The Hastings Series

by Vanessa Siena

  “Are you fucking with me?” I asked teasingly and lifted an eyebrow. She shrugged once more and smirked. “Maybe. But I actually did try to count them once when I was little.”

  “And how many did you count?” She wasn’t backing up, which meant she enjoyed being close too. Good. I needed that right now.

  “Don’t remember. I fell asleep and never tried again.” And before I knew it, something wet and cold touched my cheek. “You got something there,” she said, scrunching up her nose and pointing to my cheek with her brush. She then wiggled out of my arms and walked toward an open door, probably where she came from before.

  I grinned and shook my head, knowing there was a big blue stain on my cheek. This girl was something else. Her bubbly, fun temper was intriguing, and I wanted to be around her more. I followed her and couldn’t help but glance at her butt. Sure, that was a shit move, but she did have a nice body. She wasn’t skinny, yet her curves were just enough to make me want to run my hands over them all day long. Her hair was in a loose ponytail and I loved the way it moved when she walked.

  “Are you busy right now? I would like to take you out to lunch.”

  “As in a date?” she asked and stopped in front of a painting sitting on an easel.

  I eyed the still mostly unpainted canvas and nodded. “Yes. I mean, Bliss is out of the picture. I explained how I feel about the thing we had, and she took it well. So, yes, I wanna take you out on a lunch date.”

  Gray puckered her lips and studied the canvas in front of her, then turned to look at me with a smile. “I think I’ll pass.”

  Her answer surprised me and at first, I thought she was being sarcastic again. “Why?” It almost sounded like a whine and I could’ve punched myself for that. Jesus, man up, Jagger.

  “Because no good restaurant is open at lunchtime and I would rather let you take me to a nice restaurant for dinner.” This time, she was mocking me, but I liked her honesty. Why do things you don’t want to do, right?

  It made me grin. She didn’t turn me down. “Then I’ll come to pick you up tonight.” She nodded, keeping her eyes on the artwork-to-be.

  “I’ll be ready at eight” was all she said. I chuckled and shook my head, knowing exactly what spending time with her will be like in the future.

  “Perfect. Eight. It’s a date.” I started walking back to the front door and couldn’t help that stupid grin that seemed to become my new accessory because of Gray.

  “There’s still paint on your face!” she called out as I pushed open the door.

  “I know,” I responded, and I honestly did not care.

  Chapter Seven

  Gray

  “I was hoping he wouldn’t make a move this soon. We don’t know that guy. What if he’s just trying to have some fun and play stupid games with you? I don’t need him to break your heart.” I rolled my eyes at Dallas and shook my head. I lowered my head again, making sure all my brushes were clean before I put them away to dry. “So what if that happens? Dal, we’ve been through this before. I’m no longer a child. I’m old enough to make my own decisions and I won’t listen to you when it comes to guys. Jagger is a nice guy and if I’m totally wrong about that, and if he really just tries to mess with me, then I’ll learn from it.”

  He wasn’t happy with my plan. His arms were crossed over his chest and the relaxed way he seemed to lean against the doorframe didn’t look relaxed at all. “You’re tensing up over nothing. Just let me handle this, okay? I’ll go out with him, talk to him about this and that, and then I’ll decide whether or not he will ever see me again. I’m not going to jump right into bed with him.”

  “I know that. It’s just that you always said—” I interrupted him before he could say any more.

  “I know what I said, Dallas. Just let me give him a try, all right?” I didn’t need any more of his complaints and worries.

  “Okay,” he said, holding up his hands as a way to defend himself against my words. “But if he hurts you, I will have to do that shitty big brother move and beat him up. Just to be clear.” I laughed it off, but I knew he was serious about it.

  “Good. He did some underground fighting too.”

  “You think he’s better than me?” he asked, his brows raised. I shrugged and put down the brushes to dry on the table. “I’m just saying that there are people who are stronger than you.”

  “That’s not possible. I’m literally the best underground fighter in all North America. You were there and saw me win it all.” He was proud of what he accomplished. At first, I wasn’t sure fighting for money was a proud way to make money, but Dallas wouldn’t do anything else. It’s what he liked to do. And I wasn’t going to interfere into his life.

  “Do you hear that?” I asked with wide eyes, holding my hand up to my ear and leaning forward a bit.

  “Hear what?” he asked, confused. My face fell, showing him how annoyed I was. “I think your arrogance just entered the building.” And with that, I walked back to the front of the gallery, making sure all the lights were off. I heard Dallas chuckle and then follow me.

  “Not sure why he would want to go on a date with you with that sense of humor you have. You’re a real brat sometimes, you know that?” I knew he wasn’t serious about that, but I did know that I sometimes tended to be a little too forward with my sarcasm.

  I shrugged and grinned at him. “I guess he will have to live with that if he wants to get to know me better. Now, get out. He’ll be here in half an hour and I still have to wipe the floor.”

  Dallas let out a small laugh and took out the keys from his pocket. “Let me know if you need anything.” He squeezed my shoulder and then exited my gallery.

  ***

  I heard the door open just twenty minutes later and I knew it was Jagger. Walking back to the front door, I saw him standing there with his hands shoved into his front pockets. His hair was combed back, and his outfit was, though all black, still classy. He looked handsome and I was surprised he put that much effort into it for a date with me.

  “You do know I don’t have anything else to change into,” I told him, pointing at myself and my clothes.

  Jagger looked down at my clothes and shrugged, then took a few more steps closer to pull me to him. I didn’t mind him coming this close and touching me. I liked it. Every time he put his hand on my waist, I felt something inside of me. He bent his head and his lips pressed against my cheek, then he smiled at me with that charming smile of his. “You look beautiful,” he said, and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.

  He chuckled, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. “What? You don’t like compliments?” He kept staring into my eyes and didn’t stop brushing back my hair behind my ear. I frowned and shook my head.

  “Why not? I think you’re beautiful no matter what you’re wearing. I love seeing you in a big, oversized, paint-splotched sweater. Fits you perfectly. And those jeans,” he stopped then and looked down at my legs. “Incredibly well-fitting,” he said in a fascinated tone.

  Just as I started questioning his weird, cringeworthy way of complimenting me, I realized he was mocking me. I scrunched up my nose and pushed against his chest. “Stop that. It’s not funny,” I told him and stepped away to grab my backpack, which was laying on the floor.

  Jagger let out a laugh. “It is incredibly funny. You should see your face right now. I guess you’re not the only one who’s good at sarcasm.”

  “You’re an asshole,” I exclaimed but couldn’t help a grin.

  “What comes around, baby,” he teased, his smile slowly fading. “But I don’t mind if you’re coming on a first date with me dressed as a painter. Actually…kinda hot. Not really into roleplay but…I’ll handle it this one time.” Again, he was joking.

  This time I laughed, and I was starting to believe that there was no way this guy wasn’t good. He was fun, yet he also had a calm, relaxed side to him. “If you don’t stop that right now, I don’t think it will take long for me to like you even more.”

&n
bsp; The corners of his mouth revealed a satisfied grin and I wondered if I should’ve said that. Because this time, I wasn’t being sarcastic at all.

  “You like me already?” he asked, wanting to hear me say it again.

  I couldn’t help but sigh and then I nodded, because hiding it now was too late. “Yes. You’re a nice guy and I think you’re fun. But I want to get to know you better. So, if this is just a little fling for you, let me know right now. I don’t want to waste my time on that kinda stuff.”

  And there, I said it. Better now than never, right?

  Jagger studied my face and I was unsure what he was thinking. He looked concerned, then surprised, but in the end, he smiled. “I guess you’re lucky you met me then.” He held out his hand for me to take and I first hesitated.

  “That’s not an answer, Jagger.”

  He nodded, then reached for my hand because I was still not putting mine in his. He pulled me closer, putting his other hand on my lower back and his face drew closer to mine. His lips pressed against my neck, taking a small nibble before he whispered against my skin: “I’m too old to be playing childish games like that, Rusty.”

  The use of my brother’s nickname for me threw me off, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “Idiot,” I mumbled and pushed against his chest once again to get some distance between us. “Let’s go,” I said and started walking toward the door.

  He wasn’t even trying hard and I was already intrigued by him. After just two days of knowing him.

  Damn him.

  Damn you, Jagger Curtis.

  Chapter Eight

  Jagger

  I was enjoying her company and by the looks she was giving me I knew she was happy to sit here with me too. Before picking her up, I made sure to ask Sage what Gray liked to eat. As her cousin and best friend, she was able to tell me exactly what Gray liked and which restaurant she goes to, so I made sure to make reservations for two at the Mexican place located near the city center. I also found out that Gray came here to celebrate her birthdays and that she loved the fact that every cocktail was free for the birthday girl and with the free cocktails came a huge sombrero to wear all evening. When I called to make the reservation, I was thinking about telling them that it was my birthday just to see what that buzz was all about. I didn’t do that, though, thinking it would be a little too much for our first date.

  “I gotta be honest,” I told Gray, swallowing the last bite of my quesadilla. “This food is amazing, and I think I’ll come here again.”

  She let out a laugh and nodded, agreeing with my words. “I’ll have to come here more often too. I usually just spend birthdays here.” I knew that already, but I didn’t want to interrupt her. “Sage doesn’t like all the attention people in here give her when it’s her birthday, but we come here anyway.”

  “And I thought Sage liked attention.” I grinned.

  “She does. But only attention from hot guys and friends who already know her.”

  I shrugged then, not wanting to spend more time talking about Sage. “Sounds weird to me.”

  Gray nodded, taking a sip from her iced margarita. “So, what’s the story behind that scar?” she asked, pointing to the side of my face. I forgot about that scar from time to time. Since Dean’s death, I tried not to think about him, and looking into a mirror and seeing that scar on my face brought back bad memories. I knew what I did wasn’t right. Killing my father in front of my sister and her boyfriend was something I regretted deeply. But it had to be done and I knew Low was much calmer now.

  I lifted my hand to touch the scar starting from below my left ear and down to the middle of the side of my neck and knew I couldn’t tell her the truth. Telling her that my father tried to kill me when I was nine would scare her off. “After an underground fight, my opponent attacked me with a knife. It’s not as bad as it looks,” I lied. Perfect. Starting off good on our first date. And with that lie, I could’ve just told her the truth. Jesus Christ.

  “It looks badass,” she told me with a small grin. “But that’s horrible. I’m glad you’re okay.” I simply nodded and leaned back, studying her face.

  “You once mentioned your sister and her boyfriend. What are they like?”

  I smiled thinking about my family back in Hastings. “My sister, Harlow, she’s a sweetheart. She’s around your age and pregnant. I can’t wait to meet that kid, honestly. I always knew she would find someone and start a family, but I never thought it would happen so fast. Hunter is her boyfriend. He’s like a brother to me since we were teens and back then he was the biggest asshole I knew. I hated the thought of them being together and at the beginning, Hunter treated Low like shit. I hated him for that. But my sister’s the type of person that still believes someone’s a good person even when they’ve shown her a million times that they’re not.”

  Gray was smiling at me and something close to fascination danced around her eyes. “She sounds like a wonderful person.” I nodded and my smile grew wide. “She’s the best damn person in my whole life. Our past wasn’t easy but watching her go through hell and staying strong was incredible. I think you two would like each other. She needs a little crazy in her life.”

  “Are you calling me crazy?” Gray teased and I let out a laugh.

  “I just think you two got different personalities and Low spends every day working and making sure her baby is growing healthy. Hunter never lets her leave the diner or the house unless Bliss convinces him.”

  “So, Bliss is her friend?” she then asked, and I wondered if it was a mistake bringing up Bliss.

  “Bliss is Hunter’s sister,” I explained and hoped that was enough.

  Gray nodded. “I understand. Well, I would love to meet her someday.”

  “Actually, they’re having a baby shower soon on Hunter’s birthday. To find out the gender of the baby. I’m driving to Hastings and will probably stay there for a few days. Maybe you could join me.”

  Gray tilted her head to the side and studied my face. “Don’t you think that’s a little too soon to meet all your friends and family?” she asked. First, I didn’t have many friends and family members in Hastings who would be attending that baby shower and second…“I’ve met your friends and some of your family members already.”

  “That’s true. But won’t your parents be around at your sister’s gender reveal party?” That was a very good point if I did have any parents who actually were alive or knew their daughter was pregnant.

  I simply shrugged. I couldn’t tell her about the craziness going on with my parents. “It’s in June. You still have time to think. It would be fun. Just let me know if you wanna join or not.”

  She nodded then, not trying to figure anything out. “I’ll do that.”

  “Good. Would you like another margarita? You downed that one like an alcoholic,” I joked and nodded to the empty glass in front of her.

  She chuckled and shook her head. “No, thank you. I think it’s time for us to go for a little walk and then head back home.”

  I agreed although I would’ve wanted to spend some more time with her. I was enjoying her company, but I knew this wasn’t our last date.

  Chapter Nine

  Jagger

  After that Monday night I spent with Gray, we only texted now and then because of her working all week and not having much time to go out to eat with me again. She had promised me to come over to my apartment to eat dinner on Saturday, so I was looking forward to tomorrow.

  I went grocery shopping this morning and made sure to also get a nice bottle of wine. Cooking wasn’t something I did often. Back in Hastings, it was usually Harlow who did the cooking. Sometimes, when I was hungry late at night, I did warm up a can of Ravioli or prepared myself a bowl of salad, but that’s where my skills with preparing meals ended. Not sure how I was going to convince Gray to eat anything I made. Calling up Hunter to ask him how to prepare a proper meal was probably my only option if I wanted Gray to keep seeing me after tomorrow night. That guy knew his way around a kit
chen and I was glad Harlow got some real food in her system. From time to time, Low sends me pictures of meals Hunter prepared, and I would lie if I said that those pictures didn’t make my mouth water.

  I took one last glance into the fridge before closing it and sighing, wondering why I was so nervous to see her again. Gray. That beautiful and funny red-headed girl I only just met but made something in me want to get to know every little thing about her.

  Normally, I wasn’t the type of guy to be this intrigued by a girl. I never felt the urge to find love or to date. I never wanted to get to know someone romantically and never hoped for a relationship. Not even Bliss. But Bliss was different, and I knew that falling for someone in Hastings would never be an option. Too risky. People there talked too much. I knew dating any girl in Hastings would only cause problems. I saw the way I was looked at there and their eyes told me exactly what they thought of me. I was the outsider of the city. Just like Harlow and Hunter. Just like any other man or woman who lived on our side of town or the trailer park.

  A knock on my door made me come back to reality. Who could possibly be knocking on my door at almost nine p.m.? I walked through the kitchen, passing the living room, and reaching the front door, opening it without looking through the peephole.

  “You’re alive!” Dallas exclaimed and grinned brightly, holding up a six-pack of beer.

  “Huh?” I stepped aside as he welcomed himself inside, walking straight to my couch. Oh, well. Some company might be nice.

  “I’ve not seen you since the party. Thought something might’ve happened to you,” he said, sitting down and opening one of the cans he brought. He leaned back and looked at me with a grin still on his face. “You okay, man?”

  I snapped out of my trance and shook my head with a chuckle. “Yeah, sorry. I got some things on my mind.” I walked over to the couch and sat down next to him. “Did you have a fight this week?” I asked, thinking it was a good topic to talk about. And by the looks of his knuckles I could tell he had recently hit something.