All It Takes Read Online Free PDF Page A

know what she’s doing with that car, but it sure as hell isn’t right. It would be merciful to take it out back and shoot it.
    But of course, I’m not about to say that to the extremely hot girl, who is apparently the only person in Avenue who’s willing to talk to me. Seriously, she’s even hotter up close. It’s criminal.
    “Okay,” I say, attaching the booster cables to the battery and pulling my head out from under the hood. I wipe my hands on my already-filthy jeans. Damn, I need to go to the laundromat. With what money, I’m not sure. The money Dad gave me isn’t going to last much longer at this rate. “Give it a try.”
    I’m starting to wonder if staying in prison maybe wasn’t a better life plan for me.
    The car groans a little, but then the engine turns over and it hums back to life. I grin and remove the jumper cables, letting the hood fall back down with a slam. The girl’s eyes widen and a smile breaks out across her face and something in my gut jerks.
    Fuck off,
I tell it. I’ve been in prison for five years. Of course seeing a hot girl smile at me is going to get me revving. She’s not interested, jackass, I say to myself.
Maybe if you hadn’t been such a fuck-up, you might’ve had a shot. But there’s no way now. You’re lucky she’s even talking to you.
    She leans her head out the window, her long, inky black hair whipping around her face in the wind. “Thank you
so much,”
she says, reaching out and taking the cables back from me before dumping them into the passenger foot well. “I don’t know what I would have done if I couldn’t get it to start.”
    I’ve seen pornos that start like this,
my mind supplies helpfully, and all I want is to turn around and slam my head against the brick wall behind me.
Dumbass.
    “It’s no problem,” I say. “I mean, your engine’s kind of fucked—
kind of broken
—” What is wrong with me? “So you might want to take it in for a tune-up when you get a chance. But that should keep you going for a bit.”
Walk away,
I tell myself.
Just nod and walk the fuck away.
    “Seriously,” she says, and I can tell that she’s trying not to laugh at me. Which I would appreciate, if I didn’t want to go bury my head in the sand for the rest of my life. “Thank you.”
    I just give her a nod and turn to walk back to my car. I love that damn car, but after living in it for a week, it’s starting to lose a lot of its appeal. But I’m only a couple steps away when her voice rings out.
    “Hey,” she says, and I turn back. She jerks her cute little chin in my direction. “What’s your name?”
    “Ash,” I tell her, reaching into my pockets for my pack of smokes. “Ash Winthrope.” I need something to do with my hands. But as I pull one out and stick it in my mouth, she’s leaning out her car window, reaching a hand out to me to shake. “I’m Star,” she says, and I can’t help the startled laugh before it escapes.
    “Of course you are,” I say, and watch as her brow furrows adorably. I shake my head, a rush of heat traveling up my neck. “I mean . . . I don’t know what I meant,” I say, going for honesty when quick-thinking fails me once again. Story of my life. I reach out and shake her hand. It’s warm and smooth and kind of tiny in mine, but it’s stronger than I thought it would be. “I guess I meant it suits you,” I say. “It’s nice to meet you, Star.”
    The handshake goes on a little too long to be comfortable, and we both kind of laugh and drop our hands at once as soon as it gets a little too awkward. I’m left standing by her driver’s-side door, shifting my weight from foot to foot, trying to figure out an escape route. Whatever game I once had has been completely erased in the past five years. Now I’m a spaz.
    “Well,” I say. “I guess I’ll see you around, Star.” And then I start making for my car again.
    “Hey, Ash,” she calls out, and I stifle a groan. I’m trying to make a fucking graceful exit