Jeff must have heard me, because he instantly turned down the music. “You okay, Aaron?”
I looked out the window. This was ridiculous. I was not going to cry about the possibility he found out Iwas gay. “Just allergies.” Without even turning, I knew he didn’t believe me. I could feel his eyes on the back of my neck, the heat boring into me. He must have decided not to push, because he finally turned up the music.
At my house, I jumped out without even looking at him, mumbling, “Thanks.” I was almost to the door when he called my name. I turned to see him standing outside his truck, between the cab and the open driver’s side door.
“Yeah?”
“Pick you up at five?”
“Sure, see you then.” I hurried inside my house, closed the door, and leaned back against it. Why was I so worried? If he had figured it out, he had figured it out. My rapid heartbeat started to slow as I caught the scent of chocolate chip cookies. “Mom?”
“In here.”
I made my way to the kitchen and found a plate full of fresh-baked cookies. After picking up one and taking a big bite, I was thrilled to find them still warm. “Awebm,” I said with a mouthful of chocolatey-chip goodness.
“Don’t talk with food in your mouth,” she reprimanded with a sparkle in her eye. “And yes, they are awesome, if I do say so myself.”
I laughed and grabbed several more, but I made sure to swallow before I tried to speak again. “Heading to my room. A week off! Yes! Gotta get ready for work soon.”
“Is Jeff taking you?”
I watched her wipe down the kitchen counter, and for a minute, I could almost see her as others did—a bright, bubbly, petite woman with short light brown hair and a beautiful smile. Then my eyes fell on thelatest bruise on her arm. Damn, I hadn’t heard any fighting in the last few days, but there was no disputing it—that was a fresh one.
“Um, yeah, he’s picking me up.” I cleared my throat. “Um…your arm?”
She stopped cleaning and braced her hands on the counter. “Aaron, I’m fine,” she whispered, but wouldn’t look at me.
“Mom, you’re not fine. Why? Why can’t we leave him?” God, how many times have I asked that question?
“Let me handle it,” she whispered again, her voice strained.
I shook my head. This had to stop. Something had to change. “I love you, Mom.”
Her shoulders slumped forward, giving up once again. “I love you, too, Aaron.” She paused for a moment. “You and Pamela are my whole life.”
I waited for her to turn my way, but she never did. “Thanks for the snack,” I told her, then headed to my room.
Well, this day is turning into the suckiest day possible. I collapsed on my bed, my mouth still full. Between Jeff possibly finding out my secret and Dad beating the crap out of Mom again, I was ready for this fucking day to be over.
I sucked on the cookie in my mouth, letting the chocolate chips melt on my tongue as I thought about Jeffagain. I was probably worried over nothing.
What I wouldn’t give to be able to go away with him to college. I was going to be lost without him. He was like a part of me. Had been since the moment we met. My lips quirked up as I remembered that day in class when he approached me.
When I’d first looked at him, I’d literally felt my body tingle. Everywhere. He was adorable back then. But that was replaced with a bond of friendship right away. As he had grown and matured and turned into a young man, I had consciously averted my eyes, not allowing my thoughts to ever go there. He was mybest friend, not someone to lust after.
I was actually pretty proud of myself, because the few times I’d actually let myself look at him, like that, it was hard to keep my body from reacting. The last thing I wanted to do was perv on my best friend, no matter how hot he may be.
And he was hot. There was no doubt about it. If he could lose the shyness, girls would be all over him.
Great, now my dick is hard. From thinking about Jeff. Shit. That’s why I didn’t let myself think like that. Shower. I need a cold shower.
* * * *
By the time Jeff arrived a couple of hours later, I was ready to go. Dad was on the way home and Pamela was driving me nuts. If I had to hear her talk about the latest cute boy in her class one more time, I wasgoing to retch.
Mom slipped me a twenty as I headed out the door at the sound of Jeff’s horn.
I gave her a genuine smile. “Thanks!”
“Have a good night. You two be careful.”
I rolled my eyes. “Just going to work and back, Mom. Love you,” I called as I ran out.
The music was low when I slid inside the truck. After I buckled up, I saw Jeff watching me. Intently.
“What? Do I have something on me?” I asked, glancing at my uniform.
He grinned. “Nope, you look good.”
I blushed. Was that a compliment? Or was he just being nice? Did he really think I looked good? Shit, nowI was acting like my sister. “Thanks,” I mumbled.
“What, no compliment back?”
I saw the sparkle in his eyes. “Okay, let’s see…you look great.”
He gave me an exaggerated frown.
I rolled my eyes at him. “Fantastic?”
His brow furrowed as he pulled out of my drive.
“Amazing? Perfect?”
A smile tugged at his lips. “That’s all you’ve got?”
I groaned inwardly. He was being totally weird. “Fine! How about perfection in a movie theater uniform? Sexiest man in our class? Hottest guy on the planet? Does that meet your demands?”
He laughed. “Perfect!”
I shook my head and messed with the radio buttons.
“So, you think I’m sexy?” he teased, his voice low.
What the hell? I cleared my throat and tried to think of an answer. He laughed again and I turned to stare at him. “Dude, you are acting really strange tonight.”
“Oh, Aaron, Aaron, Aaron…you have no idea.”
Okay, was he losing his grip on reality? I shook my head again and watched him out of the corners of my eyes. He was smiling and focused on the road, but his cheeks pinked. “Um, Jeff, you okay?”
He turned those icy blue eyes on me for a second and my breath caught in my throat. He looked…confident. Something was different in his gaze. Now I was the one with cheeks heating.
“Yeah, actually really good.” He flashed me a smile. “You?”
“Um, yeah, okay…but you are…I mean, you’re acting…”
“Like what?”
I wasn’t sure what to say. “Never mind.”
We pulled into the parking lot of the movie theater and climbed out. As we headed in to work our evening shift, he clasped my shoulder. “Don’t forget we need to talk tonight.”
I nodded, trying not to focus on the way his touch made my shoulder also feel hot…or that I shivered when he squeezed. “Yeah. No problem. You know you can tell me anything.”
He stared at me a moment, his gaze intense, eyes searching mine. His hand stayed on my shoulder and I flushed, but didn’t move. I didn’t want to move away. “You can tell me anything, too. You know that, right?”
I nodded and swallowed nervously. He pulled away his hand and instantly I missed the contact.
A grin spread across his face. “Great, now let’s get this shift over with so we can see about jumping your piece-of-shit car later!”
“Hey! I love that car,” I shot back, trying not to miss his touch.
ABOUT SARAH HADLEY BROOK
Sarah Hadley Brook reserves her evenings for her hobby-turned-passion of writing, letting the characters she conjures up in her mind take the lead and show her where the story will go. She dreams of traveling to Scotland someday and visiting the places her ancestors lived. Sarah believes in “Happily Ever After” and strives to ensure her characters find their own happiness in love and life.