Christmas at Midnight by Lexi Ostrow

Author:Lexi Ostrow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lexi Ostrow

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“Damn it,” Harper cursed as she patted her hands around in her coat pockets. Her key was gone. “Did you even have it last night?” She was alone in the parking garage and therefore talking to herself.

Harper tried to replay the entire evening, but her brain got stuck on the kiss, more than once.

“Focus.” Sherry was a bit . . . eccentric when it came to safety. They each had one key, and God help them if they lost it and gave any random homeless person the ability to get inside.

Think. Think. Last night . . . basketball court . . . rushed out. Slipped. My shoe!

“Shit.” She’d had the key inside her shoe once she checked her backpack because surprise, surprise, she didn’t have a suitable handbag. She never swapped it out when they left. “Which means when it went flying off because you were rushing away from the most handsome man alive, the key went sailing out with it.”

How in the hell am I going to get inside?

The universe clearly liked to mock her as her stepmother’s ring tone sounded from inside her backpack. Over and over it blared, taunting Harper where she stood outside the building’s entrance. “Just answer it.”

Muttering, Harper swung her backpack down and opened the small front pocket to fish out her phone.

“Hello?”

“Where in the hell have you been?” The shrill voice sliced through the speaker.

“I was out. I finished out the esteemed Senator Harold Norrington’s house and did something for myself for the evening. You were out, I didn’t inconvenience you.” Harper bit her tongue to keep the anger out of her voice. Her stepmother acted as if she were a slave, not a family member and employee.

“No, but you are now.”

Apologize. Get it over with. “I’m sorry. I’m just downstairs, I’ll be up in a moment.”

“Don’t waste your time coming up. We’ve been asked to assist in a last minute clean. Apparently, some staffers called out sick, and we were thought of. Really,” Sherry cleared her throat. “It’s a shame you’re wasting your talent on medical school. It seems our clients are terribly fond of your work.”

“Too bad I’m not terribly fond of doing it,” Harper muttered, knowing full well her stepmother would hear it. She pulled open the van door and got in.

“Yes, well, for the time being, I control your wages. If you want to pay for this last semester of medical school, you’ll hustle over immediately. I’ll text you the address. Get to the van and get going. We’d all like a little peace and quiet with the holiday so close.”

Harper’s head pounded as she fought back an insult. Sooner or later, reminding her, she was almost free of her stepmother wasn’t going to be enough to keep her mouth shut. “On my way. I’ll make sure I’m home to help out with dinner.”

“Yes, you certainly will. You’ll also need to take your mother’s gowns in for cleaning. One is ripped as well, you’ll need it mended.”

“Ripped?” Harper’s shout drew the attention of the parking attendant as drove out.

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