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Jase was behind the wheel, a dark blue baseball cap on backward Tufts of rich brown hair curled out frouys in hats

Apparently I had a soft spot for guys ere dads in hats

His steel-­colored gaze moved from me to Brandon The dark look that crossed his face caused my chest to drop into rinned "Nothing, man; what are you up to?"

Good question

"I’ht smile appeared on his face "You ready?"

What in the holy hell? My brows shot up He was here to pickso and then dropping the daddy bo s were acceptable?

"Tess?" he called, ier sunk its claws into me and I was more than tempted to turn and stalk off, but Brandon and Calla were staring at h I wanted to shove oing to do was cause a scene s a fit would draw too much attention and the only kind of attention I’d ever been okay with had been when I was onstage Probably had a lot to do with all the scenes Jere, I turned to Calla and Brandon "See you guys later"

Brandon looked a little surprised as he waved good-­bye Calla grinned like I just said yes to a ht, I crossed the pavilion and yanked open the passenger door and slammed it shut behind me A pink box rested in his lap and if he handed it over to me, I’d be likely to throw the cupcake in his face

The hue of his eyes deepened as he watched me buckle myself in A beat passed and then he said, "Brandon Shriver?"

I pursed ainst the seat "I think I’ part of this conversation because I have no idea why you’re saying his na to him"

"Yeah," I said slowly "So was Calla I really don’t even know hi the Jeep into drive, he focused ahead "Didn’t seeht? Too old for you--­"

My spine straightened as I gaped at hi ­serious?"

He blinked once and then narrowed his eyes "You don’t need to cuss"

"I’ll fking cuss if I want to fking cuss," I snapped "Fucker"

His lips twitched, and er swelled "But seriously, Brandon iswell, he’s been through a lot and you don’t need to get up close and personal with that kind of shit"

"Well, thanks for the advice, Dad" He shot me a look, and I returned it "But I didn’t ask for any And the last time I checked, I can talk to whoever I damn--­wait" The stupid yet necessary muscle in my chest turned over "Are you jealous?"

"What?" He snorted as he neared the parking lot in front of the dor Honestly, e you Brandon’s a good guy, but--­"

"You are fking unbelievable!" I bounced into slip out ofabout ­Brandon?"

There was a pause "There was an accident on Route 45 and I was co to"Here’s the cupcake It’s got Snickers in it--­"

"Fuck the cupcake!" I stared at hiested we should kick a baby into a street My thoughts raced "What in the hell does that have to do with any of this?"

"I didn’t skip class on purpose I don’t want you to think that" Which was exactly what I thought, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to ad it down farther "So that’s why I wasn’t there and that’s why I’ for lanced atto Brandon"

"Oh my God" I threw my hands up "This is a stupid conversation and not e need to be talking about"

"What do we need to be talking about, Tess?" he asked as he pulled out onto the road, co to a complete stop Traffic was backed up from the four-­way stop

"You know exactly e need to be talking about Yesterday--­"

"Yesterday was yesterday" He leaned back, rubbing a hand along his jaw "Things got out of hand It happens"

My brows flew up "It happens? Often? Do you just walk around and happen to end up kissing girls? Do you slip and fall on girls’ ot to be an aard life to live"

"Well" The quirk to his lips was hed "Tess, you’re a beautiful girl and I’uy and--­"

"Oh, shut up"

His eyes widened

"Don’t even finish ill most likely be the lamest sentence in the history of lame sentences You’re attracted to me"

"I haven’t said that I wasn’t" Traffic hadn’tlike a speedoht? You are attracted toto deny it because of Jack?" Anger had , but the words that were forht It’s because I’ laid"