Page 15 of Rules, Roses, and Rivals
Brows raised, I fisted my temper and gripped the edge of the desk. “Someone is yelling at you?”
“Well, expressing their irritation, I suppose.” The little shrug offered no comfort. “Not that any of you have the right to be irritated.”
“I think I’ll reserve the right to feel however the fuck I want,” I told her. “And I’ll defend your right to do the same.” The airaround her crackled or maybe that was just me. “Who yelled at you?”
Since she hadn’t answered me earlier. I wanted a name. They wouldn’t be yelling again.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said, then picked at something on the desk.
“It matters to me,” I reminded her. “You used to be able to tell me anything. If someone is picking on you, you know I’ll take care of it.”
“I’m a big girl, Jake. I can take care of myself.”
“Didn’t say you couldn’t.” Then I hooked my foot against her desk and turned it, with her in it, to face me. She gave a little start, and there—for just an instant—the flash of a smile curved her lips. I’d missed that damn smile. “I’ve seen your right hook. Your left might need some work, but your right is vicious.”
Another smile appeared, this one lasting longer. “Thank you, I appreciate the compliment.”
“Are you not going to tell me who yelled at you?” I cocked my head to the side. “Not Coop. He’s usually the last one to start yelling.”
“Jake,” she said on a huff of a sigh. “Don’t try?—”
“Probably not Bubba. He can yell, but he was pissed earlier that he didn’t really get to talk to you much at lunch.” Not that Bubba said that, but I knew the guy. Played sports with him. I could read the body language. “That leaves our pal Archie…”
Her lips compressed and there was my answer. So, Archie got in her face. While I understood it, evenhedidn’t get to yell at her.
“I’ll take care of it,” I promised and then reached over to put my hand on hers. Her gaze darted up to mine again. Her skin was ice and the air conditioning in here wasn’t that efficient. “You’re freezing.”
“I’m not,” she said, shaking her head. For a moment, I thought she’d pull her hand away but she didn’t. Small win, but I’d take it. “Jake—look, you guys…”
I flicked a look toward the clock then back to her. It was marching toward the bell. She showed every indication of bolting the moment it rang. We needed more time.
“Us guys?” I prompted her.
“Never mind,” she said, shaking her head. The slide of her blonde hair dropping over her shoulder had me wanting to sink my fingers into it. Fist it, tilt her head back, and then kiss her until she gave up every one of those secrets she housed behind her eyes.
“Talk to me,” I said, going for coaxing rather than ordering. “You’reupsetand I don’t like it. I need to fix this. Whatever happened that made you cut town and walk away from all of us. Tell me… Let me help.”
Her lashes dipped downwards, hiding her eyes from me. “I don’t know if you can. Archie’s mad at me cause I’m dating. Coop’s acting weird cause I’m dating and…” She snapped her eyes open and pinned me with a look. “You…”
I guess Bubba wasn’t making the cut here. Probably in watch and wait mode. He could be patient as hell. Then again, she actuallyspoketo him at his birthday party.
Yes, I was jealous as hell over that.
“What about me?”
“You’re just like them. Annoyed that I have a boyfriend all of a sudden. You’ve been dating since freshman year and Archie is pretty much the same. So why is it okay for all of you to date and not me?”
“I never told you that you couldn’t date.” I never would have either. “Hell, I’ve asked you out on dates.”
The disbelief in her eyes wasn’t humbling in the slightest. Or insulting. “We’ve never dated…”
Fisting my temper with both hands, I fought to keep my smile from turning into a grimace. “Frankie, we’ve been hanging out for years. We ate lunch together every day for the past seven years—or however long. When it comes to the parties, you are the first person I ask.”
Confusion filled her eyes and I finally clenched on fist to hold onto that temper. “Jake—you and Maria were the item.”
“Werean item as in the past tense. We broke up a few weeks ago.” It was two weeks when we made it official, but the summer had been one long experiment in how unhappy I was without Frankie even around to hang out with. “Never should have dated her in the first place.”
“Then why did you?” There it was, that directness I adored. She didn’t flinch away from my gaze.
