Page 104 of Make Her Mine

Dad chuckles. “Would think he’d be more concerned about making a good impression on his future father-in-law.”

My stomach does that flippy thing at the way my father refers to the future and Jefferson and me being married so casually.

Then Jefferson calls out, “You already loved me, Scott.”

“That means you can only go downhill, Jefferson,” my dad calls back.

I laugh. One, because all of that’s true. Two, because Jefferson sounds so confident in how my dad feels about him and I kind of love that. Three, because Jefferson’s words are slightly slurred. I haven’t been one-on-one with a drunk Jefferson ever. This might be interesting.

“Do I have to carry him out to the car or anything?” I ask, keeping my voice a little lower now.

Dad shakes his head. “He should be able to walk just fine. Maybe not straight. But he’ll stay upright.”

I head down the hallway to the holding cell. Jefferson and Zach are sitting on benches on opposite sides of the small square space. They’re both pouting.

“This is not how I expected to end my night,” I tell him, inserting the key into the lock.

Jefferson gets to his feet and crosses to the door. “Don’t worry. You’ll get to end this night just the way you want to.”

I swing the door open and Jefferson steps out. I peer in at Zach. “You coming out?”

“I think I’ll give your boyfriend a head start. I’m tired of hearing him talk.”

I grin up at Jefferson. “Are you being annoying?”

“Zach just happens to find my being madly in love with you annoying. No one else feels that way.”

I look at Zach. “We’ve been telling you this all along. Why are you so annoyed tonight?”

Jefferson points at Zach. “He tried to get me drunk, thinking I’d be more honest.”

“Honest about what?”

Jefferson slides his hand to the back of my neck and pulls me closer. “You. How much I love you. That we’re gonna get married and have babies and live happily ever after.”

Of course, all of this comes out a little slurred, but my stomach and heart and my panties react.

I look back at Zach. “So you thought he was lying and that if he was drunk, he would tell you the truth?”

“Worked in high school. But I guess he’s still willing to fight for you.”

I frown. “What are you talking about?”

Jefferson puts a finger against his lips. “Shhhhh,” he says to Zach. “That’s between us.”

Zach laughs. “She doesn’t know? Even after all these years? You’re not gonna tell her that you broke your hand in high school over her?”

I look up at Jefferson. “Wait, what? When you broke your hand, that was fighting Zach? About me?”

“Dammit,” Jefferson says, tipping his head back and looking at the ceiling. “You don’t need to know that.”

I turn to face him fully. “You missed the championship game because you hurt your hand! And that was because of me?”

“Harlow…” Jefferson sighs. “Fuck.” He glares at Zach, then looks back at me. “Yes. No regrets.”

My mouth drops open. I stare at him. “Why?”

“He wasn’t getting away with what he did.” He glares at Zach. “He’s lucky I didn’t put him in the hospital.”

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