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  He hurt me.

  “But.” My fingers press into Jack’s chest, relishing the feel of his smooth but hard muscles underneath my skin. “While I appreciate your offer, I’m here with Evan, and I’m not your responsibility.”

  Evan’s arm coils around my back, pulling me away from Jack. He rests his hand on my hip, claiming me as if I were his own. “I got her, man. Why don’t you help someone who wants it?”

  I elbow him in the ribs. “Stop,” I whisper, but it’s too late.

  “Say that again,” Jack grits through his teeth, moving forward.

  I give Jack’s chest a hard shove. “Just go. Please.”

  “This is what you want?” Jack gawks at me like I’ve got two heads.

  He’s wounded by my words. I can see it. I know his expressions better than anyone’s in the world, but I can’t believe he’s surprised after what happened between us.

  I back up with Evan, trying to sell the lie. “It is.” I freeze when I feel Evan’s cock pressing into my ass, knowing his display of sexual prowess is not for me either.

  Evan’s attracted to Jack. I figured as much. I mean, who wouldn’t think Jack’s the complete package—minus the broody asshole part.

  I wish things were different. I wish he would’ve waited for me. I meant every word I said to him when I left Ridge Hollow, and I haven’t loved anyone since.

  Jack narrows his gaze, and for a second, I think he can read my mind. “Fine,” he says, finally backing down.

  “Take this,” I say, holding out his blood-soaked T-shirt for him to take.

  “Keep it.” Jack swipes his tongue across his bottom lip, and my eyes follow, wondering if they still taste and feel the same. “Bye, Evie girl,” he says with a slight smirk, and I know I’ve been caught staring when he uses the name he called me a million times before.

  Oh, no.

  “Bye,” I whisper before turning around because I can’t look at him another minute without wanting to run into his arms and kiss those lips that I’ve dreamed about for far too long.

  “Don’t look back,” Evan whispers once we’re away from Jack’s truck.

  “I won’t.”

  He leans over with his arm flung around my shoulders, putting on a full display of heterosexual nonsense while we’re walking across the parking lot. “He’s hot though, Evie.”

  “Yep. I know.” I laugh even though the motion makes me wince at the dull pain stemming from my head because Evan’s whiskers are tickling my ear. “I felt how much you liked him,” I tease, attempting to ignore the pain.

  “Hell, I had to hide behind you because I couldn’t conceal it anymore.”

  “Figured that’s why you were standing behind me, especially when I felt that thing stabbing me in the back. He’s totally your type.”

  Evan pulls me closer, putting his arm around my shoulder. “He’s our type.” He laughs before kissing the top of my head, forgetting about my gash. “Shit, sorry.” He backs away and flinches when he catches a glimpse of the wound. “That’s a deep cut. Where do we go?”

  “Not Carlyle. Take me to the urgent care in Hunter.”

  “Why not Carlyle?”

  “’Cause Jack will be looking for me.”

  “Would he really?”

  “Yep.” I climb on Evan’s scooter and pat the seat in front of me with a glare. “Don’t get any ideas either, buddy.”

  “I would never do that to you.” He smirks over his shoulder as he slides onto the seat in front of me. “But can I have his shirt when you’re done?”

  “Um, no.” I jam the black T-shirt, half soaked in blood and the other half covered in his scent, into the back pocket of my shorts. “Just drive before he comes after us,” I bark, eager to be away from here.

  Away from the temptation Jack presents. Being near him is dangerous for my heart.

  “I don’t know if the scooter is the best idea after you took a hit like that.”

  “I’m fine, Evan. Just drive, and get me the hell out of here.” I close my eyes and wrap my arms around him to stop myself from sneaking a last glance at Jack.

  For a moment…I let myself pretend it’s Jack I’m holding on to as we pull away.

  3

  Jack

  Myra kicks at the dirt near my truck. She’s hunched over with a pout that could almost pull at my heartstrings if I didn’t know what a con artist she can be. “Do you have to leave now? Shit was just starting to get good.”

  Ridge Hollow’s buzzing with the news that Evie and I finally crossed paths after six years apart. In a town this small, that’s considered a big deal. There’s even videos of it swirling around social media with the hashtag #TogetherAgain. Myra was more than happy to shove them in my face on her cell phone.

  “I have to check on the business and tie up some loose ends, but I promise I won’t be long.”

  She peers up at me with her big brown eyes that make her look shockingly sweet and innocent. “You comin’ back for Evie?”

  “You want me to come back for Evie?”

  Myra crosses her arms and sighs. “If it means you’d be back in the Hollow, then yes.”

  “Aww, you missin’ me?”

  “Not so much,” she teases. “You’ve taken some of the heat off me since you’ve been here, though.” A grin spreads across her face.

  She’s such a brat.

  “Nice, Myra.”

  She steps back, patting my truck door as I start the engine. “Better hurry. Evie may not be here forever.”

  Her words and their severity don’t sink in until after I’ve pulled onto the highway.

  For six hours, I think about nothing except Evie. Seeing her again has changed everything.

  With endless miles of nothing but corn rows and the open road, I think about the couple we used to be.

  My palms are sweating, worrying that she’ll pull away when I ask her. Wiping the dampness on the front of my jeans as I try to control my breathing. I don’t want to ruin the friendship we’ve formed, but I know what I want…and it’s only her.

  Evie and I have been hanging out after school almost every day—at least, when her dad lets her. He’s a real hard-ass.

  Since she’s attended Hollow Middle, at least half a dozen guys have asked her to be their girlfriend. To my surprise, she’s turned every single one down, but I’m not letting that deter me, though.

  I’m different from the other guys, and I’ve taken the time to get to know her before trying to claim her as mine.

  “Evie!” I yell when I see her come running down the steps after school.

  God, she’s beautiful.

  Her ponytail is swaying from side to side as she bounces down the steps, heading right toward me with a giant smile spreading across her face when she spots me.

  “Down here.” I wave my arms frantically, and she waves back.

  Holding the railing, she turns to her friend Renee, giggling as they glance down at me. Evie’s wearing cutoff jean shorts, a vintage rock band T-shirt, and Converse sneakers.

  “Hey,” I say, tucking my hands into my front pockets.

  “Hey, Jack,” Renee says with a smirk.

  I hate her, but I can’t be a complete asshole because she’s Evie’s friend.

  I give her a short nod because Evie’s watching me. “Renee.”

  “What are you two doing today?” Renee asks, twirling her fingers in her hair and chomping on her gum like a cow.

  “I thought we’d head out into the woods behind my house.”

  “Ick,” she mutters and makes a sour face, always being the judgmental bitch. “Who wants to traipse around in the forest? It’s so last year.” She rolls her eyes at the absurdity of my idea.

  Renee is such a snob, and I don’t understand why Evie hangs around with her.

  “I love hiking,” Evie admits even though it earns her a dirty look from her BFF, Renee Callahan.

  “Well, I’m going to go shopping and meet Jess for ice cream.”

  Jess is Renee’
s boyfriend, and they’re both totally annoying and complete assholes. They’re perfect for each other.

  “Have fun with the leaves and shit.” Renee reaches into her purse and pulls out her roll-on lip gloss. She sweeps it across her lips three times before smacking them together. “Toodles,” she says, waving over her shoulder as she heads down the path where Jess is waiting for her with his friends.

  I gaze at Evie as she watches Renee walk away, and for a moment, I can’t speak. I’m so nervous, and she’s so beautiful. I wonder if I’ll end up ruining everything. “Did you want to go for ice cream instead?”

  “No.” She shakes her head, bringing her eyes back to mine. “I want to be outside.” She smiles at me.

  I’m glad that she’s nothing like Renee. Even if Renee had Evie’s beauty, I could never tolerate her elitist attitude and cattiness. Being around that girl even five minutes is mentally exhausting.

  “Good. We can drop our things on my porch before we go,” I tell her, and my heart picks up, knowing that soon I’ll ask her an important question. One I’ve been waiting to ask for a month. I swallow hard at the realization that in just under an hour, I’ll ask Evie to be my girlfriend, and she might actually say yes.

  “Anything you want.” She smiles again, and her cheeks turn a rosy shade of pink.

  I like the sound of that, but I like everything she says.

  We walk outside, an eerie silence hanging between us as we wander toward the sidewalk that leads to my house. “What time do your parents want you home?” I ask, breaking up the quiet and wishing I had balls enough to ask her now.

  “Dinner’s at seven. I can’t be late, or I’ll be grounded for a week.”

  “That’s fine.”

  I’m disappointed because it’s already three. I hate school days. They suck the life out of everything fun. I want to spend every free moment with Evie.

  When we’re far enough away from the school and completely alone, I reach down and tuck her hand in mine. She doesn’t pull away or look at me, but I can see her tiny smile even though her face is shrouded by her hair.

  “Is this okay?” I squeeze her hand, seeking the affirmation that I haven’t overstepped some imaginary line.

  “It’s good.” She bites her lip and glances over her shoulder at me. “I like it.”

  I breathe a little easier, but holding her hand is only the first step in my plan to make Evie my girl. Before I left for school this morning, I packed us a picnic and gave my mom strict instructions not to touch anything.

  Mom laughed and said I’d watched too many romantic movies with her. She also said I was too young to have a girlfriend, followed by her saying, “You should enjoy your youth.”

  Whatever that means. We’re thirteen. Old enough to know what we want and who we are. Youth isn’t all that great anyway. We spend our days in school being bossed around, only to come home and be bossed around again but in a completely different way. I can’t wait to be older to gain some freedom and not have to listen to another person tell me to sit down, shut up, do your chores, and everything else adults order kids to do.

  None of it matters. The thing that makes me the happiest is Evie, and she’s at my side after I run into the house, grabbing the picnic basket without even so much as a word to my mother. Myra will be home in a few minutes, and the last thing I need is her tagging along.

  “Do you like it?” I ask as the path ends and the woods open into a sprawling field with a vast lake in the center.

  The trees around the water have started to turn the most beautiful shades of red, orange, and yellow. The wildflowers that surround the shore have begun to die off, but the scenery resembles a majestic postcard. The sun’s rays reflect off the lake, almost blinding us, and mirrored on the water’s surface is an exact duplicate of the sight before us.

  Her eyes sweep over the landscape, but my eyes are only on her. “It’s beautiful,” she whispers with her hand above her eyes, shielding them from the sun. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything more beautiful.”

  “I have.”

  Nothing in the world is more beautiful than her.

  She turns to me, her forehead lined with tiny wrinkles, confused by my words. “What?”

  “It’s stunning,” I say, but I’m talking about her face even though I motion toward the lake with my hand.

  She takes a few steps toward the lake, pulling me by my hand, and stops at the water’s edge. “Why didn’t you show me this earlier?”

  I shrug and regret that I didn’t. “I didn’t know you were into this type of thing.”

  “Jack, I’m not like the other girls.”

  “I know.” My heart’s racing, pounding loudly in my chest, and I wonder if she can hear it like I can. “Evie?” My stomach starts to flip. I have to ask her now before I chicken out. This is the perfect moment.

  “Yeah?” She tucks a few strands of her golden hair that have been blown by the wind behind her ear.

  Taking a deep breath, I simply throw it out there. “Will you be my girlfriend?” My words come out fast. When she doesn’t answer right away, I turn my body to face her. Our hands are still connected, and my palms begin to sweat again. “I want you to be my girl.”

  Turning toward me with a crooked smile, she blinks slowly. “I want to be yours, Jack. I’ve never wanted anything more.”

  I exhale, relief flooding through my system, and adrenaline taking over. “Hell yeah!” I fist-pump the air.

  “I’ve been waiting for you to ask,” she admits softly.

  My mouth falls open at my stupidity for waiting so long. “You have?”

  “You’re my best friend. There’s no one else I want.”

  “I am?”

  I thought Renee was her bestie, but clearly, I was wrong.

  “Renee is just so…” She shakes her head. “She only knows one side of me, but you know all of me.”

  I’m smiling so big my cheeks hurt, and the passion of her statement cascades over me like a warm shower. Dropping the picnic basket next to my feet, I reach up and put my hands against her cheeks. “All the guys are going to be jealous of me at school tomorrow.”

  She giggles, pushing her face into one of my palms. “The girls that don’t hate me already will for sure when they find out.”

  “They will?” I brush my thumbs up and down her cheeks.

  “You’re quite the catch.”

  “Sure…” I take a step closer, and my heart beats faster, my breathing ragged. “Can I kiss you?”

  I’ve never kissed anyone except for my mom and sister, but I want nothing more than to plant my lips against Evie’s and taste that strawberry lip gloss she’s always spreading across them.

  “I’ve never kissed anyone before.” She frowns, biting down gently on her bottom lip.

  “Me either. Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out,” I tell her as I lean in and press my mouth to hers.