Dropout (The Good Guys Book 3)

by Jamie Schlosser

  Much to my surprise, Jimmy actually found it funny. Laughing, he rubbed at his lower lip with his thumb, drawing my attention to his mouth.

  Did he have any idea how sexy the action was?

  He probably had no clue. Jimmy was just one of those people who had natural, effortless sex appeal. He didn’t walk—he sauntered. That was the best way for me to describe the way he moved.

  “Why flowers?” I gestured to the ink running up and down his arm.

  “Peonies,” he responded. “They’re Grandma’s favorite.”

  And damn if that didn’t warm my heart a little.

  Suddenly, I felt a strong swooping sensation in my abdomen right below my sternum, and I wondered if I was having heart palpitations. I’d had this feeling several times over the past few days when Jimmy was around, and it took me a few seconds to realize what it was.

  Butterflies.

  Jimmy gave me butterflies.

  No one had ever given me that feeling before. I’d heard about it in movies and books, but thought it wasn’t real or that something was wrong with me.

  There wasn’t anything wrong with me.

  Apparently, all I needed was Jimmy to show me that.

  But this new knowledge only made me more determined to sever whatever connection we had, so I did the most incredibly awkward thing possible. I grabbed the skin on his elbow with my fingers and gave it a yank.

  “Ow!” Jimmy jumped away from me while rubbing his arm. “What’d you do that for?”

  “I pinched your wenis.”

  “My what?”

  “Your wenis. It’s the loose skin over your elbow,” I explained, and as if that wasn’t awkward enough I said the word one more time to drive the point home. “Wenis.”

  He threw his head back and laughed. It took him a full block to get himself under control, and the sound only exacerbated the fluttering in my chest.

  Who was this guy? The rough-looking exterior and ornery attitude didn’t seem to match who he was on the inside. No one got a permanent mark of their grandma’s favorite flower unless they had a good heart. And his grandpa’s watch? Who knew Jimmy Johnson was such a sentimental softie?

  But I knew things weren’t always as they seemed. Anyone could pretend to be something they weren’t for a short amount of time. Some talented people could do it for years.

  I wasn’t sure which side of Jimmy was real.

  As we stepped onto my front porch, he headed for my door.

  “We can just do it out here.” I stopped him, motioning to the bench swing. Having him inside my home—my sanctuary—seemed too intimate.

  “I’ll need a plug for my charger.” He held up the black cord.

  “Lucky for you, I have an outlet out here.” I moved a potted fern aside and plugged it in.

  He shrugged and took a seat. After getting Jimmy connected to my Wi-Fi, I sat down next to him, purposely moving into his personal space.

  Looking suspicious, he gave me the side-eye. I sent him a cheerful grin. With a small smile, he shook his head and went back to clicking and typing on the keyboard.

  “Whatcha doin’?” I peered over Jimmy’s shoulder, blatantly invading his privacy.

  He didn’t seem to mind. Moving his head closer to mine, he turned the screen so I could see the website to The Ohio State University.

  “Getting signed up for my fall classes. What should I take?”

  I let out a scoff. “You’re asking me? I wouldn’t know the first thing about it.”

  “Sociology 101 sounds interesting, but it might be hard,” he went on, scrolling down to the class description. “I’ll have to take it at some point anyway, so I might as well get it over with.”

  “Sure.” I shrugged, not having much to add to the conversation.

  “Speech 101 might be cool.”

  I gasped. “Isn’t that public speaking?”

  He nodded. “Yeah. What’s wrong with that?”

  Giving an exaggerated shudder, I shook my head. “That’s pretty much one of my biggest fears.”

  “No way,” he said, shocked. “You performed for a living.”

  “I got booed off stage for a living,” I corrected. “Stage fright is no joke.”

  His expression was soft when he glanced at me. “But I bet when you overcame it, you were awesome up there. A real force to be reckoned with.”

  I could tell he wasn’t bullshitting. He really believed that, and his blind faith in me made my stomach do another somersault.

  “Believe me, I don’t belong in the limelight,” I told him before changing the subject. “How many classes are you taking?”

  He went back to his laptop. “Four will put me at a full schedule. I could take five to try to catch up, but I don’t want to overload myself. I really need to do well this time.”

  “You didn’t do well last time?”

  Something a lot like regret flashed across his features. “No.”

  “Oh. That’s too bad,” I said quietly. “I’m sure it’ll be great.”

  “I appreciate your vote of confidence.”

  “What’s your major?”

  “Undecided. Maybe something in business?” With a shake of his head, Jimmy made a sound of frustration. “It was so much easier when I was a kid. I thought when the time came I’d have the answer, that I’d just automatically know what I wanted to be.”

  “I know what you mean,” I said, dropping the obnoxious act I’d been trying so hard to pull off. “I always thought I wanted to be a big star. But the idea of it was a lot different than the reality. I figured out my path, and you’ll find yours.”

  When Jimmy looked at me, there was warmth in his eyes. “I hope so. Thanks for saying that.”

  “You’re welcome.” We smiled at each other for a few seconds before he turned back to the screen.

  His fingers flew over the keyboard and I stayed quiet, letting him sign up for the rest of his classes in peace.

  Since my legs were too short to reach the floorboards, I tucked my feet under my thighs. Jimmy’s sneakers pushed off the porch, causing us to sway back and forth.

  Sitting here with him was surprisingly calming. Closing my eyes, I enjoyed the warm breeze against my skin. I got a whiff of something pleasant. Clean and fresh. Not quite masculine like cologne. More like laundry detergent or deodorant. Breathing in deep, I let myself imagine what it would be like to bury my face in Jimmy’s T-shirt and take a big sniff.

  I was jarred from my shirt-smelling fantasies by the sound of the laptop shutting, and was almost disappointed when Jimmy stood up to leave.

  “All done,” he announced. “Thanks for letting me bum off your Wi-Fi. Saved me a trip into town.”

  “You can use it anytime,” I offered. “You have my password now, so next time you won’t have to come over.”

  Nodding, he shuffled his feet before walking away, and the sudden shyness was unlike him. Stopping halfway down the steps, he turned back with a smile. “I’ll see you around.”

  “’Bye, Jimmy.” I didn’t believe him. After today it was safe to say he wouldn’t want to see me again for a while, if ever.

  Thinking I had accomplished my mission, I watched his long, steady strides until he disappeared into the house next door.

  Sighing, I went inside and got a bottle of water from the fridge. As the cold liquid hit my tongue, I thought about my humiliating attempt to get my hot-as-hell neighbor to run for the hills.

  I pestered him with the most annoying questions ever, made fun of his deceased grandpa’s watch, told a lame joke, and molested his arm in public.

  I touched his wenis.

  He probably thought I was a complete whack-job now, and would most likely spend the rest of his time here trying to stay away from me.

  I should’ve been happy that my plan worked, but I co
uldn’t help feeling a little sad.

  Picking up my guitar, I tried to find contentment while ignoring the hollow feeling in my chest. It was then that I realized I still had Jimmy’s sunglasses on my face.

  Well, crap. Maybe he’d be back sooner than I thought.

  CHAPTER 10

  JIMMY

  I’d never been more confused in my whole life. Mackenna had done a 180 since the day before, and I found myself on edge from the sudden change.

  What the hell just happened? She’d been friendly. Perky. Chatty, even.

  She fucking giggled.

  Maybe we’d made some kind of breakthrough in our friendship.

  Friendship? Is that what it was? Is that what I wanted?

  Immediately, I knew the answer to that question was a big hell no. Because I wanted more than that.

  Over the past few days, my feelings for her had grown way faster than I thought possible.

  The first thing that caught my attention was physical attraction. The second thing that kept me on the line was how mysterious she was. But the third thing that reeled me in? Those moments when she let her guard down long enough for me to catch a glimpse of who she was on the inside.

  Hook, line, and sinker—I was a goner.

  I could spend the rest of the summer watching her from afar, or I could man up and do something about it.

  My palms started to sweat when I thought about asking her out, and now I found myself in unfamiliar territory. Girls didn’t make me nervous. My confidence level around the opposite sex had never been a problem before.

  And that’s how I ended up on Grandma’s couch asking her for dating advice.

  “So, what you’re saying is, you’ve got a little crush?” Grandma asked with a twinkle in her eye.

  “I guess so. Sometimes I get the feeling she’s into me. Other times I think she hates my guts.” I laughed. “I don’t even know what it is about her… It’s just when she’s around, sometimes it feels like my heart’s gonna beat right out of my chest.”

  “That’s a crush, alright. Pesky fucking things always seem to come around when you least expect it.”

  I nodded. “That’s the thing—I didn’t plan on meeting anyone this summer. Actually, I sort of swore off women indefinitely.”

  “Hell, just look at me,” Grandma said as Sweet Pea nibbled at some dried fruit in her palm. “I’ve only got a few precious years left and here I am, falling in love again.”

  I ignored the comment about her limited lifespan, because that wasn’t something I wanted to think about. “Didn’t you and Ernie date before you met Grandpa?”

  “We sure did.” Her eyes crinkled at the corners when she smiled. “Ernie was my first love. And now he’s my last. Doesn’t mean I love your grandpa any less. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned in this life, it’s that you’ve gotta snatch up happiness at every opportunity.”

  “That’s some romantic shit, Grandma. You deserve to be happy.”

  “And so do you, Jimmy. I think you and Mackenna would make a great couple. There’s nothing wrong with a good old-fashioned summer romance. But keep in mind that she lives here permanently and you don’t. That’s enough to make anyone wary of starting a relationship.”

  Leaning my elbows on my knees, I absorbed Grandma’s words.

  She had a good point.

  Starting something with Mackenna could lead to a difficult situation since I didn’t plan on staying. In August, I would be going back to school—hopefully—and she would still be here, living the life of a reclusive songwriter.

  “The inner workings of a woman’s mind can be complicated,” Grandma went on. “I’ve been a woman for nearly eighty years, and some days I can’t even decide what the hell I want for breakfast.” She chuckled. “But I do know one thing: the heart is always constant. The problem is when the mind and the heart can’t agree.”

  A little confused, my eyebrows furrowed. “So, if I want Mack to go out with me, I have to get her mind and heart to want the same thing?”

  Throwing her head back she let out a loud cackle, and Sweet Pea mimicked the noise.

  “What?” I asked defensively. “What’s so funny?”

  Giving me a sympathetic look, she shook her head. “Oh, good luck with that, Jimmy.”

  *

  For the second time today, I found myself knocking on Mackenna’s door. My plan was to thank her for helping me out, then possibly work up the courage to ask her out on a date.

  To say we got off on the wrong foot was an understatement. Our first meeting hadn’t been the stuff dreams are made of, and I hadn’t been showing her the best side of myself.

  I really wanted to change that.

  If only she would give me a chance.

  Hopping on the balls of my feet, I shook out my hands and cracked my neck the same way I did when I pepped myself up for a fight. When I heard the handle turn, I stood up straight and tried to exude an air of confidence I didn’t quite feel.

  But as soon as that door swung open, my mouth watered and it had nothing to do with the beautiful girl in front of me.

  My stomach growled. “What’s that smell?”

  “Dinner,” she replied, her voice clipped. She handed me something and I glanced down to see my sunglasses. “There you go. Thanks for letting me borrow them. ’Bye.”

  The door started to shut and I stopped it with my shoe. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until now, and my purpose for coming over was temporarily forgotten. The aroma wafting through the air was sweet and a little spicy.

  “What are we having?” I asked, craning my neck to look around her.

  She moved in front of me, blocking my line of sight. “Honey mustard chicken.”

  “You gonna invite me in?” I asked impatiently as my stomach gave another insistent rumble.

  “No.” Her answer was matter of fact and honest. She wasn’t trying to be coy with me—she really had no intention of letting me into her house.

  There was no trace of the cheerful girl I’d gotten a glimpse of earlier. Disappointment caused something to clench in my chest and my confidence wilted. Maybe I read her wrong when I thought the attraction was mutual. Doubt crept in, and my hope that she would agree to go out with me went up in smoke.

  I frowned. “Why do you hate me?”

  Her eyes softened a little. “I don’t hate you.”

  “Could’ve fooled me.” Stuffing my hands in my pockets, I rocked back on my heels, trying to hide the fact that she’d hurt my feelings. “I just wanted to thank you for helping me out earlier. I really appreciate it.”

  Sighing, she glanced over her shoulder, then back at me.

  My eyes fell to her lips, where she was anxiously nibbling at the pink flesh.

  “I wasn’t expecting company. Just give me a few minutes to pick up a little, okay?” She didn’t wait for me to answer before shutting the door. I looked around, wondering if she expected me to stand outside her door like a lost puppy.

  Truth was, when it came to her I felt like a lost fucking puppy. She had me tied up and twisted like no one else ever had before, and I’d wait out here for as long as it took.

  Deciding to take a seat on her porch swing, I rocked back and forth as I looked out over the streets of Tolson and soaked up the sounds of summer. The gentle wind rustled the leaves of the tall oak trees, birds chirped, and the engine of a lawn mower roared in the distance.

  It was peaceful, but the moment would’ve been ten times better with Mackenna sitting next to me.

  I thought about what it felt like to have her close to me earlier—so close, I could smell her skin and hair. After I’d signed up for the last class, I took the opportunity to watch her as we swayed together. With her eyes closed behind my sunglasses, I might’ve thought she was asleep if it wasn’t for the expression on her face.

&nbs
p; Did she even realize she’d been smiling?

  Mackenna’s door creaked open and her head popped out. “You can come in now.”

  Grinning, I stood up. It was time for me to show her who I really was.

  *

  While Mackenna fixed our plates, I poked around her kitchen. Lifting a lid on the ceramic rooster cookie jar on her counter, I was disappointed to find it empty. Then I tinkered with the rooster magnets on her fridge before opening the freezer.

  “Nosy much?” she said behind me.

  Distracted by the four boxes of ice cream sandwiches, I didn’t answer her.

  “Fuck yes,” I said to myself as I snagged one out of an open box, ripped off the wrapper, and took a bite.

  “Um, sure. Help yourself.” The look she gave the dessert in my hand was territorial and possessive.

  “I just thought with the 70 million you have in there, you could spare one for your friendly neighbor. You have some sort of addiction I should be worried about?” I teased, finishing the other half in one bite.

  She gave me a half-hearted glare. “I stock up on things so I don’t have to make trips into town all the time. And I love ice cream sandwiches.”

  “Well, yeah. Who doesn’t?”

  “Exactly. Anyone who doesn’t like them can’t be trusted,” she said seriously, then added, “You might as well get one for me, too.”

  I grabbed two more from the freezer—one for her and another for me—and sat down at her small round table. Like naughty kids, we smiled at each other while we ate our dessert before dinner.

  After that, I tore into the honey mustard chicken. We didn’t talk for several minutes while we ate, but it wasn’t uncomfortable or awkward. The food was just really good, and I didn’t want to talk with my mouth full.

  Within two minutes, I’d wolfed most of it down.

  “So, I have to ask,” I started, taking a sip from the bottled water she’d gotten for me. “What’s with all the roosters?”

  I’d never seen a room take a theme quite so far. Roosters were everywhere. The wallpaper. The knobs on the cabinets. Even the salt and pepper shakers.

  Mackenna shrugged. “It was already like this when I moved in. I figured I might as well run with it. It’s surprisingly popular for kitchen décor.” Her face brightened a bit. “Knock-knock.”