*Exclusive sneak peek of my novel SHAMELESS.*
Every student at Shame U has their secrets, and Henley Brooks is no exception. Struggling to pay for college and maintain her perfect reputation has become overwhelming. When her friend Gigi Oxford offe...
I skipped my classes for the day to walk over to Swank, an upscale restaurant not far from campus. The front of the building was obscured by lush greenery leaving only a faux thatch roofing visible. Palm trees and banana plants lined the winding sandstone path to the entrance. Just the trip to the front door transported you from normal mundane society to an upscale Caribbean vacation complete with indoor waterfall and koi pond.
I pulled open the bamboo door and slipped inside, running my hand through my hair as I stepped up to the hostess stand.
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A young woman with freckles dusting her nose and copper-colored hair looked up from her tablet, her eyes dancing over my tattoos before her gaze dropped again, ignoring me. I cleared my throat, shifting my weight from foot to foot. The girl tapped her fingers against the stand before glancing up at me again.
"We've already filled the dishwasher position."
"I need a table," I replied, unphased by her judgment.
"Really?" she replied dryly, raising an eyebrow as she swiped at her iPad screen. "Expecting anyone else? Business associates perhaps or will you dining alone?"
"Are you taking the piss out of me?"
She sighed loudly as she turned around to look over the space. "Follow me." Grabbing a menu, she began to make her way across the restaurant. I followed close behind, my eyes dancing over the surroundings, taking in the couples out for dinner and a baby grand piano. The hostess dropped the menu on a table in the corner, as far as she could physically put me from the other patrons.
"You guys have live music?" I asked as I sank down into my seat.
"Not since Lucille died," was all she replied as she turned and walked away.
I flipped open the menu and scanned the meals as a waitress walked by.
"Excuse me," I called out to her. As she looked up from her pad in her hand, she stopped short at the sight of me, her brown eyes widening fractionally. "Where are the prices?"
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Her lips twisted up in amusement. "If you have to ask, you can't afford it."
My eyes narrowed as I shoved my hand into my back pocket, pulling out a wad of money and dropped it on the table in front of me.
