Inked Persuasion by Carrie Ann Ryan

Author:Carrie Ann Ryan [Ryan, Carrie Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Carrie Ann Ryan

Chapter 12

Annabelle

* * *

The next morning, I rubbed my temples and drank my third cup of coffee. I was probably teetering on the edge of a caffeine addiction, but I didn’t care just then. Jacob and I had continued our evening using pieces of furniture in his house, and then I had fallen asleep, both of us passed out from exhaustion and bliss. I had woken up the next morning, my phone alarm scaring the crap out of me, and practically scrambled from his bed, neither of us talking, just nodding at one another since there was nothing really to say.

We couldn’t get too serious—that would ruin everything. And he knew I had to work.

I hadn’t been running from him. We had just ended our evening a little later than planned, and now we had work to do. I needed to focus on the mess in front of me, not the mess that was the rest of my life, thank you very much.

“Hi. Annabelle? I was sent in here with coffee as well as a stack of notes, but I don’t know if you want more or not.”

I looked up at the sound of Clay’s voice and smiled. “I will always say yes to coffee. I was just thinking that I’m already on cup three. I think four is fine.”

He looked dubious. “Maybe you should have some water.”

“Oh, I have. I’m allowed one cup of coffee to every cup of water. It’s the only way I can function. Otherwise, I start getting jittery.”

Clay just stared at me.

“I’m fine, promise. You can ask the others.”

“It’s true,” Beckett said as he came in and stole the coffee from Clay. “And I know Paige gave this to you on her way to answer the phone, but this is mine now,” Beckett said.

“I cannot believe you just stole that,” I said, standing up from behind my desk.

“Of course, I stole the coffee from the kid. He’s my second. Therefore, it’s my coffee.”

“Clay is near our age,” I said, shaking my head. “He’s older than Paige.”

Clay cleared his throat. “I’m older than you, too,” Clay said, and my eyes widened.

“What?” I asked.

“I had to take a gap year, and then, with the kids, it took me five years to graduate. So, yes, I’m two years older than you.”

Beckett just blinked. “That means you’re only two years younger than me.”

“Yep. So, not a kid. In fact, I’ve raised three kids. Maybe I’ll take that coffee,” Clay said before Beckett took a drink, then grabbed the cup and took a sip himself.

I beamed. “Welcome to the family.”

Clay smiled and shook his head. “You know, Storm introduced me to your family and welcomed me, and it’s been crazy ever since.”

“No, Storm introduced you to his family. Now you’re with the real Montgomerys,” Dad said from behind him, and I winced, shooting a look at Clay, grateful my dad couldn’t see.

Clay gave me a tiny shake of the head, and I was glad to see he understood. I was honestly a little tired of the undercurrents when it came to my dad.

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