Page 14 of As Long As You Kiss Me

Chapter 4

Jackson sat at the bar with a mug of beer in front of him. Bryant, a guy he’d gone to high school with, took the seat next to him.

“Hey, man. Long time, no see. What are you doing back in town?” Bryant asked.

Jackson stretched out his back and rolled his shoulders. He was a little stiff from working on his house. “I just moved back.”

“Right on. What are you doing for work?”

Dixie came up to Bryant and took his order.

When she was finished, Jackson answered Bryant’s question. “I teach American History at Maple Creek High.”

“Oh, really?” Bryant scoffed. “I wouldn’t want to ever go back to that place. High school was rough. I can’t imagine spending any more time there than necessary.”

Jackson didn’t like Bryant’s negative attitude, but he kept smiling anyway. “I love it. The kids are great.”

“What about the ones who don’t want to be there?”

Dixie came and set a mug of dark beer in front of Bryant.

Jackson shrugged. “You’ll always get those, but the kids who do want to be there make up for it and then some. And then you get that kid who comes in with an attitude at the beginning of the year, and by the end of the semester, they’ve decided to major in history in college. I haven’t been teaching long enough at Maple Creek to see that happen, but it occurred when I was doing my student teaching. It makes everything you do worth it.”

“That’s cool, man.” Bryant looked over his shoulder and his face lit up. “Look who’s here.”

Jackson followed his gaze to see Sully walking in with Aubrey.

“Sully is so hot. I’d date her in a second. I just can’t get her to agree to go out with me.”

“Why not?” Jackson asked. He pushed down the feeling of jealousy that tore through him at the thought of Bryant putting his arms around Sully. Why should he care if the guy wanted to date her? It wasn’t like he had a claim on her, but the idea of him dating her made his insides feel twisted up and it shouldn’t.

Bryant rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m not sure. I think maybe she’s still hung up on her ex.”

Jackson bit back a growl. “You don’t know Sully very well if you think that.”

“It’s just something Aubrey said.”

“What was that?”

“She said Sully isn’t dating because she’s not over what happened in her last marriage.”

Jackson took a sip of his beer. “That doesn’t mean she’s into him. Maybe she’s just scarred from what happened.”

“What do you know about it?” Bryant asked.

“He came in here the other day, trying to get back together with her. You should have seen her face. She’s terrified of the guy.”

“I had no idea,” Bryant said. “That makes me furious.”

“You and me both.” Jackson turned back to look at Sully and waved her over.

She and Aubrey came over to where they were sitting.

“How are you ladies doing tonight?” Jackson asked.

“We’re good,” Sully said. “Just ready to relax.”

“Tough day at work?” Jackson asked.

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