Burnout (Jack 'Em Up Book 0)
Page 10
My dad didn’t budge. His eyes stayed trained on Blake as if he was sighting him in a rifle scope. “Your minute is up. Get out.”
Blake nodded once and stood. “Thank you for listening.” He faced me. “I’m gonna go. Call me when you’re ready to talk and I’ll take you back for your car.”
“I’ll take her to get her car,” my dad insisted, standing again.
Blake didn’t take his gaze from mine. “Okay. See ya soon?”
I nodded and watched him go, hoping against hope that I could find my backbone to face my parents without him, but knowing it was futile.
Blake
I drove straight to school from Delilah’s, needing to do something with my hands and not wanting to go home. Thank God Mr. Dixon was around and let me in.
There, with the smells of grease and brake fluid, I felt comfortable. It was quiet, there were no questions, the cars didn’t judge me by anything other than my ability to fix them.
“Everything all right, Travers?” Mr. Dixon asked when I was wrist-deep in carb cleaner.
I glanced up. “Yeah.”
He kept his eagle eyes on me, studying the part in my hand for a moment before he spoke. “You know, I don’t know why you do it—heck, it doesn’t really matter—but you’re the only student who comes here when it’s not school hours. It shows dedication.”
I dipped my head, still having trouble accepting a compliment. “Yeah. Thanks.”
“I’m serious, Blake. You’re my star pupil. The best I’ve had in years. I hope you don’t lose that.”
Emotion crowded my chest. I blinked and faced him. I took a leap and told him about my plans for school and maybe opening my own shop someday.
He grinned. “Well, that should be a piece of cake for you. And I’ll be there as your first customer when you open your shop.”
“Uh . . . you’ve taught me everything I know. Why would you do that?”
A big laugh burst out. “So I can say ‘I knew him when.’”
He had me believing, even more than before, that I could actually do this.
I got back to work when he excused himself back to his office, letting my mind quiet in the normalcy of grease on my hands.
“Blake?”
I snapped around at her quiet voice, relief flooding me. She’d found me. “Princess.”
She wandered into the shop, her gaze darting to the part in my hand. “Got a minute?”
“Sure.” My heart was pounding like a racehorse as I laid down the piece and washed my hands. I nodded to the bay door and we walked outside. “So,” I said, “how did it go with your parents after I left?”
She sighed. “Not good.”
Damn.
I ached to hold her, but something in her stance kept me back. “What happened?”
Her face was clouded with emotion, anxiety. “Just what you’d probably imagine. They yelled, my mom cried . . . my dad told me not to see you anymore.”
My stomach dropped like it was full of cement. No. No. Not after all we’d come through. I opened my mouth, but couldn’t find a single thing to say. I’d tried. Really tried. And I was going to lose her anyway.
She faced me, her eyes glowing in the sunlight. “I told him that wasn’t going to happen.”
What? “You did?”
Her entire body relaxed and she tucked her arms around my waist. Confused but relieved to have her back in my arms, I wrapped her up tight.
“They’re pretty pissed,” she admitted. “And there was talk of kicking me out if I didn’t straighten up, but I stood firm.” She kissed my chin and squeezed me like I was her lifeline. “I’m not quitting on us, Blake. I won’t do it. I love you.”
I would’ve been embarrassed by the tears rushing my eyes, but she had her head tucked into my neck so she didn’t see. I laid my cheek to her hair, smelling her flowery shampoo. “I love you, too, Dee, but are you sure? Really sure? If they kick you out because of me, I’d never forgive myself. I don’t wanna come between you and your parents.”
She brushed her nose back and forth across my T-shirt as if scenting me. “Something would’ve come between me and my parents eventually.” Her voice was sad. Resigned. “I can’t be the daughter they want. I can’t be Danielle. But I’ve got you and that’s all I need.”
“Damn right, you do.” I kissed her crown.
She drew back far enough to peer into my eyes. “Thank you for loving me just as I am.”
I dipped my forehead to hers, overcome. “I could say the same, Princess.”
A sweet giggle bubbled from her chest and I felt my world right itself on its axis. She was my perfect girl, my heart. We’d be just fine.
Blake
Graduation Day . . .
I stared at my gorgeous girl in her bright blue cap and gown. She was glowing. She was perfect. I could hardly believe my luck in finding her . . . that she loved me. Just me.
We said hi to our friends and family after the ceremony then made our way outside. She tucked her hand into mine and lifted up on her toes to kiss my cheek. “We did it,” she said.
I fingered the tassel on her cap. “We did.”
I’d been wondering for weeks now, ever since the blowup with her parents, how we’d make this work. We no longer made a secret of our relationship, and they made no secret they hated it. But, they hadn’t kicked her out, and even tolerated my presence at her eighteenth birthday party . . . for that I was grateful. I had no idea when my dad was getting out of jail, and for now, all I had to my name was a crappy trailer to live in and my dreams.
Dreams that hinged on her.
I’d figured out these past months that, yes, I could make something of myself. I would. But I needed her. Like air. I would do anything to make her happy and make this work. Even let her go off to college if that’s what she wanted.
We meandered to my car where she snaked her arms around my neck. “Love you, Blake.”
I didn’t think I’d ever get tired of hearing that. “Love you, too, Princess Dee.”
A smile tilted up the corners of her mouth, but her eyes had lost some of their usual sparkle. She seemed . . . nervous. “What’s wrong?” I asked.
Her gaze slid down to my throat. “Nothing.”
“Liar.”
“It’s so stupid.” Her cheeks flamed bright pink.
“What? What’s stupid?” I used my thumb to trace her jaw.
She met my gaze, hope shining in her bright eyes. “I just . . . I wanted to ask you something.”
“You can ask me anything.”
She sucked in a breath. “Well . . . you know how I was gonna study physical therapy?”
I nodded, not sure I liked where this was going. Was she building up to telling me she was going away? Of course she was . . . there weren’t any big colleges around here.
“I got a scholarship. To UT in Austin.”
“You did?”
She nodded.
“That’s great! I’m proud of you, baby.”
She bit her lip. “Thank you. But that’s not what I wanted to ask you about.”
“Oh?”
“I was wondering if you’d consider applying to automotive school there. In Austin. With me.” Her words began to pour out in a nervous rush. “I’ve already looked into it, and there’s a good school for that not too far from campus. We could be together.”
I studied her, shocked. “You looked into all that?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
Happiness bubbled up inside me like a helium balloon. A belly laugh burst free as I swung her off her feet and in a circle. “You are a crazy woman.”
Her laugh tinkled like a wind chime. “Is this a yes?”
“Of course, it’s a yes.” I set her back on her feet. “I was trying to think up a way to make this work so you’d be happy. This is perfect.”
“But will you be happy?”
“Baby, I’ll be happy anywhere, as long as it’s with you.”
Her expression shifted as love fil
led her face. A look I was coming to know well. “You mean that?”
How could she not know? I may be a mess, and I was still working on my issues, but she was the single most precious thing that had ever come into my life. I loved her beyond reason.
I swept in and pressed a kiss to her sweet lips. “Yes, I mean that.”
“Good. Because I have one more question.”
“Anything, baby, the answer is yes.”
Her grip on my waist tightened, her gaze holding me captive like never before. My heart slammed against my ribs as I waited for her to speak. When she did, my vision tunneled as my soul exploded with sweet joy.
“Will you marry me?”
Thank you for reading Burnout! Hope you loved it! As always, your honest review will be so appreciated! Curious what’s up for Blake and Delilah next? The rest of their story will be available this winter in Crank. (No worries . . . no serials or cliffhangers here!) And, please be watching over the next months for the rest of the series.
Torque (Jesse and Rachel)
Throttle (Trace and Tori)
Rev (Micah and Jewel)
Also, if you haven’t already, please sign up for my Angel Kisses Newsletter to stay up-to-date on what’s next.
Happy Reading and Big Hugs!!!
xoxo
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Dedication
Reader Letter
Other Books by Shauna Allen
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Epilogue
Thank you
About the Book Designer
Copyright Notice