“I’ve been pushing this back too many times. They’ll think something’s up.”
Kurt would chase after me, I was sure of it.
After I slid my jacket on, I opened the door just as Jesse did. “What are you doing?” I squeaked, whipping my head in his direction with wide eyes.
“I gotta go with you—”
“No, please, don’t do that.”
He arched a light brow, holding back a laugh. “Why not?”
“Just because.”
“That’s not a reason.”
“Please.”
He gave me a helpless shrug. “I have no choice, Skye.”
Panic bubbled in my chest as I considered pulling out of this and going back to the clubhouse.
Except it really had been too long since I’d seen them.
We lived in the same bloody town, there was simply no good enough excuse for standing them up yet again.
“Can you not be obvious about being with me then?” I asked him quietly.
“No.”
“Jesse, I’m going to be furious at you if you don’t.”
“I follow orders. I’m more scared of what your giant boyfriend will do to me if I didn’t keep my word.”
I went for the low blow. “I thought we were friends.”
He barked out a laugh as he stepped out of the truck. “And we are, Skye, but this is not up for negotiation.”
Dammit.
I climbed out of the truck, petulantly slamming the door behind me. Glaring at him, I cursed every step of the trail there, telling him pointedly, “You won’t be welcome inside. My stepdad hates you.”
“He doesn’t know me.”
“You’re wearing that insignia.” I pointed at the emblem on his jacket. “Which means he already hates you.”
He agreed to hang back, but he’d be lingering around the porch. Thankfully, the weather was wet and cold, and my folks weren’t out to see us approach. I kept shoving Jesse to make him scarce, and he allowed me to push him just out of sight when I marched up the porch and let myself in, knowing the door was unlocked already.
The familiar house smell hit me, and I felt nostalgic by it as I kicked my shoes off, shouting out, “I’m here!”
Mom was in the kitchen, cooking pasta. She let out a happy cry. “I’m making us lunch, sweetheart! Where’ve you been?”
“Been busy,” I vaguely replied.
I gave her a quick kiss and a hug. She smelled like citrus and cigarettes, just like I remembered. Her long blonde hair was up in a neat bun, her face heavy with make-up. Her jeans looked loose on her, her sweater baggy around her slight frame. It concerned me she had lost so much weight since I’d seen her last.
“You look beautiful,” she remarked, glimpsing me quickly before returning to her steaming pot. “Kurt’s in the lounge watching sports. Go say hi.”
She didn’t need to tell me that. Kurt was literally twenty steps away, sitting in his armchair, planted in front of the television with a half-full beer settled on the ground beside his feet. Strange knots formed in my belly as I casually strode over and wrapped my arms around his wide shoulders. I dropped my head to give him a kiss on his stubbled cheek. “Hey, Kurt.”