Read Online Free Book

A Good Little Girl Like You (A Sample)

Page 61

talk anymore. I had to come see for myself." She leaned

closer and examined his head. "Yep. Looks pretty bad. I see

guys in jail who look better than you."

O.E. muttered. "Thanks. Now two women are happy to

see me like this."

Constance turned to Rebecca with a conspiratorial

smile. "So you've already abused him for this?"

What woman wouldn't? Rebecca had indeed figured out

the essential O.E.-Mr. Big Talk. Known to women all over

the city. She smiled with a shrug. "I couldn't resist. The big

talking O.E. without a mouth? It's nearly perfect." They

laughed.

Constance gave Rebecca a serious look. "So, are you

going out with him?"

"No. I realized right away that it wouldn't work out." She

wondered what to say about it, not wanting to air all of her

reservations. "He's strange, you know. So self-assured yet no

place to live."

Constance quickly turned to look at O.E., then turned

back with a smile. A warm, almost loving smile.

Rebecca shuffled her feet. "I know I shouldn't fault him

for that, but it's weird, especially considering all the

bragging he likes to do." She shuffled her feet again. "I'm

being hard on him. I don't mean to be doing that. I guess I

still like him enough to offer some sympathy, though."

O.E. waved his hands in the air to interrupt them. "You

call this sympathy?"

Constance put her hands on her hips and stared at him

with slit eyes. "You should be grateful that she came at

all, O. Ego." She turned back to Rebecca. "You know, just

because he's a big talker, doesn't mean he can't follow

through every once in a while. And for as long as I've known

him, I have never seen him take money from anyone."

Wait, she's supporting him? Was Constance telling her

that O.E. was worth a second chance? Rebecca wanted to

like him, wanted to trust him. But with all that ego and

nothing else to support it, she couldn't figure him out. Now

here was Constance, assuring her that he wasn't a moocher

-even going so far as to say that she admired the man.

Rebecca needed to know more. "How long have you

known him?"

"Since we were kids."

She's known him for a long time. And she was a

Westerley, someone who wouldn't put up with a thieving

loser. Constance's recommendation carried weight. "And? Is

there more to him than his big-talking mouth?"

Constance looked at O.E. with a half-smile. "There

certainly is. But you'd never know it, looking at him now

with his jaw wired shut." She turned back to Rebecca.

PrevPage ListNext