Page 8 of It's Not Home Without You

“Layla Vanhorn.”

I snickered at the thought of Layla Vanhorn as a barista. Homegirl was a total princess back in school. I couldn’t imagine her cleaning tables at all.

“She wanted me to give her a raise, and she didn’t even do any work, complained that she ended up smelling like caffeine after her shifts, and flirted with all the single men.”

“I can see how that affects your business,” I mumbled.

“Yeah, I think Iwill have to take a loss and raise the wage.”

Don’t ask me why or how, but my mouth just did its own thing.

“I can help you. I’m up early. I can come at rush hour. That way you aren’t too tired. It’s not like I have anything to do. I’m prettysure I’m driving Gramps nuts by now.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew I couldn’t take them back, especially when I saw the smile on Emma’s face. I was trying to avoid people, not get a job in the favorite and only coffee shop in town. The only way I could get more in everyone’s faces would be by going to church on Sunday.

“That would be awesome, but the pay—”

I waved my hand at her. I didn’t need money. I still had a few weeks left on my vacation, so that wasn’t an issue yet. “I’m just helping you out, and in return, I get free coffee. You feed my addiction, and I’ll ease your load.”

“Deal.” We clinked our mugs in agreement.

CHAPTER SIX

Fifteen years old

Drivinglessons weren’t going as I expected. How was I supposed to learn if Grandpa was shouting at me for every little mistake I made? No one could learn to drive with an old man yelling nonsense in their ear. If I didn’t learn to drive, then I had no freedom. And the way things were progressing, I was a long way from independence and Rusty would be my ride indefinitely.

“Hurry, Gabby, we’ll be late,” Rusty shouted from outside my window.

I know it was silly, but I couldn’t help the extra effort I put into my outfit today. I hated Mondays, but today wasn’t just any Monday. It was the first Monday after that kiss. God, that’s all I could think about.

Max kissing me.

His lips on mine like soft velvet.

Dammit, I needed to stop myself from thinking aboutthat or else I would blush, and I didn’t need Grandpa asking if I was having a heat stroke. One last look in the mirror, and then I ran off to meet Rusty. I wore small short shorts, combat boots, a fitted black, long-sleeve shirt, and some necklaces.

I was smoking hot.

“How was driving around with Eugene?” I didn’t like the mocking tone in Rusty’s voice, but this was a good sign because this meant he didn’t see me sucking face with Max at the bonfire. I loved Rusty, but he could get overprotective.

“It didn’t go so well. Maybe you should come with us and try to chill Grandpa out. He gets dramatic.” Wasn’t that just the truth? I wanted to learn to drive, but it isn’t like I even had a car to drive around in. I wasn’t Abigail Newton; her daddy gave her a new Mustang for her sweet sixteen.

We were parking at school when Rusty cleared his throat. “Gabs… there’s a rumor going around.” I looked at him expectantly because there was always a rumor and most of the times it involved him or me or the both of us. “Did you take Max away from Nikki?”

“What?”

What was Rusty talking about? Nikki? I must have heard him wrong. There was no way Max was with Nikki. That would imply Max had a girlfriend. Just the idea horrified me because I never even talked to guys who had girls. I didn’t need that drama. It didn’t matter if we were just friends; no one ever bought it.

Then I got angry as hell. I didn’t care that I got called a whore, or easy Freya, slutty Freya, or one-day-is-going-to-be-a-stripper Freya, because as much as it hurt, I knew that I had integrity even though all those who judged me didn’t realize it. I never flirted with guys if they were dating. Heck, I never had a serious boyfriend. I didn’t think going to the movies with Rusty and his boys counted as me having an active dating life. Despite what everyone thought of me, I wasn’t screwing Rusty on the side and then flirting with all the jocks to kill time between sessions. This was my fault for putting Maximilian Dunnett on a pedestal. I should have known he was too good to be true. I couldn’t be furious at Max when I threw myself at him. I was to blame in this scenario, but the asshole never mentioned a girlfriend.

“Of course, he wouldn’t mention a girlfriend when my tongue was making friends with his tonsils.”

“Gross,” Rusty muttered. Then he sighed and put his hands on the steering wheel. “Shit, Gabby, he’s a junior with a girlfriend. What were you thinking? Not just any girl, but Nikki Dwight. You know she’s Juliet’s best friend. Those girls will be even nastier to you.”

“You know what, Rusty? You don’t have to tell me what I already know. Sticks and stones, my friend, sticks and stones.” The last part came out low on the verge of tears because sticks and stones had been my life motto ever since I could remember. I felt silly, stupid even. Here I was trying to look suitable for a boy who only saw me as a piece of meat like all the other boys at school. When I walked in, the nasty looks didn’t surprise me. It was Monday, after all. Nothing new. I took a deep breath and carried on until someone put their arm around me.

“Freya baby, I heard what you did for my baby brother. You know I was getting worried he wasn’t getting any, but I got to admit, I’m a little hurt you didn’t go for yours truly. I’m way more fun than Maxi.”

I turned to glare at Prescott. While Juliet and Max took after their mother in the pale skin and russet hair, Prescott was like his father—dark hair, a chiseled jaw, tall, and more muscular than Max. I used to think Max was the nice one of the family, but I guess he was still a dick. He just hid it, whereas Prescott didn’t shy away from who he was. At the beginning of the year, Prescott didn’t bother me, but the closer my sixteenth birthday, the more he had started making advances toward me. I wasn’t stupid. He wouldn’t turn eighteen until the end of the year. In his head, he thought he had a small window of opportunity.

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