Bad Judgment Read Online Free Page A

them out according to my mood. Cinderella should probably remind me that dreams do come true, but today she’s only reminding me that Ryker is no Prince Charming.
    How could I have fallen for his lines after all this time?
    Disgusted with myself, I stand and brush off my butt, ending this little pity party. It’s certainly not going to help me move.
    And you thought Ryker Grant would really lower himself to help?
    The blow to my pride stings more than it should.
    The apartment complex’s lawn guy parks his beat-up Chevy pickup at the curb in front of my building before hopping out to lower the ramp and roll a lawn mower down it.
    An idea strikes. Beggars can’t be choosers, and I’m nothing if not resourceful.
    “Hey! How would you like to make twenty bucks?” I call out as I head toward him.

Ryker
     
    I fucked up, and I know it. I’m not a day late and a dollar short. Nope, I’m six hours late and shit out of luck. I pound on the door, but the piece of notebook paper taped to it tells me everything I need to know.
     
    THANKS FOR NOTHING.
     
    She’s not inside, and I’d bet the pickup truck out front that Justine Porter doesn’t believe in second chances.
    The words are written in all caps in black permanent marker. There’s no mistaking the angry slashes of the letters. She was pissed when she wrote it, and now she’s gone.
    Why the hell didn’t I get her number at the bar last night? Fucking moron. If I had, I could have called this morning to tell her I was running late.
    There was no way in hell I could tell her why, but I guarantee it’s not for the reason she thinks. Even if she were here, my vague excuses wouldn’t matter to her.
    I’ve never had to work to get a girl, but Justine has turned me down at every opportunity. I won’t lie—I like a challenge—but it’s not just the chase I’m after with her. At least, not now .
    There was a time when she only fascinated me because of her sexy-as-hell wild dark hair, rockin’ body, and her continued shutdowns. But that lasted through orientation and maybe the first week of school—just until I figured out that she was probably the smartest girl I’ve ever met. It also didn’t take long for me to realize that her brains were even sexier than the rest of the package.
    And apparently she’s too smart to wait for an asshole like me. I deserve it, and yet I’m still disappointed. I shove the Yoda Pez dispenser package back in my pocket. She might think I don’t notice anything but her tits and ass, but she’s wrong.
    I turn away from the apartment and head back to the truck. I’ve got three and a half months to come up with a new game plan. There’s no way in hell I’m giving up on her this easily.

Justine
     
    Three and a half months later
     
    One more year. One more year and I’ll have the diploma I’ve been working toward for a decade. I just wish Gramps could be here to watch me walk across that stage. He’ll be there in spirit, though—I know it.
    The summer went by ridiculously fast, but I learned more working at Legal Aid than I did in all the time I’ve spent in class. I also worked my ass off as a server at the local pub, saving up to help cover my expenses this year, and managed to have a little fun.
    Being back on campus just makes me realize how badly I want to be finished with school so I can get back to the real world and start making a difference. I can’t save people from eviction sitting in a classroom. I can’t help fight for custody of someone’s kid while I’m studying in my apartment. So basically, I’m here keeping my grades up while I mark time until graduation.
    But I won’t take it for granted, because at least I get the privilege to finish school. Chad not only lost his standing offer at the criminal defense firm, but the school revoked his scholarship. After a month of me texting and calling with no answer, and scouring the Internet for news, he finally e-mailed me to let me know he’d officially