The Way You Are by Carly Fall Read Free Book Online Page B

war, he could certainly put up with some rich snot for a few days.
    “Okay, I’ll get the place ready.”
    He said his goodbyes to Joe, turned off the phone, and set it on the counter. He stared out the window into the trees, feeling the need to shift into a bear again and roam the forest, taking his mind off his upcoming visitor.
    “I take it we’re having a guest?” Zach said.
    He nodded and turned around, leaning on the counter and crossing his arms over his chest. “Yeah. She arrives tomorrow.”
    “And who is it?”
    Garrett shrugged. “Some little rich-bitch snob that’s going to be a big pain in the ass.”
    Zach smiled as he leaned down and absently stroked Savannah’s head. “That seems a little presumptuous, Garrett.”
    “She’s the daughter of an oil tycoon, Zach. Her father pisses dimes and shits hundred-dollar-bills. I’ve been around their kind before, and there isn’t anything to presume. That’s the way they are.”
    “Hmmm…well, we’ll see.”
    He narrowed his gaze on his friend. “Did you see something about this? In the mirror? Did you know this was coming?”
    Zach shook his head. “Nope. I didn’t see anything. Savannah, come, honey.”
    As they walked down the hallway to Zach’s bedroom, Garrett couldn’t help but feel he’d just been lied to.

Chapter 10
    “Bye, Daddy,” Ruby said, hugging her father.
    After Ruby left, the house would buzz with activity for the upcoming dinner. The decorators would scurry about deciding where to place floral arrangements and mapping out how they would move the furniture. The caterers would go over last minute meal changes with her mother, and the guests’ security teams would arrive and review security measures with her father’s team. In just a little while, the house would be filled with controlled chaos. She’d seen it all before, and frankly, she felt happy she didn’t have to be here for it again.
    “See you in a week, honey,” her father said, squeezing her.
    “Ruby!” her mother called from the hallway. “Don’t leave without saying goodbye to me!”
    Ruby turned and gave Thomas and Joe a small smile, almost feeling bad her mother caused them to run late. However, she had grown used to it.
    “Take care of my little girl, Joe,” her father said.
    “That’s what you’re paying me to do, Mr. McDermott, and at the risk of sounding braggadocios, that’s what I do best.”
    “I’m sorry to keep you waiting. Mr. Smith,” her mother apologized as she breezed into the foyer. “Goodbye, baby.”
    A cloud of Joy perfume engulfed her as her mother hugged her.
    “Bye, Mom.”
    “Be safe,” her mother whispered as she held Ruby’s face in her hands.
    “I’ll be fine, Mom.”
    “That’s what we’re here for,” Joe chimed in. “And, if we’re going to land in Arizona before nightfall, we need to take our leave.”
    Ruby picked up her backpack, Thomas grabbed her suitcase, and she followed Joe and Thomas out the door. A black van waited in the driveway, and after Thomas hit the key fob, the back door slid open and a ramp lowered to the ground.
    “Ms. McDermott, please join me in the back,” Joe said. “It’s safer than riding up front.”
    She nodded and climbed in behind him, taking a seat on a bench facing the back of the van. As Joe locked his chair in place, she noted her suitcase Thomas set behind him and the lack of windows. Frankly, it made her a bit uncomfortable as it seemed like in most horror movies, terrible things happened to women who got into the back of a van such as this.
    “I don’t bite, Ms. McDermott,” Joe said, grinning.
    Her cheeks heated. It felt as if he’d read her mind.
    “The van is bulletproof, and the lack of windows obviously hides you well.”
    She pulled on the seatbelt and the van lurched forward. “Thank you for taking my safety so seriously. I do think my parents are overreacting, though.”
    “Possibly. But I believe that saying, ‘Better safe than sorry,’ can be applied