Page 57 of Steel & Jenna
Hewouldbe mad if that was the case. No prank was worth cutting her lovely hair.
Jenna shook her head, trying to catch her balance on the edge of the counter. “No, no, it wasn’t a prank.” She had to take several deep breaths before she could speak properly. “There was an accident in Chemistry and some chemicals got in my hair. I wasn’t hurt,” she added quickly when Jack started forward. Concern had filled him at her words and his only thought had been to check to make sure she was okay. “Really,” she insisted, touching his arm. “I’m fine. But they had to cut some of my hair. Since it was a good chunk of hair, I went to a salon to have it professionally fixed.”
Jack put his fingers through the much shorter hair. “You weren’t hurt?”
Jenna shook her head again. “Promise. It was just my hair.”
Jack’s shoulders sagged in relief. “Well, it’ll take some getting used to and I’m not saying I don’t like it…”
“You just prefer me with longer hair.”
“I preferyou, long, medium, or short hair. However, I can’t deny that I loved your hair long.”
Jenna leaned in as if to tell him a secret. “Me too.” Jack chuckled, feeling less like an ass for his confession. “It’ll grow back, eventually. And think of all the money I’ll save on shampoo in the meantime.”
Jack’s eyebrows lowered. He’d never considered how much shampoo her longer hair had taken. He used barely a dollop for his hair, face, and body. He knew women used more product and makeup and stuff, but he hadn’t considered the cost of it all. Lilly hadn’t used that stuff when he’d been buying for her needs. Plus, women needed stuff like bras and tampons and, like, breast stuff, right? None of that was cheap, either.
He was going to need to figure out a job that supported Jenna’s needs once they were married. He didn’t want her sacrificing products and hygiene things she needed because he couldn’t afford it. How was he supposed to be able to support herandgo to college?
Jenna touched his face. The storm inside his mind calmed. “I don’t know what it is you’re thinking, but whatever it is, we’ll figure it out together.”
He rested his hands on her hips. “I want to be able to give you the life you deserve.”
“How aboutwegive each other the lifewedeserve together,” she offered. “Jack, I don’t plan on living the life my parents have led. You know I want to go to college, get a job, and have a simple life.” She brought her other hand up to cup his face between her palms. His five o’clock shadow was just starting to show, and it felt incredible to have her fingernails scratch him just below his ears. “I don’t need glory and riches, Jack. Even if we have to live off of Ramen noodles for a few years, I wouldn’t care so long as you’re the one I’m eating with.”
Jack wrinkled his nose. “Maybe I’m the one who doesn’t want Ramen noodles. I lived off of canned food for a long time, Jen. Maybe I’m the one who doesn’t want that sort of life anymore.”
“Then we’ll figure it out,” she repeated. “If I don’t piss off my parents too much before I’m twenty-five, we’ll also have my trust fund coming our way.”
Jack scowled. “I don’t want a penny of your parents’ money. You said you were going to donate that and that hasn’t changed.”
Jenna rolled her eyes. “Stubborn man. Regardless, once we figure out where we’re going for college, we’ll both get jobs, an apartment, and figure the rest out.”
“I think I found a car in the classifieds. I can almost afford it. Want to go with me tomorrow to take a look?”
Jenna nodded. “I don’t know a thing about cars, but sure.”
“I need to see what you look like in it. If I don’t like seeing you inside it, I won’t get it,” Jack joked.
Jenna laughed, still rubbing her nails through his stubble. “Have you thought about getting a van? Maybe we could live in that for a bit to save on money.”
Jack scowled. “My wife is not living in a fucking van.”
That pink touched her cheeks again. “That sounds amazing, you know.”
Jack ducked his head, touching his lips to the shell of her ear. “Does it now?” He nipped her lobe. “My.” He ran his tongue along the skin under her ear. “Wife.”
She shuddered, sagging enough that Jack looped an arm around her waist to keep her upright. “You can’t say things like that to me. Not when we have so long to wait. I’m so impatient when it comes to you.”
“Baby, I’m just as impatient. But that’s also why I need to plan for then. We know it’s coming, so it’s not like it’s going to take us by surprise. We need to be ready.”
Jenna opened her mouth to answer, but a child’s giggling came into the kitchen.
Mr. Zarin, freshly showered and in jeans and a sweater, was walking behind Lilly. He had one hand over her eyes and one hand over his. “Is it safe to come in? We don’t want to be scarred for life.”
Jack rolled his eyes and stood up. “It’s safe.”
Mr. Zarin lowered his hands. “Good. I’m starving and that chili simmering over there is making my tummy all rumbly.”
