RoadBlock Read Online Free PDF

head and chanced a glance at the car where Betony sat, watching them all disgustedly. “All right, just come with us. You need to tell Evan you’re going?”
    “Nah, he can call my cell.” As he said this, he patted his coat until he located the cell phone, took it out and frowned. “Battery’s dead. Charger’s in the bike, it’s cool.”
    “Okay. Follow us?”
    “Lead the way.”
    They rode back along the cliff-road until they reached their little dead-end neighborhood, and Wade pulled his bike into the driveway next to Dagger’s car. They all went into Dagger’s house, and Wade found an outlet to plug in his phone in case his cousin called to check on him. “All right, what’s going on?”
    Dagger explained everything as best he could, and Wade tried to concentrate on what he was hearing. Being close to Betony was messing with him, though. He didn’t know what it was about her, but the sight of her made him feel like he was a kid in school with his first crush. She was pretty enough, but there was something more to her, something that made his heart clench a little. Worse than that strange feeling was the fact  she clearly didn’t return his fascination.
    “So, you’re saying I need to move in with you? And we have, like, some kind of unknown mission? And, this isn’t all some elaborate scheme to get me to sleep with you, right?” He asked with a little smirk.
    “No, Wade, come on . I know it sounds crazy.”
    “Okay, okay. I’m kidding. You ask your mom about this?”
    “Yeah. She agrees.”
    “Shit.”
    “I know.”
    Wade sat with his elbows on his knees and his head down, thinking. Then, abruptly, he threw his hands into the air. “All right, I’m in. Where do I sleep?”
    Calderon and Dagger looked at each other, and Dagger wondered if they were both thinking the same thing. He’d be happiest if Wade stayed with Betony so Cal could sleep with him, but that wasn’t fair to Bet. She was struggling enough as it was. “You can stay here tonight.”
    “Okay, cool. How long do you think this will go on? Should I go get some stuff?”
    “I have no idea. We can go back to your place later and pick up your things, explain this all to Evan.”
    “Okay. What now?”
    “Feel like moving some furniture?”

5.
     
    With the three men working together on the larger items, and Betony keeping everything organized, the move went quickly. There were still unopened boxes stacked everywhere, but the house was livable by afternoon. The air mattresses in the bedrooms had been replaced with real beds, and the living room furniture was in place. All the dishes and glassware were put away and Bet had even hung a few pictures on the walls.
    Calderon worked on setting up the entertainment center while Dagger set up the computer, which left Betony and Wade working together unpacking her herbs and jars, and placing things on the large bookshelves she used for her business supplies. Betony had watched Wade warily all day, and had gradually realized she may have judged him too harshly. Maybe . He was kind, and funny, and had jumped right in to help them without asking too many questions. Dagger liked him, and Calderon said he was sure about him, so perhaps Betony could try…a little. Maybe . And now that he was sober, Betony could see herself being attracted to him. Maybe . She watched him as he carefully placed her glass jars onto the shelves and smiled. He was nice. Not just maybe, definitely .
    Wade felt Betony’s eyes on him and fought the urge to turn around and kiss her. He realized he’d made a bad first impression, and an even worse second impression. Now that he was sober, he remembered how he’d behaved outside the bar the other night when Calderon had introduced himself. He’d been loud, sloppily drunk, and had spent the entire conversation leering at Betony. And the way they’d found him this morning, sleeping on the front lawn, was pretty bad, even for him. He promised himself he’d go easy on