Chapter Eight
Jade
I almost tripped over Penny as I dashed down the hall toward my bedroom.
What was I thinking, going into the garage in my underwear?
Obviously, I wasn’t thinking at all.
And stupid Brian with his cocky grin as he looked at me.
Ugh!
I yanked on a pair of grey gym shorts and threw a purple t-shirt over my head. The word “Clemson”—my alma mater—was written in bold orange letters.
With my hand on the doorknob of my bedroom door, I took a deep breath in and let it out slowly. My best defense was not to act embarrassed. If Brian knew how mortified I really was, he’d have the upper hand.
There was no way I was letting that happen.
Lainey stood at my kitchen island with Penny winding around her leg while Adam held the door for Brian as he came through using his crutches.
My sister leaned down to pick up Penny and casually said, “Thanks for letting Brian crash here.”
I did a double-take.
Brian?
“What about you?”
“Conor’s at the O’Brien’s, so I’m going to hang out with them while Adam goes to work.”
“Besides,” Adam added as he walked into the kitchen. “We have to get Granny’s car back to her.”
Brian came in behind him and didn’t even have the decency to disguise his grin when he asked. “You don’t mind me staying here, do you, Sunshine?”
Penny took one look at the crutches, wiggled out of Lainey’s arms, and hightailed it out of there.
I watched her run down the hall, then looked back at him as if to say, “My cat does.”
Of course, I didn’t voice that out loud and instead answered his question with a question. “Wouldn’t you be more comfortable at your folks’ house?”
“The media’s camped out there, too. Your place is perfect.” He asked again, “You don’t mind, do you?”
I wondered what he’d do if I said I did mind. He was acting cocky because he knew my Southern manners wouldn’t let me leave him in the lurch.
“I think the bigger question is, do you mind? Just yesterday, you didn’t want me anywhere near you.”
The fucker winked at me and patted his hip. “I got my boxer-briefs on now, I’m good.”
I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t help but ask, “How often are you supposed to change your bandage?”
“Daily. Brady said I could come to his office tomorrow, and he’d do it.”
Brady being Dr. Williams. I guess playing softball puts you on a first-name basis with the guy.
He continued, “But considering the whole town is overrun with media, I’m not going anywhere near his office or the hospital.” Amusement danced in his brown eyes when he continued, “Maybe you can do it for me.”
I think the thing that pissed me off the most was I knew I would.
****
Brian
Jade pursed her lips. “How long are you planning on staying?”
“Just until I get something else figured out. Overnight, tops.”
“I’m going to need to nap soon,” she warned.
“Me, too. These pain meds make me tired. Maybe we could sleep together.”
Her eyebrows shot to her hairline, and I realized how what I’d just said sounded.
Although the idea had merit…
“Not like that. Just, you know, at the same time but in different rooms. Unless you don’t have a guest bed, then maybe we can share your bed.”
I felt she was a little too quick to let me know, “I have a guest bed. A very comfortable one, from what Lainey tells me.”
Her little sister nodded. “It is really comfy. I slept in it when I lived here the last two summers.”
“Great.”
I decided to try and be a gentleman, and asked once more, with a little more sincerity this time, “Are you sure it’s okay if I stay here? I could probably crash at the O’Briens’ too.”
Her expression softened, and she replied, “No, you’re welcome here.”
I liked the sound of that, then she added, “After all, you did save my sister’s life. It would be bad form for me to turn you away in your condition.”
Well, now she made it sound like I was a charity case, or worse, incapable of caring for myself.
Naturally, that got under my skin.
The way the corners of her mouth turned up told me that was exactly what she was going for.
I hated that I didn’t have a witty response, so I decided to change the subject. I noticed the loaf of bread on her counter, along with a package of deli meat and cheese, and a bottle of mayo.
“Did we interrupt your breakfast?”
“I was just making a sandwich.” She made a point of looking at each of us individually. “Do you want one?” With her hand in the bread bag, she quipped, “It’s the breakfast of champions.”
I shook my head. “They fed me first thing this morning,” while Adam and Lainey murmured they had breakfast before dropping Conor at the O’Briens and switching vehicles.
Adam declared, “We should probably get going. My shift starts in ninety minutes, and I want to get Granny’s Cadi back to her before she decides to take my Bronco for a joyride.”
Jade snorted. “She would, too.”
Jade and the new couple shuffled toward the garage, and Adam replied, “No kidding.”
They weren’t joking. Granny O’Brien was a feisty one.
I heard the squeaking rollers on the garage track as it went up, the car start, and a minute later, the same squeaking as the door came down.
“You should oil your garage door rollers,” I observed when Jade came back inside.
She went back to making her sandwich and, without looking at me, asked, “Are you volunteering?”
Oh, baby girl, if you only knew all the things I was volunteering for.