheshire-Cat grin now.
“Oh, girls, you have no idea how much I’m gonna enjoy proving you both wrong.” I wink and knock back the rest of my drink.
Chapter FIVE
I walk into the office the next morning wearing an all-black version of a Catholic schoolgirl uniform, complete with Mary Janes. It’s not a look I’d ever gravitate to but, like I said, my options are limited. It hadn’t looked that bad when I stared at it in the full-length mirror on my closet door, but as I walk through the office I feel like a moron on parade.
I’ve got to go shopping!
“Walker needs you this morning,” McKenna directs me before I’m even all the way into his office.
“OK.” I drop my bag under the chair in the corner. “Walker is . . .”
“Production,” he sighs.
Similar Books
