by B. B. Reid
I couldn’t stop seeing Jamie and Rachel behind that cotton candy stand or how his hand had crept and fumbled underneath her tiny top.
As if that weren’t enough, all day I had to force myself to ignore every wink, heated glance, and sexy grin Jamie threw their way while pretending to have a good time with my friends.
“Boston,” Jamie answered, though he sounded distracted. I had the urge to peek around my prize and see for myself, but I didn’t.
“So what do you guys want to do now?” Vaughn asked once the security guard had left us with an order to go home. I still had an hour or so before curfew, but I was eager to get home and out of this dress. All day, I felt like I’d been wearing someone else’s skin. I missed my hat and the baggy shirts that hid the fact that I had boobs. Not to mention this bear was beginning to make my arms tremble. Ever, Vaughn, and Jason had all offered to help, but every single time, I’d felt Jamie’s gaze, waiting to see if I’d take them up on their offer.
Stubbornly, I hadn’t, and I was more than regretting it now.
Ever murmured something about taking a piss before heading for the row of blue porta-potties down the street. Just then, a screaming kid—maybe four or five—was being carried through the gates by his mother, who struggled to hold onto him. Approaching them, I couldn’t help but notice that he was empty-handed. After getting permission from the weary mother, I squatted until I was eye level with her son and offered him the panda. I almost snorted when the waterworks ended immediately. Now that he wasn’t trying his best to shatter glass, I realized he was pretty freaking cute even with the giant snot bubble hanging from his right nostril.
“What do you say, Alan?”
“Thank you.”
Winking, I stood and watched as Alan struggled to carry the panda that was almost twice his size. Returning to my friends, I realized they’d all been watching me.
“Cute kid,” Jamie drawled. He looked pretty cozy with Rachel’s arm wrapped around his waist. “A little young for you, don’t you think?”
“Funny,” I retorted, seeing that green haze again. “I was going to say the same to your new girlfriend.”
“What do you mean?” Rachel asked, suddenly looking alarmed. When I said nothing, she pulled away from Jamie. He didn’t seem to notice as he pinned me with his gaze. “I thought you said that you’re fifteen?”
“You’re right,” he admitted, brown eyes twinkling mischievously. “I did say that.”
As Vaughn and Jason snickered, I realized that I’d been right about Rachel and her friends being older. I also realized that Jamie must have lied about his age to hook up with them. I didn’t want to be impressed that he succeeded, but I definitely was. Their age difference wasn’t exactly something one could shrug off. Jamie seemed too far out of my league, and we were only a year apart.
“So how old are you?”
“Twelve.”
“Ugh!” Rachel screeched. “I can’t believe you!” She stormed away, forcing her friends to run to catch up. Each of them threw Jamie—and me, for some reason—evil glares over their shoulders. I was a little more than excited to see them finally go.
By the time they were out of sight, the guys were bent over clutching their sides. The only ones not laughing were Jamie and me, though I was sure for different reasons. Spinning on my heel, I carefully made my way across the busy street. Jamie’s full attention was becoming too much for me to handle. The moment I reached the bike racks, I felt fingers gripping my arm and tugging me around. I was taller than most girls, so when Jamie towered over me, it was only by an inch or two.
“You owe me a girlfriend.”
Scoffing, I pulled away and hid my surprise when he let me. “She wasn’t your girlfriend.”
“That’s not what you said before you made her break up with me.”
“I didn’t make her do anything just like I didn’t make you lie.”
“None of that changes the fact that I’m single now, thanks to you.” Suddenly, his gaze narrowed as if he’d come to some revelation. I was sure I wasn’t going to like whatever it was. “I think you did it on purpose.”
Yup. I was three for three today.
“Well, I didn’t,” I denied, crossing my arms.
His gaze dipped to my chest, and I realized the gesture had pushed up my breasts. Remembering his hand creeping up Rachel’s shirt, I quickly dropped my arms. It didn’t matter a second later when he stepped into my space. My breasts brushed against his chest, and we both pretended not to notice.
“Prove it.”
“How?” The word slipped through my lips before I could rethink it. His hooded eyes made me think he liked my eagerness.
“Be my girlfriend.”
“What?” I cringed when I realized I sounded like a puppy that had just been stepped on.
Jamie’s cheeks turned pink when I didn’t immediately accept. I had the feeling he wasn’t used to the idea of rejection. “You heard me.”
“But we’ve only known each other three days.”
Not to mention the mountain of more important reasons why I shouldn’t. He was everything that defined trouble. And a liar. If Jamie could easily fool someone two or three years older than him, then what chance did I have?
“That’s three days longer than my last girlfriend,” he teased.
I suddenly wished I’d never taunted him about Rachel because the warmth in my belly made me want to say yes. You don’t even know him.
It didn’t seem to matter as much as it should have. “I—”
The sound of a long whistle and then a boom drew our startled gazes to the sky just before an explosion of color lit up the night sky. Minutes stretched by as we stood shoulder to shoulder, heads tilted, silently gaping at the fireworks. I could feel the warmth from Jamie’s skin when his hand brushed mine, and even though my fingers flexed, eager to tangle with his, I kept my hands to myself.
“Dude, I found them!” Jason yelled. He was covered in sweat and out of breath as he frantically waved to someone in the distance. Vaughn rounded a line of cars seconds later with a frazzled look in his eyes.
Stepping away from Jamie, I met my friends halfway when they rushed toward us. “Everything okay?” As soon as I voiced the question, I realized we were still short one. “Where’s Ever?” It was at least twenty minutes since he’d left for the bathroom.
“That’s what we came to tell you,” Vaughn answered, out of breath. “He just got arrested.”
“Shit,” Jamie said as soon as Vaughn and Jason finished explaining what Ever had done. Jamie looked nervous as he scratched his temple. It was an expression I’d probably never get used to seeing on him. He was always so cocky and confident with a smile that followed you into your dreams…
I subtly pinched myself to make sure I was awake. I wouldn’t be much help to Ever if I melted into a puddle at his cousin’s feet.
“I’ll call my uncle.” Jamie started to walk off, but I grabbed his hand, forcing myself to ignore the current shooting up my arm and exploding in my chest. Like the fireworks Ever had illegally set off.
“No.”
Seeing that I had his full attention, I released his hand. Just as quickly, he recaptured mine, drawing Vaughn and Jason’s puzzled gazes. Thankfully, after exchanging awkward glances with each other, they said nothing even when Jamie and I continued to hold hands for no good reason.
“You said the security guards have him, not the cops, which means he’s just sitting in their office. They probably don’t even know who he is yet.”
“Your point?” Jamie asked. Not liking his tone, I tried to drop his hand again, but he simply tightened his grip.
“We break him out.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Jason exploded. “How are we supposed to do that?”
“Easy,” Jamie surprised me by saying. “We distract the guards, open the door, and let him out.”
“But what if the door is locked? Or he’s handcuffed? How are we supposed to get the keys to f
ree him, genius?”
The look Jamie gave Jason made me gulp, and it wasn’t even me pissing him off this time. His hand tightened around mine even more, making me wince. I knew that if he wasn’t holding my hand, his hand would be in a fist, probably pummeling Jason’s face right about now. Noticing my pain, he eased his grip, and then, a second later, he let my hand go. I tried to ignore the disappointment, but my hand suddenly felt colder than it should have on a summer night.
“A couple of years ago, I got in trouble for hopping a rail that was three feet high,” Vaughn said when Jamie only stared Jason down. “Their security office is a mobile trailer that’s one loose screw from being condemned. We can get in.”
“We’ll get in trouble if we’re caught,” Jason continued to argue.
Realizing the longer we hesitated, the deeper the crap Ever found himself in, I said, “And our friend will get in trouble if we don’t try.” Turning on my heel, I started back for the carnival.
“Do you see anything?”
I was currently crouched on Vaughn’s shoulders, forgetting all about the dress I wore, and peering into the dirty window of the trailer Ever was being kept in. Pretty soon, the cops would arrive, and because of all the crap Ever had given them before, they’d have no trouble identifying him. I knew my insolent best friend well enough by now to know that he hadn’t told the security guards squat. Not even his name.
Looking around the rectangular room that was empty save for an old desk and several chairs pushed against the wall, I spotted my friend sitting in one of them. Ever’s hands were tied with plastic cuffs, and his eyes were closed, appearing perfectly relaxed as he leaned his head against the wall. With parents as rich as his, who foolishly bailed him out of trouble every time, I guess he had no reason to worry.
“I see him!”
“Is he alone?” Jamie questioned a little too casually. Rescuing Ever had been my idea, but now that we were actually doing it, I couldn’t keep my heart from racing. I wasn’t sure if it was from fear or excitement. Right now, they felt like one and the same.
“No. There’s a guard with him, but he looks bored. Distracting him should be a piece of cake.”
“Oh, really?” Jamie said. I heard the challenge in his voice long before I gazed down at him. He was standing close while Jason served as the lookout a few feet away. Before I could respond, his hands circled my waist and carefully pulled me from Vaughn’s shoulder. “Then work your magic,” he whispered as soon as my body was pressed against his.
I couldn’t quite catch my breath as I stared into brown eyes that always seemed so full. What was happening to me? I’d been crushing on Ever for weeks, but those feelings were nothing compared to what Jamie had done to me in a matter of days.
I heard a throat clear and then, “Uh, guys?”
Vaughn was watching us, and I could tell he was more than suspicious and just a little weirded out. Stepping away from Jamie, I made my way around the trailer, blocking out the sound of them whispering—more like arguing—as soon I was out of sight. When I reached the trailer door, I took a deep breath before knocking. Immediately, I heard chair legs scraping across the floor and then the fall of heavy feet growing louder. Seconds later, the door creaked as it swung open, revealing a bespectacled older man with kind eyes and a white bushy beard. He reminded me a little of Santa Claus except without the huge gut and the flying reindeer, of course.
Immediately, I knew what to say to draw him away from the trailer. “Hi, c-could you help me? I lost my p-parents, and some weird man keeps following me.”
“Oh, you poor thing!” he said, rushing down the short steps. “Come inside, where you’ll be safe while I check things out.” I began to panic when he ushered me inside the trailer and locked the door behind him before shuffling away.
Crap! Crap! Crap!
Now what?
“Bee?” I spun around at the sound of Ever’s voice. “What are you doing here?” he asked, sitting up with a frown.
“Well,” I huffed, planting my hands on my hips, “I was busting you out, but it looks like we’ll have to go to plan B.”
Despite being in handcuffs and a world of trouble, he flashed me a crooked smile. Seeing it, I waited for my heart to skip a beat as it had done so many times before, but there was nothing. Had I been cured or plagued by something much stronger?
“Which is?”
I have no idea.
Rushing to the window I’d peeked through moments ago, I quickly unlocked it, but when I tried to push it open, it wouldn’t budge. My frustration grew, knowing that it wouldn’t be long before the guard came back.
“I might be able to help you get that open if you untie me.”
Peering through the darkness outside, I saw the guard scanning the area with his flashlight. I just hoped the guys had hidden well enough. I grabbed the pair of scissors I’d spotted on the desk, then rushed over to Ever, who held up his hands. I looked for an opening, somewhere to cut the plastic, but they were so tight it would be impossible to free Ever without hurting him.
“Just do it,” he said, sensing the reason for my hesitation. “We don’t have a lot of time.”
Forcing the sharp end of the scissors between the cuff and his hand, I cringed the moment his skin split and blood oozed from the wound. He hissed from the pain, so I quickly cut away the plastic, though it was tougher than it looked. Once the plastic gave, I did the next one, and in no time, Ever was free. He quickly stood from the chair, but our eyes widened the moment we heard footsteps approaching.
We made a break for the window. “You go first,” we both said at the same time.
I was shaking my head before he could argue. “If we’re caught, you’ll be in a lot more trouble than I will. You could go to juvie.”
With the same defiance that got us into this mess, he shrugged. “Then I’ll go to juvie. I’m not leaving you.”
“You will be if you get arrested, and then I’ll have to deal with your cousin all summer alone.” Ever had been refereeing us all week, and even though I was sure he was sick of it by now, he saw my point.
“Fine, but as soon as I’m through, I’m pulling you out. No exceptions.”
“Deal.”
Grabbing both sides of the window frame, he pulled himself up and over with ease. I wasn’t so sure it would be that easy for me. Even though we were the same height, Ever had way more upper body strength.
None of that mattered a moment later when the trailer door opened, and the guard stepped inside.
“I’m afraid there’s no one out there. How about we just give your parent’s a call?” The guard looked ready to say more until he noticed the empty chair where Ever had been and the plastic cuffs lying on the floor. “What the—where’d he go?”
Realizing I was the one to set Ever free, his face turned a tomato red. “Why, you little bitch.”
I took a step back and then two more when he charged toward me. Seeing the look in his eyes, I realized he wasn’t quite as nice as I’d thought. I searched for somewhere to run, but there was nowhere to go, and pretty soon, I was backed into a corner. He reached for me, and my heart squeezed painfully tight. As I wondered if I was having a heart attack, I heard something crack, and then his eyes widened. I’d just managed to jump out of the way when he toppled over.
And standing there, holding a tree branch of all things, was Jamie.
Oh, no no no… What had he done?
“Come on!” he said when I continued to stand there, staring at him through wide eyes. Taking my hand, he dragged me behind him out of the trailer and into the night. Ever, Jason, and Vaughn were all waiting for us outside. None of us stopped running until we reached our bikes, and then we pedaled as fast as we could all the way home.
Present
SHORTLY AFTER I CAME DOWN, a sleepy-eyed Four wandered into the kitchen with Jay D at her side. I gave off two short whistles, and her pup immediately rounded the corner before sitting dutifully at my side. Four stopped short, her confus
ed frown traveling from me to Jay D and back again. I smirked, making her prop her hand on her hip.
“What the hell did you do to my dog?”
I slowly took a sip of my coffee. “I taught him a few tricks. Not my fault you didn’t bother training him.”
Rolling her eyes, she bent low to make eye contact with Jay D. “Come here, baby.”
Jay D simply stared back at her. Patting her thighs, she tried again. Like a good boy, he didn’t budge.
“Why the hell did you turn my dog against me?”
“Have you thought about who might keep him when you hit the road?”
Her brows furrowed, and she was noticeably quiet, telling me she hadn’t thought about it. Four had plans to turn a new leaf and race legally, which meant she’d be on the road a few months out of the year.
Slowly, almost hesitantly, she shook her head. “No.”
“My uncle hasn’t had much time for his own son these past few years. He damn sure won’t give a fuck about a dog, and since your mom’s a basket case…” At her glower, I stopped my train of thought and began running my fingers through Jay D’s fur. “I don’t think they’ll let your bestie keep him in her dorm.”
“I could ask Wren and Lou,” she said.
I rolled my eyes. “Or you could just ask me.”
“Aren’t you heading to Penn in the fall?”
“Yeah, but Unc set me up with an apartment near campus. I move in a few days before the semester starts,” I announced, which earned Four’s frown.
“I thought freshman were required to live on-campus their first year?”
“I have to be assigned to a dorm.” I shrugged. “Doesn’t mean I have to physically be there.”
“But that’s such a waste of money!” she fussed.
“I’m worth billions, kitten. I think I’ll be okay if I blow ten or fifteen grand.”
“There’s one person you forgot about,” she said.
I snorted, knowing she was referring to my cousin. “You could ask your boyfriend, but don’t be surprised if he leaves him on the side of the road and tells you he ran away when you come home.”
