Page 65 of Best Thing I Never Had

chapterthirty-one

jackson

FollowingbehindSelena,Iwatch as her ass sways a little to the left, corrects, and then sways a little to the right, then overcorrects, and does the whole thing all over again all the way out of theGoldrush.Takingmy eyes off of her ass for a second,InudgeGunnaron the way out and tell him he’s takingLilyhome.Hesmiles and nods, not seeming like he minds much.Iwish the two of them would figure out their shit and get together already.Atleast ifLilywas withGunnar,IknowI’dnever lose my best friend.

Selenacontinues her drunk side-to-side shuffle once we’re out on the street, heading in the opposite direction from the truck.Idon’t mind that she’s walking in front of me becauseIcan see almost all of her legs in the short little denim dress she’s wearing.

“Wrongway.Unlessyou’re planning on walking all the way back to the farm.Thetruck’s over there,”Itell her, jerking my head towards the truck down the street.

Selenaskitters to a stop, wrenches her head around to glare at me, and then walks in the right direction.

She’strying—and failing—to wrench open the unlocked truck door by the timeIcatch up with her.

“Letme get that for you.”Reachingin front of her,Ipull her fingers off the handle and then start to open the door.Ionly get halfway.

“Exactlyhow drunk are you?”Idemand.She’sslurring less now.Ithink what that piece of shit did sobered her up a bit, but she’s still clearly drunk as fuck.Iwas watching, and the body shot she did off of me was her last drink.Thatwas at least an hour ago.

Shenarrows her eyes at me, simmering over something or other. “Idon’t know.Fairlydrunk.Reasonablydrunk.Likea good amount of drunk?”

“Pukein my granddad’s truck drunk?”

“Iwould never!”Hereyes are enormous and her mouth is wide, apparently shocked and insulted by the accusation. “Well, there was that one time… butIwouldnever.Evenif you deserved it.”

“Whatthe hell didIdo to deserve you puking in my granddad’s truck?”

“Youknow what you did.”

“Ihave no idea what the hell your tequila brain thinksIdid, so you may as well tell me.”

Shedoesn’t answer me, she just pushes the door the rest of the way open and climbs into the truck.Aftershutting her door,Iwalk around the front and climb in.WhenIlook at her, she looks out the passenger side window, avoiding me.

Guesswe’re done talking.

WhenIturn the key in the ignition, the old truck revs to a start, shaking us both for a second before settling into its growly rhythm.Idouble-check that she has her seatbelt on, then flick on the headlights and turn on the radio before pulling away from the curb.

Shedoesn’t talk until we’re on the highway on the way back to the farm.

“Youknow exactly what you did!” she accuses.

Great, we’re right back here again.

“Ireally don’t.Baby, just tell me what the hellIdid so thatIcan sayI’msorry.”Whateverit is.WhateverIdid to piss her off,Iam sorry.Inever want her to feel like she is right now.

“Ididn’t need your help,Jackson!Iwas handling it!”

I’mnot sure whether to laugh at her or yell back.Shedefinitely needed my help, and she wasnothandling it.WhenIlooked over and saw that man’s hands on her.WhenIsaw the look on her face,Ialmost lost it.Shelooked so damn scared.Inever want to see her look like that again.Asscared as she was of falling when we were in the elevator, she never once looked scared like she did tonight.

“Iknow you tried to handle it.Isaw you stand up to that piece of shit.You’refeisty when you’re drunk off your ass.”

“I’mfeistyallthe time!”Sheshouts at me.Inod, since it seems like she wants me to agree with her.

“Don’tgive me a pity nod,Jackson!Iam feisty all the time, and you’re going to know all about it from now on.I’mgoing to be even feistier.Thefeistiest!”

Liftingmy hands up off the steering wheel for a second,Iwave them in a stop motion. “Considerme warned.Andjust to be clear, what are you pissed at me for?I’mnot the one who grabbed you.I’mthe one who got rid of him.”

“LikeIsaid,Iwas handling it.”

“Youshouldn’t ever have to handle anything like that.Nowoman should.I’dapologize for my sex ifIthought they deserved it.ButsometimesI’mnot so sure they do.”

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