Let Life Happen

by Jaqueline Snowe

  He took a step back and looked at me with hooded eyes, his hands in his pockets. My finger was still on his chest. He slowly reached out his hand to grab mine. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have said that to you when you were just asking a question. Obviously, I have some issues with my future. I’m sorry I was hurtful.”

  “Wow, did it hurt saying it out loud?” I smiled and saw his face lift when he realized I was teasing.

  “Yeah, it hurt real bad. Maybe you should kiss me to make it feel better,” he quipped, and as if nothing happened, we went back to our normal, lighthearted banter.

  “Ain’t gonna happen, buddy.”

  “A guy can wish. Not wanting to burst your little attitude bubble, but during your speech earlier, you said you only do things that make you happy, and you’re with me right now…”

  “I know.”

  He grabbed my hand and squeezed it. My stomach had the foreign sensation of a thousand butterflies swarming a field.

  Chapter 20

  Changing the Game Plan-Aiden

  “YOU’VE never been to this place before?” I asked, walking into my favorite bar downtown. It smelled like a good time. Wings, beer, and smoke.

  “Can’t say I have. I’ve been to the film bar across the street, though. It’s a cool little dive.” She gestured across the street, drawing my eyes toward her toned arms. I liked my women with curves, but she not only had curves, but muscles, too. It was a hot combination.

  “What did you go see? I thought they only played weird hipster movies.”

  “They do sometimes, but they had an ’80s movie weekend. The Breakfast Club.”

  “By yourself?” I hoped she said yes instead of with a date. Because now I apparently cared about her dating life.

  “No, a bunch of us from work. It was bonding or some shit Cyn wanted us to do.” She snorted.

  “She’s pretty badass. I think we all had crushes on her. Specifically Jon and Nate. Okay, me, too. Don’t tell Gage,” I joked.

  “Yeah, I wouldn’t want to mess with him. But, hell, I have a girl crush on her. She’s awesome.” She crossed her legs, drawing my attention to them. They were short but fit around me fine. Shit. Focus on something else.

  “How did you end up at Isaac’s Bar, working for her?” I wondered, needing to distract myself.

  “My family and hers go way back. I was in high school, needing an after-school job as soon as it was legal. I was a waitress first because I couldn’t pour beer. Then, when I was eighteen, I moved behind the bar.”

  “And Joel? How does he fit it?” The verdict was still out if I liked the guy or not.

  “Oh. Him. He came in around my senior year. He was already in college, and we all thought he was some huge player. Turns out he’s still a player, but his dad passed away that year, and he needed a job to support himself.”

  I frowned. “It makes me seem shallow, but you never really know the shit people have gone through and how they’ve gotten to where they are now.”

  “I agree. You really can’t judge until you know them. So once again, sorry I was a jerk because I prejudged you when I shouldn’t have.” She gave me a small smile, her eyes apologetic.

  “We’re way past your little judgmental error. Plus, part of you was right. How many points do I have in the d-bag column?”

  “At least a thousand, maybe more.” She bit her lip in a smile.

  I scoffed. “How can I get them down?”

  “Continue being close with Mike.” She said it with a somber look. Now I was intrigued. Mike was the key to winning her over. At some point since our chat, I’d decided I needed to win her over. I didn’t know what it meant, because the relationship word frightened the hell out of me. But, I needed to make her mine.

  “I would hate to be presumptuous or alpha right now and order for you, but you have to get the sampler. You get to try six different beers, and they’re a pretty good amount. I like to go for the most interesting-named ones, but that’s just my preference.” I pointed to the list of twenty beers on the wall, and her gaze followed my hand.

  “That’s not alpha; it’s just a very smart, friendly suggestion. I’m going for the local beers or the German ones. Those are my latest favorites.” She leaned onto the table, giving me a small display of her chest. She wore a simple black shirt but somehow made it look sexy as hell.

  “Just by chance, do you like to smoke cigars?” I couldn’t explain why I chose to ask her that, but I was glad I did. She just…overtook all my senses, and a previous conversation about them popped into my head. I wanted to know everything.

  She looked at me like I was certifiable but then nodded. “Yeah, but that’s a story for another time. I know how to roll them, too. But why?”

  “God, you’re awesome. I was going to say you should probably rush Sigma with your qualities.” Or rush into bed with me…for the next three months.

  “Yeah, which ones?” She ran a finger over her bottom lip, and I watched the movement, mesmerized. I clenched my fist under the table instead of snatching her up and claiming her. Don’t mess this up.

  I ticked them off on my fingers, needing to make the moment lighter because all the heavy feelings were too damn much for me to handle. “Cusses a lot, likes to drink beer, smokes, and now apparently rolls cigars. Plus, you pull your own weight.”

  “Would I be able to survive the hazing?” she asked with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

  “Oh, that’s a tough call. I can’t tell you the secrets because, according to campus law, we aren’t allowed to haze. It’s frowned upon.” I bit back a smile at her wild look. She was dying to know about the hazing, and I was going to have fun with this. “And of course, a future lawyer, by his dad’s definition, must follow the rule book.”

  She rolled her eyes.

  I threw her a chiding look. “Asshole points, Jenna. Big ones. But yes, we try to, uh, follow the rules the best we can.”

  “Bullshit. You haze. Tell me one trick. Just one,” she begged.

  “Nope.” My lips pressed in a tight line.

  “Hmm, what can I barter with you to make you share?” She tried wiggling her eyebrows. I didn’t budge, though she could’ve gotten me to do just about anything.

  “Explain the cigar rolling.” I crossed my arms in challenge.

  “Fine.” She rolled her eyes and waved her hands in defeat. “My Uncle Rich is a huge cigar collector. You name the country, he has one from there. Anyway, he had to babysit me for the weekend when I was in junior high. I was pissed. I mean, I was thirteen—clearly able to take care of myself. So I tried sneaking out to go to a party with Maya.”

  “You tried to go party? You weren’t in the library?” I teased, picturing her with braids and big glasses.

  “Oh, piss off.” Her eyes held no heat, just laughter, as she continued. “Anyway, he caught me and told me instead of snitching, he’d teach me how to roll cigars. He made me roll them with him for two hours. Being the curious one I was, I stole a couple and waited a week before trying them out.”

  “Your first time with no guidance? At thirteen? Woof.” I cringed.

  “Woof is right. I puked all over the yard, and my uncle came out laughing his ass off and said it was all part of his plan. Ever since then, we would smoke one together once a month, and I developed a taste for them.”

  “You are the weirdest girl I know.” I wanted to say the hottest because the thought of her rolling a cigar and smoking it with her luscious lips was making me hard. Just another thing anyone else could do, but when she did it…it was the best fucking thing ever.

  “Yeah. I get that a lot, but I’m over it.” She shrugged, then snapped her fingers, an expectant look on her face. “Now, spill a trick.”

  “If you tell a soul, I’ll blackmail you with any information I have on you.” I lowered my voice and scooted closer. She sucked in a breath and bent her face toward mine.

  “You can trust me. Come on. You know way too m
uch about me now.”

  “Okay, we do a ‘dine and dash.’ We all go to a diner and order a shit-ton of food. Like hundreds of dollars’ worth, and then ditch. We force the freshmen to pay for it, and most of them don’t have their wallets because we wake them up in the middle of the night.”

  “That’s terrible! Why would you tell a bartender that? I could kill you!”

  “I have a system worked out with the manager. He knows all about it, and whatever isn’t paid, I take care of the next day. Not a soul knows that. Not even Jon.”

  “Wow.” She scrunched her nose, deep in thought. “That makes me incredibly happy. That’s a nice situation you’ve got yourself in. You look like badass president but aren’t shitting on the diner. Well done.”

  “Dare I say you sound…impressed?” I fished for the compliment, knowing I wouldn’t get it. But it was okay.

  “Don’t push it.” She shoved my arm in such an unlike Jenna manner, I ate it up.

  Moments later, the waitress came over to serve us our sampler trays and not-so-accidentally brushed her hand against my arm.

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to,” she purred into my ear.

  Jenna was covering her mouth with her hand to hide her laughter. I kicked her under the table to shut her up.

  “No worries,” I said to the waitress, my eyes on Jenna.

  “Let me know if you need anything else, okay? Anything at all.” She lowered her voice, but it had no effect on me.

  “She was fairly hot. Why give her the cold shoulder?”

  I narrowed my gaze at Jenna and crossed my arms. “You know the rule, shorty. I refrain from hitting on women when I’m with you. It’s only fair.”

  She rolled her eyes and fired back, “I never made that rule, so I’m allowed to flirt with who I please.”

  “Don’t I know it,” I mumbled in reply. “So tell me…You know all about my past flings. What about you? Did you have a serious boyfriend or something last year? Are you really just a virgin but lying about it?”

  Her face heated at my question, and she flicked some of her beer at me. “Now you have an asshole point count. Not like it’s your business, but I’m not a virgin. Although my number is significantly lower than yours, like way lower. I was with two different guys last year. Neither were anything but fun, but we were exclusive and loyal.”

  “I’m going to assume your comments exclusive and loyal comment weren’t a dig at me. Why did it not work out?” I wanted—no, I needed to know.

  “One of the guys said I was too cold and didn’t talk about feelings enough.” She stopped and gave me a look. It made me smile. “I know. What the fuck, right? But it was just a couple months. The other guy my friends set me up with, and it was eh. Just kind of phased out. He said I worked too much, and he didn’t understand I didn’t have a choice.”

  “Why don’t you have a choice? What do you mean?” Concern took over.

  “Aiden, I thought you would’ve figured it out by now. I’m not from a rich family or anything. I have to work in order to live. I don’t have anyone helping me pay for school. It’s just me.” She smiled with confidence, not the smugness she could’ve had.

  “Fuck. Really?”

  She barked out a sarcastic laugh and nodded. “I got a scholarship for academics. That’s why I’m always down to go to the library and am studying when I’m not at work. Honestly, this semester has been the most fun I’ve had at school. You’re partially to thank for that.” She tilted her beer to me in a salute.

  I waved it off and begged for more. “What does the scholarship entail? If you don’t mind me asking.”

  “It pays for everything school related for the four years, but all living expenses like rent, food, insurance, my phone, moped—all of it is me. That’s why I got pissed when you said it’s lucky I can just do whatever I want. I don’t know if it’s lucky busting ass to get to this school and balance working.”

  She sat there taking me in with her sharp green eyes. I was floored by her strength. Some kid like me, with my dad’s money, never had to imagine a life like hers. I mean, sure, I paid for things and bought some of my own stuff, but the thought of paying for school on my own never would’ve crossed my mind. I tried, briefly, to imagine it, and it terrified me.

  “I feel anything I say now is stupid after your declaration. I just can’t believe I didn’t know this about you until now. We’ve been hanging out for months.” I wanted to high-five her and help her, but I knew the second option would never be on the table.

  “It’s not something I go around telling people. You are, I think, the fourth person to know this. So if you open your mouth, you’re so dead to me.” Her jade eyes were wide and serious.

  “Why? Are you embarrassed? I’m five seconds away from bowing to you. That’s so impressive. I admire the hell out of you.”

  She ran her tongue over her teeth before flashing me a cynical smile. “Aiden, someone who comes from money has a hard time understanding the mindset of someone who doesn’t. It’s just different. You think it’s admirable and awesome I got a scholarship. To me, it was do or die. If I didn’t get the scholarship, I wouldn’t be here. If I can’t pay rent, then I’d have to move into a shithole apartment. Luckily, I’m pretty good with numbers, so I’m set and not in any way close to any of those things, but it isn’t something I brag about.”

  “But you’re so badass.”

  She rested her chin on her hands with a bemused smile on her face. “Of course I am. I drive a moped.”

  We made eye contact for a full five seconds before we both laughed. The tension was gone as quick as it came. I had another question for her. “I’m not being condescending, but this makes me not want to let you pay for any of our breakfasts or these drinks. You know I can afford it.”

  “The difference between you and me is you think you’re being kind. I think you’re being insulting. I know you well enough to know you mean well. Your half heart is in the right place.”

  I stuck my tongue out at her little jab, but she kept talking. “I know you can afford it, but when two friends agree to take turns paying for the bill, then that’s what they do. I take pride knowing I can buy my huge elephant-eating friend a breakfast once every two weeks.”

  “You are seriously a headache. I don’t understand women.” I sighed.

  “That is plainly obvious,” she mumbled but softly chuckled right after.

  “Glad I have you to translate everything for me.” I winked.

  “I’m sure. Now you invited me to drinks tonight, so you’re buying these. But for future outings, I never want your money. It doesn’t interest me.”

  “That is plainly obvious, shorty.” I mimicked her retort. Her eyes softened at my answer. “So back to what you were saying earlier. You haven’t had a relationship in the past six months, you don’t have any desire to be in one right now, and even though we get along great and obviously are both super-attractive, you don’t think sexy time would be a good idea?”

  “Nope. And don’t call it sexy time. That’s weird.” She smiled, showing all her teeth. Her face was glowing, and it made me question my own rule against relationships.

  “What would make you change your mind?”

  “Uh, nothing. We’re both wired differently. You don’t do relationships, and I don’t sleep with people unless I’m in one. So basically, we would have to be in one. And if you say the word arrangement again, I’ll rearrange one of your favorite parts.”

  My lip quirked up at her very real threat. “Noted. Definitely noted and lesson learned.”

  “I expect you’re a quick learner, even though you’re pretty and all,” she teased.

  “Ha.” I paused, took a sip, and then went back to the seriousness of the conversation. “You’re saying you have to date someone to get kinky.”

  “Yup. Exclusivity is essential.”

  “Jenna.”

  “Aiden.” She smirked before taking another sip o
f her beer. “We’re in a good place right now. Stop trying to ruin it by thinking with your dick. I want to make sure you understand that was no way in hell me asking to be in a relationship with you. I may be crazy, but not that crazy.”

  “Thanks for making it clear. You about ready to head back to campus?” I noticed she showed no anger or regret or shame. She wore everything on her face, and I appreciated it now more than ever. Her words repeated through my mind. Stop thinking with your dick. She didn’t realize he wasn’t the one in charge anymore.

  “Yup.” She chugged the rest of her beer, drawing attention from other guys at the bar, but she didn’t notice. She never had any idea of her effect on people. Especially me.

  “Ever ride a rickshaw before?” I threw my arm around her, wanting to protect her from the world but also stake my claim.

  “A what?” Her brow furrowed in thought.

  “Oh, you’ll see. It’s on me.”

  Chapter 21

  The Joke’s On Me-Jenna

  THE following week, I woke with a smile on my face, and it took me a moment to realize why. After nailing yet another presentation the day before, Aiden and I decided to treat ourselves by getting sushi and drinking too much sake. We rode another rickshaw back to campus, and it was one of the best nights I’d had in a while.

  While I was lost in my daydream, Maya barged into my room. “You were on his Snapchat story!” she shriek-whispered at me. If anyone could master the shrieking whisper, it was Maya. What a good talent for a future teacher.

  “What? I don’t even know why you’re in here. When did you even get home from date number two, slut face?”

  “Not important right now. You are important. You were on Aiden’s Snapchat story.” Her eyes widened with a wicked gleam. She could be downright scary sometimes.