Page 22 of Love Collided

He listened, smiling as he stepped back.

“Now go back to your party and stop bothering me.”

He gave another slow laugh and headed to the door, the drunken grin on his face falling when he turned back to me.

“Fine. Fine, but for what my opinion is worth,” he said, leaning against the door and looking me over. “Which, based onyour face, is probably nothing.” The heat filled his gaze again, making a shiver run down my spine. “He’s an idiot for not having you in this room doing exactly what I would like to be doing to you.”

I lost all words, trying to come up with any comeback, but I couldn’t think of anything as I watched him walk out.

Nothing but wondering what he had on his mind.

I turned back to look at Jesse, who was still talking to the girl, but he wasn’t touching her. Could I say anything to him when Chase had almost been on top of me a minute ago? Especially when I had liked the feel of Chase against me.

I didn’t have anything to say. To him, to the crew, to Chase. I stayed in the room for a few more minutes before heading out to Jesse, barely saying a word the entire rest of the night.

EIGHT

SCOUT

Jesse pulledthe car into Haven, the fanciest restaurant we had in town, and one I rarely stepped inside of. The small street was lined with little stores and restaurants the crew would come to once in a while, but we had only been to this restaurant once. I had asked to go out somewhere nice for my birthday, and he was trying to deliver. There was nothing wrong with the food. The atmosphere was romantic and calming, but something about him was rubbing me the wrong way tonight.

He parked and huffed for the thousandth time since getting in the car.

“We can go to the diner if this is bothering you,” I said again.

“I told you it’s fine. You said I had to do better. So, here I am, doing better.”

I nodded, getting out and meeting him at the front of the car. He really had insisted, and for the first time in a long time, it almost felt like he wanted to act like my boyfriend, but that was short-lived.

“Alright, come on. Go spend all of my money on one dinner,” he mumbled, clumsily taking my hand and pulling me close.

“Like I keep saying, we don’t have to go in. You’re the one who suggested it.”

He mumbled again, but this time I couldn’t make out the words when he turned away and pulled open the door. The low lights and music surrounded me, the effect immediately calming. Jesse’s hand moved to my lower back, making me jump at the touch. I wanted to feel calm and at ease with him. I wanted to take it all in and enjoy the feel of his hand on my back. I wanted a small sliver of this life with a guy who was crazy about me, but I knew no matter what he was saying, he wasn’t happy to be here. My chest ached at the thought. My mind always went back to one thing, I don’t think there was anywhere in the world the guys wouldn’t want to be if the girls were there.

This was exactly the type of place Ransom would hate going, but he would be there with Quinn in a heartbeat, and even be happy about it.

I would bet all the money I currently had sitting in my purse that Jesse would rather be at the bar down the street to celebrate my birthday. The loud music, and crush of dancing bodies was more his style than a fancy, sit-down restaurant. I don’t know if it was Quinn’s insistence we go out to nice places once in a while or just the need to grow up, but I would rather be here than at any packed bar tonight.

I loved dancing and having fun more than anyone, but somehow lately, I always ended up standing at the side, watching Jesse have the time of his life. There was no room for me to relax and have fun when I was always worried about what argument he might start next.

The hostess walked us over to two small seats that surrounded an even smaller table. I wasn’t even sure how my plate and a drink would fit at this thing. The last time we came, we had reserved the biggest table here for all of us to come out. This was pathetically tiny, but I sat down and took the rest of the restaurant in. I don’t know what would make me want a bigger table when it was only the two of us.

“Impressed enough?” he asked, a small, forced smile on his lips.

“I wasn’t asking to come out to make you impress me. I wanted to come out and have a nice night without blaring music and cheap beer.”

Although, now, I was regretting asking him to take me out at all. I wanted to open up to Jesse, but every part of me held back. And now I couldn’t talk to him about the things happening with my dad. The things that were piling up more than going away, and I wasn’t sure how to talk to him about the fact that I had five grand in my purse, waiting for a text to go pay off my dad’s debts.

Jesse knew about my dad, but hated him.Ishould hate him enough to not do this, but the nagging feeling I had to help my only blood relative was too much for me to ignore.

The waitress came over, Jesse’s eyes lingering a little too long on her top while she took our drink order.

“Do you just have beer or are you too good for that?” he asked.

She gave a tight smile. “No, we have a few options.”

He picked one out with a huff and I ordered some fancy cocktail after. If there was one thing I loved, it was the fancy drinks. I can get mediocre beer at the garage if I wanted.

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