Well, that was awkward. I heard Harlow and Hunter once or twice, and I wasn’t that easygoing when it happened the first time. Punching Hunter was necessary at that time, but that was also because it was the first time I found out that he’d slept with my baby sister.
“All right…let’s change the subject,” I laughed, then looked at the dashboard, showing the time. “Is it too early for you to get some lunch already?”
“I could go for some food right now, sure,” Gray answered, then placed her hand on mine, which was still on her thigh. She squeezed my fingers, then started caressing the back of my hand softly.
I enjoyed it, hoping when we’d get back in the car she would continue doing it. I turned into the first diner I saw, parked, and turned to look at her. “Let’s get some food then.” With a smile, she nodded and got out of the car, and I did the same, taking her hand as she stepped next to me. I linked my fingers with hers, then lifted her hand to my mouth to kiss it. “You make me feel good.”
I wasn’t sure why that came out of me so unexpected, but I’m somehow glad it did. My words made Gray smile brighter than ever, and she leaned into me while we walked toward the entrance of the diner. “I feel the same, Jagger.”
Chapter Twenty
Gray
We sat down at an empty booth and immediately looked at the menu. I didn’t eat breakfast, and a burger sounded good. I looked up at Jagger, who was studying the card still, with a little crease between his eyes.
“Want some recommendations?” I offered, then pointed to the burger section. “I really like their beef burgers here. With some extra cheese. And maybe a side of fries.”
Jagger kept studying the menu and then nodded after a while. “Sounds good,” he exclaimed, putting the menu back down and looking at me with a smile. “Do you come here often? It’s not far from town.”
I nodded, then looked around the diner and smiled back at him at the memories that flashed through my mind. “Our parents took us here at least once a month. And we spent most of our birthdays here. It’s also where I had my first job when I started high school. I got to help in the kitchen washing the dishes, then I helped waiting tables when I was eighteen. They even let me help make pancakes in the morning.” I was proud of that time and my grin showed it. “The people here changed, though. I barely know anyone, but the cooks are equally as great as the old ones.”
“Well, I can’t wait to try the burger. I love when people are amazed by the littlest things, and you certainly are one of them.” His smile never faded while I told him the story of my first job, and the way he was genuinely interested in me and my past felt good.
I smiled back, then turned to look for a waitress to hide my cheeks turning pink. The tingles in my stomach appeared again, just like that night at The Red, and that time I spent with him in his apartment. I tried to slow down my feelings from growing too fast but pushing them aside was not possible.
“What can I get for you today?” The waitress was a young, blonde girl, probably in high school. She seemed sweet, her smile letting us know that she liked this job just as much as I liked it when I worked here.
I smiled back at her, then glanced at the menu to remember what we wanted to eat. “We’ll both have the beef burger with extra cheese. And I’ll have lemonade to drink.”
The girl nodded and wrote down my order, then turned to look at Jagger without her smile ever fading. “And for you?” she asked, ready to write down his drink. Jagger quickly studied the menu, his lips puckering while he was thinking.
“I’ll have an iced tea,” he said, then looked back at me. “Let’s see if it tastes just as good as Harlow’s.” A grin spread on his lips, and I remembered him telling me the story about his sister’s famous iced tea which she made since she was little.
“Our iced tea is delicious. I drink it every time I get the chance.” The fascination in the girl’s voice was adorable. I looked at her name tag, revealing that she was called Maya. I looked back up, remembering the time I drank all the iced tea they made here.
“Do you guys also get to eat all the leftovers that didn’t make the plates? I worked here too a few years ago,” I told her. She grinned and nodded, looking at both of us with wide eyes. “The cook sometimes does it on purpose so we can have dinner all together after the diner’s closed.”
“Sounds like a nice place to work,” Jagger said, then leaned back and kept his smile up. I agreed, just like Maya, then she left toward the kitchen.
“Sweet kid,” Jagger said, and I nodded with a sigh.
“I remember wearing that uniform. It fit me like a glove, and I looked good in it. We always got compliments when we were working and that sure boosted my confidence.” I laughed.
“I saw you wear a skirt last weekend. I can only imagine how hot you’d look in a uniform like that.” He grinned, then looked around the diner before his eyes landed on mine again. His expression was slightly more serious now, and I wondered what it was that changed his mood.
I tilted my head. “What’s wrong?” I asked, hoping it was nothing too serious.
“I talked to Harlow this morning and she told me that Bliss found out that we’re visiting Hastings for a few days.” He stopped, eyeing me carefully. I remembered Bliss. The girl he had sex with but never had a relationship with or even dated. I slowly nodded, letting him know to continue.
“I’ve told you that Bliss and I have had some history, but it’s over now. I know how she can act when something bothers her, and I don’t want to scare you off, but I can’t keep her from coming around either. She’s family. Hunter’s sister and Harlow’s friend.”
His voice was calm, but I could tell he was unsettled with the whole situation. Before I answered, Maya arrived with our drinks, and we thanked her before she went on to serve other guests.
“I’m excited to meet your family, Jagger. We can’t change the past, so I guess we’ll just see how it goes and adjust while it’s happening.” I smiled again, reaching for his hand, and squeezing it. “I might even get along with Bliss. I don’t think she’s a bad person. As long as she doesn’t see me as the enemy, I think I’ll be fine.”
He slowly nodded, studying my face carefully. “Okay,” he started, then looked down at his iced tea.
“Try it. Let’s see if Harlow’s is better.” Changing the subject was the best thing to do. I couldn’t stop Bliss from being a part of his life, but I did feel a little lost, knowing that I would be the odd one out. I also had no idea what to expect from Harlow and Hunter. Jagger has always said that they’re both nice people, but they haven’t met me yet, and the possibility that they won’t like me was still huge.
I watched Jagger take a sip from the iced tea, and his eyes immediately told me that he liked it. “Good, huh?” I grinned.
He nodded, taking another sip, then put his glass down again. “It tastes great. But I can’t push Harlow’s to second place. After all, she probably would kill me if she found out that I like someone’s iced tea better than hers.”
I laughed, nodding at his theory. “I won’t tell,” I promised, and our smiles grew as we kept looking at each other.
Chapter Twenty-One
Jagger
Our food came quickly, but we took our time eating. The burger was as good as Gray said it would be and I enjoyed it with the iced tea I ordered.
“How was work yesterday?” Gray asked, taking a bite of her burger.
“There wasn’t much going on. Dallas came by and we mostly just talked. Have you seen him since the fight? He’s got some pretty bad bruises on his face.”
She shook her head, sighing at my words and rolling her eyes. “I hate seeing him like that. He’s broken his nose one too many times and his black eyes were an accessory he wore often. Did he at least win that fight?”
“Yeah, he did. The other guy had to get stitched up right after. I’ve fought against lots of crazy guys, but I would never get in that cage with your brother. He’s a beast,” I said sincerely. Dallas
was insane. He showed me a video of the fight someone took and put on the internet, and the way Dallas launched at his opponent was scary as hell. Even for me. At one point, you could even see the other guys’ nose crack open from one simple punch. It reminded me of that one time I broke my nose at a fight. It wasn’t pretty and lying to Low was even more painful than the fight itself.
“I just wish he would stop. He’s got a business he earns enough money with. He just can’t stop with the punching and hurting others. He needs someone to pull him down to earth. And those older women don’t help. I’ve set him up on some dates before, but he would just screw them over and invite them to his next fight. I wish there was one girl who would finally show him that there’s more than just the underground to be proud of.”
It was funny that the second she told me how much she’d love for Dallas to have a girl on his side who would talk back instead of being pushed away, Bliss came to mind. But I kept that thought to myself. Although, she was the kind of girl to do whatever the fuck she wanted instead of being played by a guy like Dallas. It was different with me and her. She wanted me to test if she was ready to settle down. She talked about feelings a lot, even though we both knew it was all bullshit. Bliss tried hard to be loved, but I was the wrong guy for her. We both knew it.
“He’ll get over it sooner or later. I did too,” I assured her, because the thought of one day not being able to walk again was scary. I’ve seen Malakai, his coach. And he looked weak. It’s not that Dallas didn’t see the danger in fighting, it’s that he didn’t want to see it.
“What about you? How are the paintings coming along?” I asked to change the subject. Gray smiled at first, but it faded fast when a thought rushed through her mind. “There’s this woman who came by and requested the weirdest painting ever,” she said with her nose scrunched. “She wants this dark, twisted painting. Intense and violent, she said. With dark colors, but with a small hint of white, to accent the hope she still has. I’ve never done such a painting.”
I studied her face for a while, wondering why someone would request such a painting. It was weird, to be honest. But then, there are lots of crazy people on this planet. I’ve known one all my life. But now that he’s gone, I don’t feel that storm inside of me anymore. Since Dean’s death, I only had to get rid of the guilt still swirling around in my head, but that was starting to settle down slowly. Gray took my mind off it, and I was glad she did.
“I’m sure you’ll nail that painting. You’re talented as hell, and when you’re done with hers, I’m going to request one too.” With a grin, I took another sip of my drink, then reached over to take her hand on the table. “I’d like to watch you paint one day if that doesn’t bother you too much.”
Her eyes widened, and her cheeks turned pink once again. “I’m not sure I could concentrate with a handsome guy like you staring at me while I work.” Her voice was soft and honest, with a hint of shyness. Fuck me, she got sweeter each damn time.
“Believe me, love. I most times can’t concentrate even by having you close.” There we go, I thought, it’s happening too fucking fast. I needed to slow down if I wanted us to work. But she made it hard for me. I liked her. A lot. Though, the way she looked at me told me that she was all in too. Why slow down?
Gray kept looking at me, her hand still in mine, warm and soft. My eyes fell to her lips, wishing I could pull her over here and kiss them. But my thoughts of kissing her the way we’ve done before were pushed aside as Maya stopped at our booth, looking down at our plates.
“Did you enjoy the burgers?” she asked, ready to take the plates back to the kitchen.
I snapped out of my imagination and looked up at her with a nod. “They were great, thank you,” I told her, and Gray agreed with my words by nodding.
“Yes, delicious as always,” she added, then let go of my hand to sit up straight again. The color on her cheeks didn’t fade, and I couldn’t help a chuckle. Maya took our empty plates and asked if we would like another drink.
“No, thank you. We should be going,” I explained. “I’d like to pay,” I added, and Maya nodded, walking back to the kitchen. I took another glance at Gray, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. “You okay?” I grinned, knowing I made her blush with my words.
“I’ll have to get used to your flirting,” was all she said. I shrugged, letting her know that she was right. I couldn’t help myself with her. She made me want to flirt and compliment her. I wanted her to know that I was all in for her. Only her. But without pushing too far and scaring her off.
After I paid for our meals, we said goodbye to Maya and headed out to my car. Before I pulled out my keys, I looked around the parking lot to make sure we weren’t observed. No one was around, and with the other cars parked around us, I took the chance to push Gray against the passenger door, cupping her face in mine and pressing my lips to hers, making her squeal and then moan. Her hands immediately grabbed onto my sweater, pulling me closer and leaning back onto the car. Our lips moved against each other, and the tip of our tongues touched each time our lips parted. I wished I could take her back home and get into bed with her, making out like last Saturday. That had to wait, though.
My right hand moved from her cheek to her waist, holding her tight and then moving further down to the side of her ass. Since she was pushed against the car, and I had no way to move my hand between her and the door. I pulled her forward so my hand cupped her bottom. Another moan escaped her, and I knew she enjoyed the way I grabbed her while we were kissing. Touching her felt good, and I wondered what it would be like sleeping with her. I wanted to know what she desired. I’d have to find out someday, but for now, teasing her was exciting.
As the kiss deepened, I heard a car door slam, then a motor being turned on. I wasn’t ready to let go yet, but as the car was backing up and moving closer, my lips left Gray’s and I looked over to the car driving away. The second I looked inside it, I couldn’t quite make out the driver, but the woman in it looked familiar. She was elderly, but it didn’t occur to me who it was.
“Everything okay?” Gray asked, out of breath, and I moved my hand back up to her waist. I watched the car drive onto the main road, then turned to look at her.
“Yeah, I thought I knew that woman from somewhere. I’ve probably seen her around town sometime.” I smiled at her now, forgetting about the woman who looked so familiar. I leaned into her again, kissing her one more time, then nodding down to my car. “Let’s go. We have a long drive ahead of us.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Gray
The drive to Hastings was fun. We were listening to the radio, and with each song that came on, we told each other what we thought about it and why we liked or disliked it. Turned out that we had similar tastes. As “I’m On Fire” from Bruce Springsteen came on, Jagger’s smile grew, and by looking at his facial expression, I could tell he liked the singer a lot. And hearing the song while I was keeping my eyes on him touched something inside me. Jagger always seemed old-school to me. In a good way, of course. He’s a gentleman, he had a way with words, and he never acted up to make me feel uncomfortable when I was around him when we were alone or in public.
That’s one major thing I needed to be comfortable with. A man who knows how to act in certain situations, keeping his cool and reacting to things normally without making a fool out of himself. Joey is one of those guys I would never date. Not sure how Sage does it, but I would be uneasy if the guy I was dating ever acted like Joey in front of others. He was loud and always had to say something, even if the conversation was not directed toward him.
Jagger was calm. He probably counted to thirty before he said something, just to make sure he wasn’t saying anything to offend anyone or make him seem rude for interrupting others. He was respectful, and I was happy that he had chosen me to date and take with him to his hometown.
“This song is nice too,” I heard Jagger say, and I blinked, noticing that a new song had started playing. I listened, then frowned be
cause I couldn’t name the singer. “Sounds like Oasis,” I said with a look in his direction. His eyes were fixated on the road, with his left hand holding the steering wheel and the other covering mine again.
“Very close. They split up in 2009,” he explained, and I nodded since I remembered the feud between the Gallagher Brothers. “So…this is an old song?” I asked. I didn’t really keep up with famous people, but I was always up to learn about them when someone had something nice to say about them. All I listened to were Spotify playlists I put together or looked for on the app to get in the mood to paint. But I never searched up for a specific artist to listen to.
“Sounds like it, right?” Jagger said with a smile, then shook his head. “It’s Liam Gallagher. I guess his style of making music remained the same throughout the years, even without the band. It’s a great song.” He nodded toward the radio, then glanced at me before turning his attention on the road again. I smiled back at him, then listened to the lyrics. At the chorus, I could hear Jagger sing along in a soft voice.
The way he sang the words sparked something in him, as if he were the one who wrote the song, meaning each word.
“This song has a strong meaning for you,” I whispered, a smile still on my lips. He shrugged, then licked his bottom lip. “There’s a reason why I left Hastings. It felt wrong staying there after…” Jagger stopped himself, and his face showed an expression I hadn’t seen before. His eyes seemed to tear up, but the way his jaw tensed let me know he was fighting whatever emotion wanted to come out. I turned in my seat, lacing my fingers through his and putting my right hand on top of his.
“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” I assured him, even though I would’ve loved to get to know him better. Maybe I could help him get over whatever was bothering him.
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