"I'm driving," Greg announced. He pushed on the back of the driver's seat for Jesse to get out. Derek still rubbed his forehead.
"You shouldn't drive!" Jesse screamed in the pouring rain. I couldn't see them with the top on.
"I'm gonna drive! At this rate, we won't be home by Christmas! Give me the keys!"
Jesse's head popped in. "Anna, get out of the car. We'll call your dad to pick us up."
Tiffany rolled her eyes and shook her head.
Jesse glanced at Derek. "Derek, come on!"
"Just get in the car, Jesse!" Greg howled.
Jesse had urgency in his eyes. "Come on. Please, Anna, come with me!"
I shifted to get out, but I froze. Derek sighed impatiently. Tiffany didn't look at me. I just wanted to get home—the sooner the better.
I wanted to get out with Jesse, but Derek was pissed enough. And Dad would ground us if we called because half of us were drunk.
I didn't budge.
Jesse heaved a sigh. His head fell.
Then I changed my mind.
I pushed on the driver’s seat, took Jesse’s hand, and he pulled me into the rain.
“Are you serious?!” Greg blared. “Damn, you two are just sss-stupid!” He got in the driver’s seat as Jesse pulled me away.
Jesse walked wearily and at a brisk pace, almost afraid Greg would pull us back into the car or something. I trailed him with my hand hooking his. I looked back, suddenly worried about Derek and Tiffany.
“Where are we going?” I asked as rain clobbered on our heads.
Jesse’s grip on my hand tightened. “To the eatery. We need shelter.”
“If we’re gonna call someone, can we call your mom instead?” I didn't want Dad to beat my ass.
He glanced back at me but didn’t say anything. We walked up the steps to the eatery as thunder rumbled above us.
Once through the door, Jesse ran a hand through his soaked hair and blew out his cheeks.
At the sight of him, all I could do was stare. He was extremely sexy. It really was a shame this guy was my best friend, my future step-brother, and my boyfriend’s brother.
What a situation!
“Do y’all need anything?” asked the Southern young brunette behind the counter. The pizza she stood over made me drool more than Jesse did.
Jesse waved dismissively and pulled out his phone. Though, after a moment, he looked to me. “Are you hungry?”
I nodded.
He cleared his throat and walked to the counter. “One slice, please.”
He looked back at me. “Hawaiian?”
“Sure,” I peeped.
“And a Sprite, please,” I ordered.
He pulled out his wallet and paid, then handed me my drink and a huge, oily pizza slice on a paper plate. I devoured half of it before we even reached a table.
Jesse sat across from me and surfed his phone. With his free hand, he held his forehead, clearly distressed.
The Sprite made my head better by the minute.
“Are you gonna call your mom?” I pressed.
Jesse dodged the question. “So, what happened with Derek?”
My brow furrowed. I wondered if I should tell Jesse that I chose him.
I chose him because of how he makes me feel.
I chose him because he’s my best friend, and I’ll never find another guy I care for more.
I chose him because—deep down—I love him way more.
“Nothing happened,” I said, my voice cracking.
His eyes narrowed. “Nothing?”
I shook my head and crossed my arms. “He wants to move out, but I want to live—” Our eyes met.
I want to live with you.
His eyes slid to my left when the door jingled. Then, restlessly, they shifted back to me.
When they glided back toward the door, I looked. A pretty blonde about our age had entered. She had straight hair, gleaming blue eyes, and a pearly white smile. She wore blue shorts, a purple tank top, and a windproof jacket that was dripping wet.
All of a sudden, I forgot what I was going to say.
“Let’s go,” Jesse mumbled, grabbing my hand as he stood up.
“Now?!” I wolfed down the rest of my pizza as he practically dragged me out the door.
Outside, it still poured, with lightning and thunder booming over the Oceanside.
“What are we doing?” I demanded. I was soaked and he hadn’t called anyone.
“Let’s just go to a hotel!” He put his phone away and pulled me toward a Holiday Inn in the distance.
“So, we’re not calling your mom?!” I cried desperately.
He looked so distracted, it’s like he didn’t even hear me.
We scurried across the highway and ran toward the Holiday Inn. Jesse opened the door for me and we stepped inside.
“We’re not calling your mom?” I repeated, my teeth chattering.
“Hmmm?” His brow furrowed as if he was confused. “Oh. I guess not.”
We walked up to the receptionist. “I need a room,” Jesse breathed.
“Mmm-hmm.” The gray-haired woman behind the counter typed into her computer. “Name?”
“Jesse Daniels.”
“Double bed?” she asked, eyeing me.
Jesse and I exchanged looks.
“It really doesn’t matter,” I said. And it didn’t—I was sure Derek knew it was over by then.
“Mmm-hmm,” she echoed. “That will be one hundred and eighty dollars. I’ve put you in room 301.” She slid the entry card over to Jesse once he forked over some cash. “Check-out time is eleven a.m.”
Jesse cleared his throat, took the entry card, and glanced at me as we headed for the elevator. “Are you okay?”
I hugged myself, still feeling like a drenched rat. “Yeah. I’m just wondering why we bolted out of the eatery like that.”
The elevator doors opened and we hopped in. He pressed the button for the third floor, then he pulled off his glasses and rubbed them clean with the bottom of his shirt.
That’s when I caught a whiff of something.
He stared blankly as I sniffed his way. “What?”
“You smell like perfume.”
“Oh. It’s probably on my shirt.”
“Well, where’d it come from?”
He looked uncomfortable.
The elevator stopped on the third floor, dinged, and the doors opened. He gripped my hand and pulled me toward the rooms.
“Jesse?” I tried to make eye contact.
We stopped before room 301. He inserted the card to unlock the door and we went inside.
“What’s up?” His eyes were seductive.
“You dragged me out of the eatery…”
He smiled mysteriously, unbuttoning his shirt. “Does that mean something?”
*****
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