He saw me and froze, his foot a few inches above the next step. The look of shock was quickly replaced by a look of anger. I know that look. It is the look guys get when something is threatening something they love.
It was the look Nellie got when she spotted a coyote. I was the other. I was the enemy. I must be destroyed.
I’ve got to give him credit. He reined it in, probably better than I ever would have.
“Dad?” Amy said as she got up from the couch. “You’re back early.”
He kept his eyes on me for a long second then nodded. “Yes,” he said. “It seems so.”
I swallowed hard. This was not my favorite moment.
“Luke and I were just talking about you,” she said. A little white lie if there ever was one. And she did it so well.
He scowled and I could tell he didn’t believe her but he was fighting with himself. Explode, or avoid embarrassing his daughter. I could tell it was going to be a close fight.
“I should probably be going,” I said as I got up.
“Yes, you probably should,” he said as he continued to scowl.
Amy swallowed hard as she shot me a look of concern mixed with pain. I smiled at her and said, “I’ll see you tomorrow at school.”
She nodded as she gathered her crutches. “I’ll walk you out.” Then she shot her father a look that could melt glass. He seemed to get the message and went back upstairs.
Once he was gone, she turned to me and pouted. “I’m sorry.”
I laughed, angry fathers were the least of my problems. Well, maybe not least. But not number one either. My number one problem was going to be, how do I make sure this girl is happy.? How do I make Miss Amy Jenson fall in love with me the way I had fallen for her?
That was my new goal in life.
Chapter Sixteen
Amy
I had never been so mad in my life. As I watched Luke drive away, I found it harder and harder to push down my anger. Turning, I marched back into the house or at least tried to march while hobbling around on crutches.
When I got to the kitchen I slammed to halt as I glared at my father.
“That was very rude,” I said while I leaned on my crutches. I wanted to stomp my foot and put my hands on my hips, but an evil glare would have to do.
“He’s not the right boy for you,” my father said as he took a sip of coffee. That calm, know it all demeanor sent me over the edge. How dare he pretend to know what was right for me.
“What? You mean the boy who saved my life? The boy who is sweet and kind and a gentleman. He is not right for me?”
“No, the boy who isn’t going anywhere. The boy is a criminal for god sake.”
“You don’t know anything,” I yelled. “You don’t understand. You could never understand.”
He smiled slightly and shook his head. “Believe me, I know what a boy thinks. And what made you think it was okay to have him here when I was gone?”
My stomach clenched a little. I might have pushed that a little too far but no way was I admitting that to him.
“You never told me I couldn’t have friends over when you were gone.”
He stared at me, “There is a difference and you know it.”
I rolled my eyes and screamed as I turned to leave. This was ridiculous. I was arguing with a Neanderthal.
“Don’t you leave,” he called after me. “We aren’t done talking.”
“We are so done,” I yelled over my shoulder. “I refuse to be treated like a little girl.”
“Amy,” he yelled with an angry tone that surprised me.
My insides tightened up. This was too important. This was too emotional to let him win. If I didn’t stop it now, he would try to run my life forever.
So, without thinking it through, I turned back on him and uttered the words that should never be said allowed.
“Mom would understand.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew I had crossed a line. I’d used a kill shot in a sparring match. I’d brought a machete to a Princeton Debate match.
His eyes grew big and his jaw dropped. But even though I had gone over the line, if I apologized now, he’d win.
Turning back, I scrambled upstairs as fast as I could and threw myself onto my bed. All I could think about was how Luke must hate me because of my father. All I wanted was to sink into his arms and know that everything was okay between us.
The next morning, my father dropped me off. We hadn’t spoken a word to each other since my parting shot the night before. My insides were all scrambled up with stress and worry. I still managed to slam the door on my way out of the car.
I was pretty sure we’d work it out eventually. But I wasn’t positive. That was new. Never before had I ever doubted our bond. But now? Who knew?
Of course, as soon as I saw Jenny, my anxiety level climbed about a thousand percent. Great, Not only did my dad hate me, Luke probably regretted everything. But, my best friend was going to think I betrayed her and dump me like a bad idea.
She smiled at me, then looked over my shoulder as her smile grew even larger. I turned and saw Chip headed towards us. Of course.
He looked at Jenny and smiled, the two of them forgetting the rest of us mere mortals even existed.
“Hey, speedy,” Luke said as he came up next to me.
My heart melted when I saw the tenderness in his eyes. He didn’t hate me. He didn’t blame me for my stupid father.
The two of us held each other’s stare for a long moment, then, as if by mutual unspoken agreement, we pulled our eyes away from the other. A bolt of regret and loss flashed through me. Oh, how I wished I could have his arm around my shoulder. A kiss to greet the day. Something to tell me that everything would work out.
Instead, an empty chasm opened between us. A separation that I had insisted on.
Glancing at Jenny, I checked to see if she had noticed the loving glanced shared by Luke and me. But no, the girl was oblivious. All she saw was Chip walking towards us.
Luke laughed next to me, he had seen the same thing. Shaking his head, he waited for Chip to join us.
“What you so happy about?” Luke said to Chip as he walked up. “You look like you just defeated the dungeon master.”
Chip shot him a scowl. “I AM the dungeon master, and I never lose.”
Both Luke and I laughed.
Chip ignored us as he looked at Jenny. Her cheeks grew red, he was unable to hold her stare. All I could do was roll my eyes.
“Come on,” I said. “If we don’t hurry, I’ll be late and I can’t afford another tardy slip.” The words had no sooner left my mouth than I held my breath waiting for Luke to tease me.
Luke laughed. “Yes, heaven forbid Amy Jensen spend a minute in detention. The universe as we know it would stop working.”
I smiled inside. The world was back on an even keel. He was going to play along and keep Jenny in the dark. For the first time, I was able to relax. At least that terror was delayed. I couldn’t deal with it. Not that morning. I had enough drama dealing with my dad.
“Hey, Prescott,” Willie Dawson called as he walked towards us. A cold chill ran down my spine. I really didn’t like this particular person. When it came to the dregs of our society, Willie Dawson was at the bottom.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Chip step closer to Jenny. At the same time, Luke frowned as he turned to deal with this intruder.
“We need to talk,” Willie said to Luke, but his eyes lingered on Jenny longer than they should have. I knew I didn’t like this guy. He made the word creep seem inadequate.
“I’ll see you guys at lunch,” Luke said as he nodded towards the door.
Every alarm sprang to life. Luke should not be left alone with this person. I could see that Jenny thought the same thing. But Luke stared at us, silently insisting that we leave.
I swallowed hard then twisted and nodded for Chip and Jenny to join me. As I got to the door, I turned to give Luke one last look of warning.
.o0o.
Luke
I watched the front door close behind Amy and the others then turned to Willie and raised an eyebrow.
“That Amy chic, she’s getting hotter all the time,” he said as he turned back to me. He too had been watching the others. “I can get you warning me off your sister. But you can’t say anything about me going after Jensen. You don’t control all the girls around here.”
I laughed which shocked him. He hadn’t expected that response.
“Amy is so far out of your class that she isn’t even aware of silly boys like you. I wouldn’t try it if I was you.”
“Hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained,” he said with a shrug.
An anger was beginning to build inside of me. See, this was the whole problem with keeping us a secret. Guys like Willie didn’t know the truth. They didn’t know enough to stay away. That was how people ended up getting hurt. Serious hurt. Like hospital type hurt.
But I couldn’t say anything. Instead, I just had to pretend like it was no big deal. But of course, if he did try anything, I would have to put an end to it, fast.
“What did you want?” I asked him, trying to pull his attention away from Amy.
He turned back to me and studied me for a moment. “Have you thought any more about what I asked you the other day.”
I frowned as I tried to figure out what he was talking about then remembered his stupid idea about me introducing him to some of the guys I had known inside, or to their contacts on the outside.
What an idiot.
“No, I haven’t thought about it,” I told him. “Because I said I wasn’t getting involved, remember.”
Something strange flashed behind his eyes. Almost a scared look. What was that about, why was he scared?
“I really need you to do it,” he said as he glanced around to make sure no one was listening. “I’m getting pressure, you know what I mean.”
“No, I don’t,” I said. “That’s not my world, remember. It stopped being my world two years ago.”
He grimaced then sighed heavily, “Listen, man, I really need some help. We’ve got some … Product, shall we call it and I need to find someone to help us move it.”
I knew exactly what he meant and I knew I wanted to stay as far away from that side of life as I could. I shook my head.
“Sorry, I can’t help you.”
He looked at me and I could swear he was trying to figure out some way to force me. About as stupid an idea as the idiot ever had.
I decided that enough was enough and left him without even saying goodbye. Maybe that would get it through his thick skull.
Besides. I had bigger problems. Like how was I going to keep my feelings about Amy a secret from my little sister? Knowing me, I was probably going to screw it up pretty soon. The only question was how and when?
Chapter Seventeen
Amy
I hadn’t seen Luke all morning. Not since I had left him with that scab on life’s knee, Willie Dawson. So, I was surprised when he came up behind me in the lunch line and grabbed my tray.
“I’ll carry that for you,” he said, sending me a quick wink.
I sighed internally as his aroma of sandalwood washed over me.
“Thanks,” I said. “Jenny usually helps me, but she’s already sitting at the table with Chip.”
He looked up at the ceiling. “Friends, they get a boyfriend and they forget all about you. There should be a rule against friends ever getting interested in the opposite sex.”
I laughed, I know he was being sarcastic, but it only illustrated my entire concern when it came to Jenny. No way could I tell her. Especially not now when she was so happy.
“So, what did Willie Dawson want?” I asked, the question had been bothering me all morning and I figured as a girlfriend, even a secret girlfriend, I had the right to ask.
He shrugged his shoulders. “Nothing much, I wouldn’t worry about it.”
He’s not being completely factual, I realized. He wasn’t lying, but he was hiding something.
Luke placed my tray down next to Jenny’s then scooted around to sit down next to Chip.
The four of us sat there eating, each of us lost in our own little world. Each of us shooting glances at the other from beneath our brows. All I could think was that Luke and I should be sitting next to each other, not across from each other.
Our legs should be touching. I should be able to lean into him, touch him, bask in all that was Luke Prescott. Instead, I was stuck all the way over here.
Luke smirked and rolled his eyes. I wanted to reach out and punch his shoulder. If he wasn’t careful. Jenny would figure it out. I honestly believe it was only because of Chip that she hadn’t already discerned what was going on.
“So, Amy,” Jenny asked almost as if it was a prepared speech. “When are you getting your cast off?”
I frowned, she knew the answer. I’d been complaining on a full-time basis and counting down the days publicly.
“On the sixteenth,” I said.
She nodded, “Good, that means it will be off in time for you to go to the winter dance.”
My insides squeezed shut. What was this about? And why was she bringing it up here?
As I was trying to figure out what was going on, she shot Chip a quick look. Obviously trying to see if he was following the conversation. An unnecessary maneuver. The boy hung on every word she ever spoke.
“Yes, it will be off in time,” I said, holding up my side of the conversation. Giving time for the coin to drop in that sparkling mind of his. Of course, If he didn’t figure it out soon, Jenny was likely to screech at his ignorance and stomp off.
“It would be nice to go to the dance,” I added, hoping that would push him over the edge. “How about you, are you going.”
Jenny shrugged and said, “I don’t know. No one has asked. Although, I think Brian Simpson might. He was talking about it yesterday in Geometry.”
“Brian Simpson!” Chip said with disbelief. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Jenny just frowned as she shrugged again and returned to eating.
I glanced over at Luke, he couldn’t stop smiling and shaking his head.
Chip looked confused as if someone had presented a math problem that wasn’t solvable.
I couldn’t take it anymore, I kicked him under the table.
“Ow,” he said pulling back. Of course, I’d kicked him with my cast. But hey, the boy deserved it for being so dense.
Then, it was as if a secret computer program booted up and solved all of the mysteries in life. His eyes grew big and his face grew white.
“Um … Do you want to go to the dance?” he asked Jenny. His voice faltering. “I mean, with me?”
She looked at him with a strange expression, then shrugged her shoulders as if it wasn’t that big a deal. I knew inside though, she was screaming with happiness.
Chip grinned from ear to ear as if someone had just handed him a bootleg copy of a new computer game.
I glanced over at Luke who was staring down at his food. What was he thinking? I wondered.
“We need to find someone for Amy to go with,” Jenny said suddenly, pulling me back into my real world. “Maybe Brian Simpson?”
“Hey,” I said as my stomach turned over. “No way are you setting me up with some guy. Do you hear me?”
Jenny frowned. “But they’re not going to know that your cast is coming off in time. Besides, I don’t want to be the only one there. I won’t have anyone to talk to.”
“Um … Excuse me,” Chip said with mock indignation.
She smiled at him, “You know what I mean.”
“Listen, Jenny,” I said, giving her my serious face. The one that says this was not negotiable. “Do no
t try to set something up. Do you hear me?”
Her shoulders slumped as she nodded. My insides relaxed. I knew Jenny, she would keep her word.
Luke cleared his throat. “Hey, if no one asks you. I’ll take you.”
The three of us froze as my stomach clenched up into a ball while my heart began to race. A thousand thoughts flashed through my mind. His sister was going to find out what was going on between us. And oh yeah, Luke had just asked me to a dance.
Jenny’s brow narrowed into a dozen creases as she stared at her brother.
He shrugged his wide shoulders. “Hey, I’ve never been to a high school dance. Two years washed away, remember. It will be sort of fun. I’m going anyway. I just thought I’d offer to give Amy a ride. If she doesn’t go with someone else that is. It was just an idea.”
Jenny continued to frown. I held my breath. And why where we waiting for her permission I wondered? He asked me. Shouldn’t I be the one to decide, not her? But of course, she didn’t see it that way. She never would, I realized.
“Sounds like a good backup plan,” Chip said. “After all Jenny, you were the one who said you wanted someone there you could talk to.”
Her cheeks grew pink at his gentle jab then she shrugged her shoulders and said, “Sure,” she said. “It’d be okay.”
“People,” I exclaimed, “I’m not a charity case, you know. Besides, I haven’t even decided if I’m going or not.”
“What,” Jenny said with a scowl. “My brother isn’t good enough for you?"
Wow, that was a shift. I hadn’t seen it coming. Luke smirked at me, his eyebrows rising, silently asking me how I was going to get out of this one.
“Uh … No, of course not,” I stammered. “I mean, of course, he’s good enough for me.”
“Oh, that sounds promising,” Luke said with a hidden smile. “I’ve risen to the level of good enough.”
I wanted to kick him under the table. And yes, it would be with my cast. “You know what I mean.”
Jenny continued to frown until at last, she shrugged her shoulders. “Good, then it is settled. We are all going to the dance.”
My Best Friend's Brother (Hometown Heroes Book 3) Page 11
