Coldhearted (9781311888433) by Melanie Matthews Read Free Book Online Page A

cologne and Edie loved inhaling every bit of it.
    Jack’s was crowded with every senior from
Grimsby High. A seating attendant directed them to a little table
right in the center of the room so everyone could stare.
    Great.
    “ What do you think?” Mason
asked, staring at Edie over his menu.
    Edie looked around, and then replied,
“It’s…nice.”
    Mason put his menu aside. “You don’t like
it?”
    “ No, no, it’s just…well, I
feel like everyone’s staring at us.”
    Edie looked around for that dark shadow from
the school, but it hadn’t made itself known…yet.
    Mason waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t worry
about them, and believe me, they’re not staring at us. They’re only
thinking about their growling stomachs.”
    Edie took another look around and realized
that he was right. No one was looking at them. It just felt that
way.
    She turned back toward him with a smile.
“Thanks for taking me here.”
    He smiled back. “My pleasure, Edie.”
    An auburn-haired waitress approached with her
hair in a loose bun. “Hey, Mason.” She turned toward Edie. “Ah, new
girl?”
    Edie smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”
    “ Rebecca, this is Edie St.
John,” Mason introduced, smiling, proud to show her off.
    Rebecca gasped. “You’re Landon St. John’s
niece? Oh, I heard you were coming to Grimsby.” She paused, and
then continued, “I’m sure it’ll be all right, but I’ll ask my
manager anyway.”
    “ Ask him what?” Edie asked,
nervous.
    Rebecca waved her hand. “To a free meal, of
course,” she said, and then gestured at Mason. “You too, hon.”
    Edie felt like a celebrity and didn’t like
it. “Oh, that’s nice, but—”
    “ No buts,” Rebecca said,
cutting Edie off. “Now what will you have?” Rebecca was waiting for
Edie’s order, smiling, pen over pad.
    “ Uh...” Edie shrugged, and
then looked around at everyone else’s meals. “Burger and
fries?”
    “’ Kay,” Rebecca said,
writing it down. “And to drink?”
    “ Coffee, please,” Edie said,
still feeling cold.
    This lingering finger on her neck was
becoming worrisome.
    Mason chuckled, oblivious. “Coffee with
burger and fries?” he said, as if it were the craziest combination.
Yet he was smiling sweetly at her, as if it weren’t a sin.
    Rebecca gave him a light slap on his arm. “If
that’s what she wants, then that’s what she gets. Now do you want
your usual? Burger, fries, and a vanilla milkshake?”
    “ Milkshake?!” Edie blurted
out, laughing. “It’s freezing outside.”
    Mason smiled. “As you’ve reminded me, Edie,
I’m hot all the time. I don’t feel the cold.”
    Rebecca bent over, her face close to theirs.
Edie could smell cigarette smoke on her uniform. “You two going
out?” Rebecca asked, curious, obviously in need of gossip.
    “ No,” Mason and Edie said in
unison.
    Rebecca stood and tapped the pen against the
pad, twice. “You could’ve fooled me. Well…I guess if you won’t fess
up…I’ll put your orders in, and then come back with your
drinks.”
    When Rebecca left, Mason and Edie started
staring at each other, smiling.
    “ What?” Edie asked, still
smiling.
    “ Nothing,” he replied, still
smiling.
    Then they laughed at the same time, giddy
with each other’s company.
    Edie felt Mason’s scarf caressing her skin.
“Thanks for this,” she said, holding up the tasseled end for him to
see.
    “ No problem. I wasn’t using
it anyway. You can keep it, you know.”
    “ Oh, no, I—”
    “ Yes, stop. It’s yours.” He
smiled. “It looks better on you anyway. It’s not red, but blue
looks good on you too.” He lifted his hand to brush his hair back
and winced.
    “ Is your finger okay?” Edie
asked.
    Mason appraised the bandage. “It hasn’t
started bleeding again, but it’s still kind of sore.” He wiggled
his finger. “I didn’t know paper cuts could be so brutal.” He
sighed dramatically. “Well, it’s official. I’m never going to pick
up a book again,” he