Red, White and Beautiful by Bec Botefuhr Read Free Book Online Page A

togetyourcareerrolling.”
    “Idon’tthinkthisisagoodidea.”
    “Marcusreplacedyou,hesurelydidn’texpectyoutonotfindanother job?”
    ThinkingofCandicehasmybloodboiling.
    “Ijust…”
    “Thinkaboutit,”hepleads.“Justthinkaboutitbeforeyousayno, ok?”
    StillinshockandadmittedlyhurtoverCandice,IdotheonlythingI can,Isayok.Benhangsupamomentlater,promisingtocallbackina fewdaysformyanswer.IknowMarcuswon’tbehappyaboutthis,butI can’tmakeachoicebasedonhowhewillfeel.God,whyamIeven thinkingaboutthis?Benwasawfultome,Icouldn’tworkforhim.His companyishugethoughandtheexperience,asidefromtheWhiteHouse, wouldbeaoneinamillionchance.Puttingmyheadinmyhands,Isigh deeply.God,whydoIgetallthehardchoices?
    IslideoffthekitchenstoolandwalkintoMarcus’roomtore-dress myselfinmydresssoIcanheadbacktocampus.Ireallycan’tjustsit herealldaywaitingforMarcus.Iknowhe’llbeangryatme,butIreally havetocontinuewithmystudyandIamangryathimandCandice,so stayingisn’treallyanoptionrightnow.WhenI’mdressedandready,I headdownstairsandwavedownacab.Onestopsformerightaway,andI slideintothefrontseatandgivehimmyaddress.Hechatscasuallytome theentireway,butIcan’tgetBen’sofferorCandicefrommymind.I needtotalktosomeoneaboutthis.Itrulydo.
    WhenIgetbacktocampus,Ipaythedriverandheadbacktomy dorm.WhenIgetin,Ithrowmythingsdown,changeoutofmydressand makemywaytoQuinn’sroom.Iknowhe’llbeinbed,hedoesn’thave classesthismorningbutIneedtotalktohim.WhenIgettohisroom,I knocksoftly,hedoesn’tanswersoIusethekeyhegavemeandslip inside.Iseehimcurledupinhisdoublebed,sleepingonhisstomach.I tiptoeinandslipoffmysandals,thenIcrawlintobedbesidehim.He groansandrollsontohisback.He’swarmfrombeingunderthecovers andIfeelaninstantcomfortasIsnuggleincloser.
    “Yousmelllikesex,”hegrumbles.
    “Ineedtotalktoyou.”
    “Areyoupregnant?”
    “What?No.”
    “Areyouhurt?”
    “No.”
    “Didyoumurdersomeone,ordosomethingreallybad?”
    “No.”
    “Thenletmesleep,”hewhines.
    Ishoveathischestandwithagroan,hepullsmeintohisarmssoI amrestingmycheekagainsthischest.
    “Whathappened?”hegrumbles.
    “Benofferedmeajob.”
    “YourexBen?”
    “Yes.”
    “Oh.”
    “Yeah,andMarcuswouldflipifheknew.”
    “Whatareyougoingtodo?”
    “It’sagreatopportunity,butMarcuswon’tletithappeneasily,andI don’twanttoruinwhatwehave.”
    “Youshouldtellhim,Ithinkyoushouldmakethechoiceoverall,but nomoresecrets,youneedtolethimknow.”
    Isigh,knowinghe’sright.“He’llflip.”
    “Lethim,youonlyneedtoworryaboutdoingtherightthing,not abouthowhe’llreact.”
    “Iknow,butwejustgotbacktogetherandthingsarerough.”
    “Thenmaybeyouneedtoconsiderchoosingyourbattles,Sierra, maybeyouneedtoletthisonego.”
    “It’ssuchagoodchance.”
    “Iknowthat,butyousufferedwithoutMarcus.Isitworthrisking himagain?”
    Isnuggleintohim.“Whyareyoualwayssosmart?”
    “Ohyouknow,Iwasbornthatway.”
    “There’ssomethingelse…”
    “Sheesh.”
    “Isawtextsonhisphonethismorning,tohisnewPA.IthinkIwas readingtoomuchintothem,buttheyseemedflirty.”
    “Sierra,”hegroans.“Youcan’tdothat.Whyareyouwithhimifyou don’ttrusthim?”
    “Idotrusthim,”Iprotest.
    “Really,thenwhydidyoulookathisphone?”
    Igosilent.
    “Youtwoseriouslyneedtotalk,youshouldn’tbetalkingtomeabout this,youshouldbetalkingtohim.”
    “Iknow…”
    “Don’treadtoomuchintoit,goandtalktohim.Please!”
    “Ok!”Isay,goingsilent.
    “Youandyourbootydrama.”
    Ichuckle,layamomentlonger,thengetoutofhisbedwithasigh.I reallydoneedtogetsomestudyingdonetoday,andIhaveanafternoon classtoattend.Quinnsitsupandlooksoveratme.“Yougoingtobeok?”
    Igivehimthethumbsup.“I’llbefine.”
    “Allright,wellI’mgoingbacktobedforafewhours.”
    Irollmyeyesathim,flashasmile,andleavehisroom.WhenIget backtomine,Isitatmydeskandfireupmylaptop.Timetogetserious withthisstudying.Iammid-waythroughanextremelydifficultsubject, I’mchewingonmybedandfrowningatthescreen,whenmyphonerings.
    Istaredownatthescreen,Marcus.Whydoesn’tthatsurpriseme?Pulling