Page 52 of Finding Hope

“Uhh–”

“Miss T!”

Turning at Evie Kincaid’s loud shout, I find her standing under her uncle’s arm with an exaggerated wave and trouble in her eyes.

I return the wave. “Hi, Evie.” Looking back to Jack’s eyes, butterflies flit around my stomach and make me nervous at his curious stare.

His eyes flip between mine, Brad’s, and Brad’s hand.

“Britt.” Brad’s hand drops my arm and comes to my chin so he can demand my attention.

Frowning, I turn my back on the minivan and bring my hands behind my body. Brad might think I’m simply standing with good posture, maybe even showing off my boobs, but in reality, I’m beckoning Jack, or Evie, or hell, any human being on this planet, to come save my ass.

Crooking my finger, I hope someone’s still watching. “I had a nice time, Brad.” When his eyes light up, I immediately slow that speeding car and nudge it into a new lane. “I mean, it was my first date in a long time, so it was nice to get out.”

Subtlety isn’t his strong suit.Or perhaps it’s me with the weakness…

“I had a nice time, too, Britt. It was amazing having you to myself after so long. So I was thinking, maybe tomorrow night? Or even tonight, since it’s the weekend–”

“Brad, no, I don’t think–”

A meaty arm drops down over my shoulders and disguises the way my entire frame jumps from fright. Pulling me in tight, Jack holds me with easy familiarity and flicks a smug smile in Brad’s direction.

“Hey, Bambie.” Noisily kissing my temple, he laughs in my ear when I blush and try not to notice the steam escaping Brad’s nostrils. “You ready to go?”

“Britt?”

“Um. Brad, sorry.” I clear my throat. “You remember Jack, right?”

Staring at Jack as though hoping he’d step down, Brad looks down his nose like we’re icky bugs. “I remember.”

Lifting his chin arrogantly, Jack squeezes me close and magically has me turned into his frame so my breasts press against his ribs.

“Brad.” His eyes come down to me. “The kids are all loaded up. Pizza’s coming. We’re just waiting for you.”

Get out of jail free, here I come. “Yeah.” Smiling when his dimple flashes, I turn to Brad. “Sorry, I have plans. But I’ll see you Monday.”

Turning away without a second glance at Brad, Jack keeps me tucked under his arm and chuckles as we move closer to the van. “You owe me, Bambie. You owe me so bad. I know I just got your ass out of a date you didn’t want.”

I bring a hand up to cover my burning face. “Oh my God, Jack. You really did.”

He laughs and presses a fun kiss to my brow. “Brad the Bore a dud?”

“Stop!” Smacking his disgustingly hard stomach, I laugh and let him propel me forward. “Brad the Bore didn’t even get a chance to be a dud.”

“Sucks for him.” His sly smile flashes. “He missed out on something pretty fuckin’ pleasurable.”

“Shut up!” I smack him a second time and blush like a fool. “Thank you for your help. I appreciate it.”

“Anytime, Bambie. Though it’d be a lie if I said I expected that summons. I thought you were more of a screaming-in-the-yard, keying-a-guy’s-car kinda chick, not a wussy little princess that needs to be bailed out of a dinner request.”

“God. I am that chick – the other one, the badass one. But I feel weird about Brad. Probably because I work with him. I feel bad saying no, ya know?”

Shaking his head, he opens the passenger door to the dorky van and helps me climb in. “No, I don’t know. But I have loads of practice being an asshole. It comes easy to me. Get in, you can have pizza with us.”

“Wait.” I catch the door before he can slam it shut. “I can?”

“Yeah, you have to at leasttryto look legit. I’ll bring you back to your car in a couple hours.” Slamming the door shut, he walks around the hood totally at ease.

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