Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 76710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Suddenly, headlights illuminate the interior as a vehicle swings into the space next to us. The spell effectively broken, I jerk back, accidentally beeping the horn just as the man in the black SUV steps out. A man I recognize. He turns toward us, eyebrows furrowed as I scramble to pull my shirt back down.
“Allison?” Victor says, squinting at me through the dash.
“Oh my God,” I say through clenched teeth, forcing a smile. Victor starts walking toward us, and I’m quick to hop out of the truck before he gets any closer, meeting him in front of the hood.
“Hey,” I greet him, hoping like hell he can’t tell that I’ve been dry humping Jesse in the driver’s seat. “What are you doing here?” I slide my palms into my back pockets, rocking back on my heels.
“Meeting a buddy for a drink,” he says, gesturing inside. “How’s the planning coming along?”
“Really good.” I instantly perk up at the mention. “I got the perfect band. They’re local and already have a solid following, so I have a good feeling about it.”
“Sounds promising,” he says, looking me up and down, probably judging my disheveled appearance.
Before I can respond, Jesse’s out of the truck, sauntering over to us. He curls a hand around my waist, pulling me into his side in an obvious display of ownership.
“Jesse, this is Victor. Victor, this is my friend, Jesse,” I say, sending him a pointed look as I inch away from him. Victor gives him an amenable smile, holding out his hand. Jesse hesitates, eyeing his proffered hand like it’s covered in dog shit.
Jesus, Jess, don’t screw this up.
Just when I think he’s going to leave him hanging, he reaches out to shake Victor’s hand.
“Nice to meet you,” Victor says before turning his attention back to me. “I have to get in there, but call me if you need anything.”
“Will do.”
Victor gives a polite nod to Jess—which he ignores—then he’s walking away.
“Who the hell was that?” Jess asks.
“Someone who can potentially open a lot of doors for me if I manage to plan an event without screwing it up.” I stalk back to the car, annoyed with myself for being stupid enough to get caught in this position, and annoyed with Jess for pulling that caveman shit in front of someone who could play a huge role in my future.
I climb back into the car, and Jesse’s in the driver’s seat a second later.
“I don’t like him,” he says, squeezing the steering wheel. “He’s smarmy.”
“Smarmy?” I huff out a laugh.
“Smarmy as fuck. I don’t like the way he looked at you.”
“He was looking at me like that because I was having a make-out session in a car like some…” I trail off, searching for the right words, “some horny teenager,” I deadpan.
“You are a horny teenager.”
I cut my eyes at him. “Not helping.”
He starts the engine, throwing the gear into reverse. “So, what’s this event?”
“You remember when I went to that show with Garrett?”
Jess narrows his eyes, and I take that as my answer.
“I ran into Victor there. He was a friend of my dad’s. I didn’t know it was his venue, and I may have pointed out some things I could’ve done better.”
I swear I see his lips lift at the corner into an almost-smile.
“He offered me a chance to organize my own event and put that theory to the test.”
“That’s a big deal, right? Is that what you want to do for a living?”
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “I know I want to do something with music, so the experience can’t hurt. And Dylan’s band hasn’t had a place to play, so I figured it was a win-win situation.”
Jess nods. “When is it?”
I study him, the streetlights illuminating his sharp features. “Next Friday. Why, you suddenly a fan of my kind of music?”
“Hard pass.” He scoffs.
“What about you?”
“What about me?” He stares ahead at the dark road, one hand on the wheel. Every few seconds, the streetlights allow me a brief glimpse of his sharp profile, his jaw set hard.
“What’s next for the infamous Jesse Shepherd?” I joke, throwing in jazz hands for effect.
His grip on the steering wheel tightens, his knuckles turning white. “You’re looking at it.”
My smile falls. “So that’s it? You’re just giving up?” He can’t possibly be content to hang around Blackbear sometimes working for the rest of his life.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I know that you’re not who you want everyone to think you are.”
He looks over at me. “And who do you think I am?”
“An outsider. Like me.” I don’t mean to blurt it out, but I do and there’s no taking it back now. I don’t think anyone truly knows Jesse except for maybe Lo. How could they? He doesn’t let anyone in. Least of all me. But somehow, I manage to see him. Maybe it’s because underneath all the bullshit, we’re the same. Two lost, closed-off kids with trust issues, pretending to have their shit together.