Page 28 of When We Were Reckless
Was that Ridge’s truck? As I zoomed past, I checked my rear-view mirror. Sure as hell looked like it.
It was none of my business.Just leave her the fuck alone, Jesse. Just friends, remember?
Besides, it couldn’t have been Quinn. She was hanging out with her mom tonight.
So why the fuck had I pulled over onto the shoulder?
I backed up my bike until it kissed Ridge’s bumper and looked down the hill through the trees. A dirt path led to the swimming hole where I used to hang out in high school. I took off my helmet and ran my hand through my hair, straining my eyes to catch another glimpse.
Fuck, I was acting like a creepy stalker.
There was a group of teens hanging out, but my eyes homed in on her. Quinn Cavanaugh. The girl who used to follow me around since she was Levi’s age. The girl I’d known since she was Gracie’s age. Weird to think about that now.
My eyes narrowed on Walker as he slung his arm around her shoulders just like it belonged there.
I couldn’t read the expression on her face. She was too far away. It didn’t help that Ridge blocked my view of her either. Now all I could see was his back.
I slid my ringing phone out of my pocket and checked it.Mason.
“How’s it going?” he asked.
Fucking great. Just stalking your sister. I laughed under my breath. “It’s all good.”
“You wanna head up to the lake tomorrow? We thought it would be fun if we all hung out together. Take my dad’s boat out. Ride the Jet Skis. We’ll take Quinn too. You in?”
I heard a shriek and glanced over at the trees again.Quinn. Barefoot in cut-offs and a tank top, she darted through the trees with Walker chasing after her. Son of a bitch. Without thinking, I was off my bike and striding along the shoulder for a better view.
Did she need my help?
“Jesse? You there?”
“Yeah, sounds good. I’m in the middle of something. I’ll call you—”
“Oh shit. Why’d you answer your phone? Catch you later.”
I cut the call and pocketed my phone just as Walker caught Quinn around the middle, tossed her over his shoulder, and jogged toward the water.
“No! Put me down.” I couldn’t tell if she was laughing. Was she enjoying this? “Ridge! Help!”
“Hell no. Not after that prank you pulled on us.”
“Evie!” Quinn yelled. “Watch out.”
Ridge pulled the same trick as Walker and threw Evie over his shoulder. Two seconds later, the girls were flying through the air and hit the water with a splash. When their heads emerged, they were laughing. They weren’t in any danger, so I headed back to my motorcycle before they noticed me watching.
Quinn had obviously gotten over her crush on me. She was having fun, being a teenager, enjoying her summer just like she should be doing. It should have been a relief. We’d stay in the friend zone, where we belonged.
She was too young for me, and I wasn’t the same guy I used to be. So she was right to protect herself from me.
“I’m saving myself for someone who treats me like a queen. And that’s. Not. You.”
I rubbed my hand over my heart. Those words shouldn’t have hurt as much as they did. And I sure as hell shouldn’t want her the way that I did.
My sunshine girl with her pouty lips and star-filled eyes.
Tomorrow we’d find out just how honest Quinn was. Maybe I’d gotten her wrong too. But no, she’d tell me the truth when I asked her what she’d been up to today.
Chapter Eleven
