Reason and Romance (River Valley Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

stepped in front of Adrian. She didn’t stomp her foot or anything, but her mouth was sulky. The look in her eyes told Adrian that she’d unknowingly made an enemy of this girl.
    “I’m Mandy Fitzpatrick,” the redhead said.
    “Good for you,” Adrian said.
    She moved toward the school entrance, but the other girl stepped in front of her again. “Alex and I have been seeing each other on and off,” Mandy said.
    Adrian’s fingers itched from the impulse to slap her. Why exactly was Mandy telling her this? She was going to be Alex’s stepsister and that should have settled everything, but no, Mandy was sizing her up like a competitor and unsubtly telling her to back off. Well, this was a competition Adrian had no intention of participating in.
    Alex drew Mandy out of the way. He did it so smoothly that Adrian didn’t notice it at first, but he’d wrapped Mandy around him, so the path was now clear. “I don’t think Adrian really cares,” he said. “Let her go.”
    Walk away now, Adrian, her common sense screamed. Walk away.
    This was the right moment to leave. People were now turning their attention back to Alex and Mandy, so she could disappear. Like it or not, Alex had done her a favor, and she was grateful—no. That last thought brought her up short. She was not grateful to him. She didn’t owe him anything and if it wasn’t for his stupid mother who’d conned her father into moving here, she wouldn’t be dying in the heat.
    “You’re right, I don’t really care for that girl’s attitude,” she said to Alex. “If she’s the best you can do, it doesn’t say much about your judgment.”
    Now that was definitely a pause. She would have said it was the verbal equivalent of cars screeching to a halt. All right, maybe that was taking the metaphor too far, but she hadn’t imagined the shock she now saw in people’s faces. Apparently she’d violated the greatest commandment.
    Thou Shalt Always Accept Alex Montgomery As Thy Savior.
    A corner of Alex’s mouth tipped. Like other people, he’d glanced away from her, but now his eyes never left her face. “I could say the same about your boyfriend, but we’ll call it a draw. Mandy and I have an understanding.”
    For now.
    That last part hung in the air, unspoken, but all the same it was there. Even though Mandy was currently hanging off his arm, he’d never returned her kisses or caresses. Oh yes, Adrian could practically see the shadow of an hourglass hovering above Mandy’s head. It was just a matter of weeks.
    A frown set in between Adrian’s eyes, one that she could feel. Jason hadn’t returned her kisses during his brief visit. Well, that wasn’t technically true. He’d kissed her and he’d even suggested they pop over to her room before he left for the airport, but she’d demurred because it would have been the height of rudeness to sneak out of the party for a quickie. Jason hadn’t been happy about that …
    “Yeah!” Mandy Fitzpatrick said. Glaring at Adrian, she gripped Alex tighter. “What, you jealous or something?”
    All thoughts of Jason vanished. “I’m not arguing with you. It’s an exercise in futility. Good luck, and I mean that sincerely.”
    Mandy’s brow furrowed as Adrian made her escape. “Alex, what did she mean?” she said, tugging on his shirt.
    Even though Adrian didn’t turn around, she could still hear his response. “It’s just a guess, but I’m pretty sure she said you’re stupid,” he said.
    Mandy’s screech hurried her inside the school. A bit of deafness was setting in, or was that a pounding headache? Either way, it was the same thing. Adrian mentally shrugged her shoulders. It was a good thing that she hadn’t planned on hanging out with Alex and his posse. Now she had eleven minutes to get to Advanced Placement English.
    The school was a confusing maze of endless hallways and classrooms. She’d memorized the school map last night, but somehow she’d ended up in what looked like the