Promises Made, Promises Broken - SYTYCW (Bad Reputation)

Present Day (Chapter Eight) Sunday

Tucker

I'd woken up with a mouth-stuffed-with-fluff feeling in my mouth, and my day got steadily worse as it went on.  

By the time I got home and untucked my hair from the ball cap that topped of my abhorrent uniform, my head was aching from trying not to think about Joey Fox.

The way he treated his little entourage of women made me mad.  The fact that he had an entourage made me madder still.  Between Amber and the nameless girl from my dorm…He was definitely a creep.  

A creep who managed to get you all hot and bothered with a little more than single touch.  

The unbidden thought made my face redden.  

He is a creep.

And not my type at all.  

"Phone!" Liandra called out cheerfully from across the room.

I groaned and rolled over on my bed. "I'm napping."

"You sure you aren't gonna get it? It could be lover boy," she teased.

My heart thumped in my chest.

"What wrong with your face?" she asked immediately. 

I reminded myself that Liandra didn't know the full extent of what had happened.

"Nothing. But I am never speaking to that particular boy again," I grumbled.

"Touchy today, aren't you?"

"Overly cheerful today, aren't you?" I countered.

Liandra laughed. "Not all of us got toasted last night. You should've heard yourself snoring."

"I had one shot and one beer," I replied. "It was your stupid pill that did it."

"Lightweight."

"Jerk."

My phone buzzed again and my roommate grinned. "Persistent, isn't he?"

"It's not him," I said, and brushed off a twinge of disappointment as an unknown number flashed on the screen.

"So answer it," Liandra told me with an eye roll.

"Good afternoon, Greenleaf Gardening," I greeted in a formal voice. "How can I help you?"

"Good evening," corrected an equally formal, feminine voice on the other end. 

I glanced at my watch and realized that it was already five o'clock in the afternoon.

"Hello? Are you there, Miss?" said the voice on the other end.

I cleared my throat. "Sorry. I lost the connection for a moment."

"I'm calling on behalf of Gretchen Fox. My employer picked up your pamphlet on Friday, and she would like to book your services for the coming week."

"That's great," I said. "Did you have a particular day in mind?"

"Err…Monday?

“Tomorrow?” 

“If it's not too soon."

"Sure. How does ten a.m. sound?”

"Fine," the woman said. "It's a smallish job. Just some hedge trimming. But the Foxes will pay you cash enough to make it worth your time."

"Great. I'll just need to get Mrs. Fox's address, and I'll plug the details in, and we'll be all set."

Liandra tapped me on the shoulder and I waved her away.  She made a face and I ignored her as I entered the contact information into my computer.  Liandra flapped her hands in front of my face.

I covered the phone and hissed, "Stop it."

"Tucker…" 

I held my hand up irritably.

"Fine," she grumbled.

I recorded the last of Gretchen Fox's employee's instructions, then hung up.

"For crying out loud!" I shouted. "What are you doing?!"

She slapped a Trans U newspaper down in front of me.

"Read this," she commanded.

I scanned the paper quickly.  It was weeks old, and nothing stood out.  There was an article on genetically modified food, and something about an expansion at the college, and a little blurb about the upcoming student election.  I raised an eyebrow at my roommate.

"What?"

Liandra made an exasperated noise. "Read the article about the expansion. Out loud."

I sighed. "Plans continue to shift for the brand new Fox Kinesiology Wing here at Trans U."

"The Fox Kinesiology Wing," Liandra repeated.

"So?"

"So…Who are you doing work for tomorrow?"

"Gretchen Fox," I said slowly. "But so what? It doesn't mean it's the same Foxes. And even if it is, who cares?"

"Read more," my roommate suggested sweetly.

"This expansion is being built with the generous donation provided by Gretchen and Holland Fox." I paused. "Okay, it's them. But I still don't see why it matters."

"More," Liandra insisted.

I sighed again and went on. "The philanthropic couple has been quoted as saying the new wing is a salute to their son. Although he acquired his kinesiology degree elsewhere, the prodigal son has returned home, and is glad to be completing his supplemental certificate in Sports Rehabilitation right here at Trans U. In three months, Joseph Fox with be pleased to cut the ribbon himself at the opening ceremony."

"Joseph," Liandra said empathetically. "Joey Fox."

"Dammit," I muttered. "I think I've been outmaneuvered."

Liandra snickered. "More like outfoxed."

I groaned, and tossed my phone back onto my bed.

"Help me," I begged.

"Sorry, friend," my roommate said. "I've got a take home exam to finish and then I'm heading out for a visit with my sister. I won't be back until Monday night. Too late to help."

"Dammit."

The rest of the night was going to crawl by.