Page 7 of As Long As You Kiss Me

Principal West looked surprised. “You’ve heard?”

“Greg here was just telling me about it.”

Mr. West looked over at Greg. “You know, Greg would be a great person for you to team up on this project with. He’s run a similar program at another school, if my memory serves me correctly. He could show you the ropes.”

Oh great. Greg was going to be his new partner.

Greg didn’t look happy to hear that news. “Well, I actually had some of my own plans for the year.”

“I’m sure you can find the time to fit in this project as well,” Mr. West said.

“I, uh—”

“We can meet up during lunch tomorrow to discuss it further. I think it will be a great addition to our school.”

“I’m sure it will be.” Jackson smiled his polite smile at the principal. He’d been lucky to get this job in his hometown. He didn’t want to blow it by complaining about taking on some extra work.

“Hi, Mr. Carr!” Another pretty girl walked past him in the hall. Did she have to sound so flirty?

He cleared his throat and kept his expression professional. “Hi, Lacey.”

Mr. West watched the exchange but didn’t comment on her obvious, flirtatious tone. It didn’t help that her skirt was short, but he wasn’t going to be the one to bust her for it. And Mr. West didn’t seem to notice either.

“See you tomorrow at lunch.” Mr. West walked back toward the main office.

Greg looked over at Jackson. “Looks like we’re going to be working together on this thing.”

“It does look that way.” Jackson nodded. Somehow, he’d find the time to do everything.

That night,his dad came over to help him with some repairs.

“Would you hand me that wrench?” Jackson said with his head under the sink.

His dad put it in his outstretched hand. Jackson used the wrench, and hot water sprayed all over his face. He yelped and jerked his head out from under the sink.

“Did you forget to turn the water off?” his dad asked.

“I thought I had. Apparently, I didn’t do it right.” Once he finally got the water turned off, he went to go change. He came back to his dad mopping up the floor with his favorite towel. He was picky about his towels. He didn’t like the place where he dried his face to touch the floor. It didn’t matter that the same towel touched his rear end, but he could argue that his bottom was always clean by the time it touched his towel. And now it was covered in disgusting sink water. Would that ever become clean enough in the wash? It seemed like towels were always getting gross. Maybe he’d just buy a new favorite towel.

He settled back under the sink and got to work again.

“I heard you kissed Sully at Dixie’s Tavern the other week.”

“Is this the real reason you wanted to come over today?”

“It’s part of it,” his dad admitted. “But I did want to help you too.”

That was fair. “How did you hear about the kiss?”

“Mrs. Wheaton and some other people were talking about it at Josie’s Coffee Shop yesterday morning.”

“That would make sense. Her daughter was there that night.”

“I didn’t realize you were interested in Tyson’s little sister.”

He’d been interested in her for a long time, but he couldn’t do anything about it. Tyson hadn’t wanted them to date when he was alive, and Jackson wouldn’t dishonor his wishes by going against them after he was gone. Tyson was always so protective of Sully. No guy was good enough for her. That’s why it was so ironic that the guy she did get together with ended up being so horrible. Tyson hadn’t known. Jackson didn’t know the full extent of what had gone on between Sully and Mason. Just that he’d been awful to her. That seemed to be the story going around town anyway. And if his behavior at the tavern was any indication of the truth, it seemed the rumors were all correct.

“I’m not pursuing anything with her,” Jackson said.

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