Page 55 of His Lovebug

I was laughing and feeling like a drowned cat by the time we reached his Hummer. Jackson was in the front seat, but he hopped out and got into the back. I would probably be more energetic if I had run ten miles. With a chuckle, I rested againstthe seat and let my brand-new pink book bag, full of shiny books that cost a criminal amount to replace, drop between my legs.

Last night I’d been fine, but I had some bruises from rolling down those stairs to the beach in the dark, and I was feeling all the exercise I’d done in my thighs, especially since it was more than I typically did when I worked out with Morgan. The gray rain clouds didn’t show any signs of letting up and water hammered the windshield as Matt slid onto the driver’s seat.

“Thanks for the rescue.” I grinned at him, then leaned over and planted a kiss on his lips. He hummed and licked my mouth, which gave me a delightful buzz in my stomach. “What are you doing here? We agreed I was going to get an Uber?” Quickly, I opened my phone to the app and canceled the ride I’d already ordered.

The expression on Matt’s face said it all. He didn’t scowl, exactly, but he glared outside the car like he thought someone might come and snatch me right out of the seat beside him. “Just wanted to make sure the heat was off. You never know.”

“Not many people look as good wet as dry,” Jackson said, leaning between the seats. “But you pull it off.” The flirty tone and smile were back, despite the bruises that littered his face—most from Matt.

“Some people never learn, do they?”

“Nah, not me.” He smirked, but it wasn’t as obnoxious as it had been the first time we’d met. “I am who I am.”

“What’s up?” I asked.

Matt put the Hummer in gear and joined the traffic streaming away from the school, then took my hand. “Royal needs a brace for his knee. The injury wasn’t serious enough to go chasing after one last night. We thought you might help with that since?—”

“I’m taking nursing classes?” I said with a grin.

Matt winked at me, and I giggled because while he might not notice, he and Jackson did sometimes have the same mannerisms.

“Sure. I don’t mind.”

Things were awkward after that.

Matt mentioned that the insurance adjuster was already at the house this morning and had called him while I was in class, and that the auto insurance adjuster had called about my car, too. They were going to pay us so I could buy another car. But he didn’t ask what type of car I wanted, and I didn’t know, so I didn’t say anything.

Jackson’s presence was a thick syrup suffocating us, and I kind of felt bad for him, so I turned in my seat and smiled. “I don’t want to be rude, but have you learned your lesson?”

He stared morosely out the window. “Who would teach me?”

I frowned at Matt, but he only shrugged.

“You won’t do anything like this again, though, right?” I pressed, not willing to drop the subject.

He grunted. “Well, I have to figure my life out. I don’t have a job, and I don’t have a multimillion-dollar payout coming in now. I’m sunk.”

“Aw, poor baby.”

He sat up and his mouth fell open as I shook my head.

Matt grinned.

Jackson stared between us, a scowl sneaking across his face.

“Listen,” I said, reaching back to snag his hand. I gave it a squeeze. Matt nearly drove the Hummer off the road, and I rolled my eyes at him. He didn’t say anything, but despite the entire awful mess, I needed to believe that we could fix this.

Matt could have his family.

“I’m listening,” Jackson said, smirking at Matt, whose ears were brilliant red at the tips.

“Life isn’t about money. My mother took me and herself all over the world for money. I lived on the beach near the ocean, in Paris, and for a while we were even in the Swiss Alps. But you know what?”

“Bet you’re gonna tell me,” Jackson mumbled as he gave me a wan smile. He leaned back and crossed his arms.

Deliberately holding eye contact, I kissed Matt’s cheek. “I’m happiest here in New Gothenburg. Money doesn’t mean much.”

“My brother’s not exactly poor,” Jackson snarked and rolled his eyes.

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