Under My Skin (Shady Falls Series Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

there. The big question today being, why did I constantly set myself up like this? There had to be someone out there who understood me. Someone who recognized me for what was inside – not the outside packaging.
    Who was I kidding, I knew there was someone out there who fit that description. Once there was a guy in who didn’t need me to explain myself, he knew me for exactly who I was. A guy I didn’t have to pretend with. I could just be me. And he liked me for me, maybe even loved me.
    But it was so long ago. Love me for who I am.
    From behind, I noticed headlights coming through the parking lot of Bobby’s bar. The house I shared with my best friend, Toni, was located in a renovated garage next door to her Uncle Bobby’s house and just behind the bar he owned. I loved it, but sometimes it got lonely with Toni gone so much.
    I knew the car coming toward me wasn’t Toni or her uncle. They both had trucks which were louder and much taller than what approached. Besides, it was Friday; Toni was out of town at a race and Bobby was in the bar.
    A bright, cherry red BMW pulled just behind my car. I couldn’t hardly see who was inside, but I knew to whom this gaudy vehicle belonged. Grant was the most materialistic person I knew. He was so obsessed with impressing people, he would make a spectacle of himself with his garish car, his loud voice, and his ballsy attitude. He thought he was better than most people, and he made sure they knew it.
    Grant sat there, staring out the front windshield. He didn’t move to get out or approach, he only sat and waited. He always expected me to go to him; he never came to me. Yet another thing about this man that drove me nuts. Why do I even bother with this asshat?
    At first glance, there was nothing about Grant that would normally attract my attention. He was average at best; average height, average looks, and slightly overweight build. His brown hair was messy and unkempt; he definitely needed a haircut. The stubble on his face was patchy and weird-looking. Definitely no sexy stubble look for him. His expensive-looking suit was ill-fitting and frumpy. He was a huge contrast to the tall, athletic guys I usually dated.
    “What’s up, you comin’ in?” I asked, walking toward him. The look on his face said it all.
    He sat there and waited for me to get next to the window before he responded. Why the hell did I go to him? I couldn’t figure it out. He’s not worth it! I screamed these things in my head all the time. He wasn’t worth it … Why do I bother?
    “I’m sorry, babe, I can’t tonight. I need to get back to Charlotte, my mother was admitted into the hospital tonight for a blood clot in her lung. I need to get home to help my sister. I’m sorry.” He didn’t look up at me as he spoke. He stared straight ahead, looking everywhere but at me.
    I felt terrible for him. He must be so worried about her. “Is she okay?”
    “She’ll be okay, they have her on blood thinners and they’ll watch her for a couple days. But then she’ll probably need to come to my place for a while to get better. It’s going to be a lot of work, taking care of my mom and working like I do. So I’m not going to be around a lot. Too bad I’m not a teacher like you, I’d get to go home at three-thirty every day, no work on the weekends, and summers off. That’d be the life.”
    I tried not to get pissed, but I could feel the anger boiling in my gut. Hearing him constantly undermine my job and my students pissed me off. He truly seemed to think I never worked outside of my classroom. Like being a teacher was a worthless career. I hated it. Why do I put up with him? I just couldn’t figure it out. Maybe he needed to say such things in order to make himself feel better.
    “Do you need any help? I could come to Charlotte and –” 
    “No, Mia,” he said abruptly, startling me with his sudden interruption. He seemed annoyed I even offered to help him. It wasn’t like I was trying to