Down to Business (Business Series) Read Free Page B

tonight like you promised, you know… to let me know you are okay.”
    “I will Mom,” I pulled her against me and gave her one last big hug then I did the same to my grandmother.
    “You behave yourself, Autumn. Don’t come home with any tattoos or a SND.”
    I laughed. “I don’t plan on coming in contact with either of those things, so you don’t have to worry.”
    “Take good care of her Lindy. Make sure she makes good choices,” Mom said, wringing her hands. She acted as if she was dropping me off in the middle of the Congo.
    Lindy smiled and took my hand. “I will, Mrs. M., stop worrying!”
    We followed the three of them to the door.
    Mom’s lower lip quivered as she looked at me one last time. “Be good.”
    “I will!” I groaned.
    “Josh, hug your sister,” Mom demanded when he tried to sneak past me without a goodbye.
    Josh turned and reluctantly waited for me to hug him.
    “See you asshole,” I said yanking him against me.
    He pat my back extra hard. “Whatever dumbass.”
    Mom sighed. “When will you two stop with the name calling?”
    “Never.” Josh shouldered past Mom and out the door.
    “Lori? Are you coming? I need help with these stairs!” Grandma yelled from outside.
    The emotional turmoil on Mom’s face faded. “I’m coming, Mother.”
    Lindy and I hung back and watched the three of them as they descended the steps. Once they reached the bottom, Mom looked back up at us and gave one last wave just as two hot guys were walking down the sidewalk.
    “Call me! I love you, Babygirl!” she yelled just in time for them to hear.
    I waved back and then covered my face.
    Lindy giggled. “She’s so crazy. Come on…” She pulled me back into the apartment and shut the door. “You’re finally free! No more annoying family, no more Malones! What do you want to do first?”
    “I want to eat a steak.”
    “What?” She laughed.
    “Mom’s boyfriend Gary is a vegetarian so she is on a health kick. I haven’t had red meat in a month. I need meat, Lindy!” I said, shaking her.
    “Okay!” she laughed. “Let me grab the keys to—”
    “Are they gone?” an unknown male voice asked unexpectedly.
    I let out a yelp and clung to Lindy. We both looked over to see a tall guy watching us, dressed in jeans and a navy blue Adelphi wrestling t-shirt.
    “Dammit Tyler! You scared the crap out of me!” Lindy said.
    Tyler? Her boyfriend? Was he in the apartment the whole time?
    He laughed and his bright blue eyes shifted to me. “You must be Autumn.”
    “Autumn, meet my boyfriend Tyler,” Lindy said as she pulled me toward him.
    He flashed me a friendly smile and combed his fingers through his short brown hair. “Nice to meet you finally. Lindy has told me all about you. It’ll be nice to have you living with us.”
    I reached out to shake his hand and then pulled back fast when I heard his comment. “Wait… what? You live here, too?”
    “Yeah, didn’t Lindy tell you?” he asked, giving Lindy a look.
    “No, she didn’t.” I answered and narrowed my eyes at Lindy.
    Lindy’s brow knitted with worry and she bit down on her glossy lower lip. “Yeah...that’s what I meant when I told you I had a surprise for you when you got here.” A nervous smile crept across her face. “He moved in last week. You’re not mad are you?”
    Mad? Why would I be mad? I had my whole life planned around living with my best friend and going to college. Now I suddenly had to share my space with her boyfriend I didn’t know. I wasn’t mad, I was livid.

“ It’s only temporary…until he gets into a frat,” Lindy assured me.
    “Yeah, it should be like two months tops,” he added.
    I looked over at Tyler then back at Lindy, my blood that was boiling turned to a simmer. Two months I could deal with, as long as it wasn’t permanent.
    “It would have been nice if you would have let me know first. This isn’t the kind of surprise you just spring on someone.”
    “I know, I’m really sorry