Page 7 of Fifty-Fifty

“Fine. But we ain’t sellin’ the place.” She folds her arms to show her stubbornness.

I scoff. “Of course, you wouldn’t consider it.”

“Excuse me? You won’t consider givin’ me another chance! Why would I consider anythin’ different, either?”

I open my mouth to argue when Mr. Jenkins interrupts us, again.

“Well, I still think it’d be best if y'all slept on it. We’ll talk, soon.” Mr. Jenkins ushers us to the door, leaving us both on the doorstep to awkwardly walk back to our cars.

Scratch that, truck. My truck. Just the one.

“Where’s your car?” The question slips through my lips before I can stop myself.

She shuffles on her feet before peeking up at me. “I don’t see how that’s any of your concern, mister.”

“Of course not,” I mumble under my breath. I don’t think I’ve ever been so frustrated with another human being in my life.

I can’t believe I’m about to say this.

Clearing my throat, I lift my hands and gesture to my beat up truck. “Can I give you a ride?”

Her brows furrow. “I don’t think that’ll be necessary.”

“Why?” I return, my expression mirroring her own. What the hell? Does she think she’s too good for me?

“Because you can barely stand me in public. What’ll ya do to me in private?”

Aaand… One too many fantasies filter through my head within a split second as I scan her from head to toe. I grin slyly, hinting at all the things we could do in private with a devilish gleam in my eye.

She stomps her cute little foot before I can voice any of them, even though I’m not serious. I wouldn’t touch this girl with a ten-foot pole. She’s a mess. A stubborn mess. I don’t need that in my life. Doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to tease her though.

“That ain’t what I meant, and you know it. Plus, even if it was like… that, I don’t think you’d be able to handle me anyway.” Her cheeks turn a light shade of pink as she shifts awkwardly in front of me, sliding her hands into the back pockets of her jeans.

“I didn’t say a thing.” I smirk as I soak up her uncomfortable presence.

She shakes her head, but her gaze never leaves mine. “You didn’t need to, Mr. Jamison. Your eyes told me plenty. I best get goin’, and you should, too.” She turns in the direction of the bed and breakfast then marches away like a good little soldier.

I shake my head as my gaze follows her the entire way.

Seems Georgia just got interesting.

Chapter Four

Noah

I turn the key in the ignition when my phone starts to ring Shane’s theme song, “Bringing Sexy Back” by Justin Timberlake. One night, we were drunk as hell and he insisted he was Timberlake’s long-lost brother and that he was going to bring sexy back as soon as he saw him.

My lips tilt up as I place my cell to my ear.

“Hey.”

“Hey, man! How’d it go? You on your way yet?”

I shake my head even though he can’t see me. “Not yet. I gotta take care of some things first.”

“Dude, that’s why you went down there in the first place. What things do you need to take care of?” He emphasizes the word things, his tone laced with frustration.

My grip tightens on the steering wheel. “Just a little issue with the b and b.”