Page 57 of Deception and New Direction

“Girl, you’re my spirit animal,”Tammysaid. “Iwanna be you whenIgrow up.”

I laughed sinceTammywas not only older than me by nearly two decades, but that she wanted to be more like me based off my sex life.

Not really wanting to talk aboutJack, especially knowing he was in the same room,Idecided to change the subject.

We chatted more aboutVal’snew job,Delia’smom, andTammy’sdate she had gone on the other night.Itwas a few more drinks before everyone started to make their way home for the night, butI’dhad a great time.

WhenJackcame to collect me to go home,Ifound myself a little tipsier thanIhad originally thoughtIwas.Thathad to be whyIcouldn’t stop staring at him.Hehad on a faded black tee and a nice worn pair of jeans that clung to his body like they were tailored for him.Healso had a leather jacket over top and that sexy grin he always seemed to give me wheneverIwould look at him.God, he was so handsome—not just his looks, but his entire aura.Hisconfidence was off the charts, butIfoundIliked it.Hisscruffy beard reminded me of how it felt as he kissed his way down my body.Ifelt myself getting flushed just thinking about it.

“I’d love to know what’s going on in that brain of yours right now,” he said quietly to me asIput my jacket on over my cute blouse and jeansI’dworn tonight.

Not wanting him to know my thoughts,Ilied. “I’mready to go home and sleep.I’mtired.”

His smirk told me he didn’t believe me, but he also didn’t say anything, so at leastIhad that reprieve.Wewalked out to his car, his hand holding mine, andIfoundIliked that.Alot.

22

JACK

She was drunk.

She had clearly had a good time celebrating her birthday, andIwas happy for her.

“If you keep smiling at me like that,I’mgonna need a life alert button,” she said to me, her voice slightly slurred, soIknew she hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

We had just gotten into my car to head back to the house when she spoke up again, slightly louder than she likely intended. “Ooohcan we stop and get a burger on the way home, and maybe a milkshake?”

“Didn’t you eat at the party?”

“Well, yes, butIonly grabbed a few things, and they were appetizers, so they don’t really fill you up,” she said and then hiccupped.

“Whatever you want,”Itold her.

“I like when you say that,” she giggled. “Rememberthat is always the correct answer.”

She was funny when she was sober, but there was no filter when she’d had a few drinks, which in turn made her even funnier, andItold her as much.

She didn’t wait until we got home to eat, instead choosing to annihilate the food in the car.

When we managed to get home,IletDashout but told her to come find me after she was finished getting ready for bed becauseIwanted to give her a birthday present.

She turned to look at me and almost had a sad and guilty look to her face. “Jack, you didn’t have to get me anything.”

“I know, butIwanted to,”Itold her. “Now, go get ready for bed, andI’llbe right back.”

I came back inside and grabbed the small boxIhad picked up the day before off my dresser.

She walked into the room behind me, andIhanded her the box.

“What is it?” she asked as she looked at the box skeptically.

“Open it,”Itold her.

She lifted the lid of the box to see the small greyhound charmIhad gotten her.

“You can add it to the necklace you have with your pink boxing gloves,”Itold her as she stared down at it silently.

Ruthie wore a necklace with a small pair of pink boxing gloves in the center.Insidethose gloves was a tiny tracking device.Archerhad given it to her after she moved here in case something happened to her.

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