“Only if I can break your face first,” I grumble.
Too bad he takes it as a joke. I meant every word.
After he leaves, Jane and her dad move to one side of the table at the front of the room. Ben motions to the other side, inviting me to take a seat.
I have to admit that I’m a little thrown off by the awkwardness of this situation, but it’s Jane who looks uncomfortable. Hell, she looks nervous enough for the both of us. I study Ben’s body language as he reads the one-page sheet in his hand that must be the interview questions. He’s relaxed and seems positive, which confirms to me that he still doesn’t know about me and his daughter.
I should’ve told him before today. Maybe there’d be less tension hanging in the air between Jane and I if I had. Still, the interview goes as well as can be expected. The questions were straightforward, with no real surprises, and I answered each one honestly. As it concludes, Ben asks Jane to find Josh, and she leaves the room with me.
“How do you feel about it?” she asks me, taking brisk steps as she tries to keep up with me on the way to the miners’ trailer. My fingertips are itching to take her hand in mine, or to pull her into my arms. But we both know that won’t happen. Can’t.
I shrug. “Not as good as I’d feel if you told you father what’s what,” I admit.
“Yes, I agree. Sorry, I’m just not sure how to broach the topic with him.”
“I told you I can talk to him for us. It’s probably better if it comes from me.”
“No,” she answers and I look over to see her shaking her head, her face pensive as though she’s imagining the conversation with him. “I need to tell him. Can you give me a bit more time?”
“How long?”
“Um, I’m not sure.”
“Is there something else keeping you from telling him?” I ask.
She looks at me curiously. “Something else like what?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking.”
“No, Savage, There isn’t. It’s just… it’s only been a couple of weeks since you and I…well, you know, since we—”
“Since I took your virginity, since we started fucking like rabbits, yes.” I don’t mean for my voice to sound so cold and unfeeling. I could soften my tone and remind her that she’s mine, that we have something more than just a physical thing. But I’m frustrated.
“Well, I can’t exactly tell him like that,” she replies.
“You don’t have to tell him at all—” I start to say. Before I can tell her she doesn’t have to because I have no problem talking to Ben man to man, she stops in her tracks a few feet from the door of the miners trailer.
“Considering how you just phrased it, maybe there’s no point,” she huffs, folding her arms.
“What do you mean?”
“According to you, we’re just fucking. Doesn’t sound to me like there’s a reason to—”
“No,” I say harshly, and she jumps. Fuck. Nothing I say is coming out right at the moment. I’m beyond tempted to grab her shoulders and press her up against me, to put her hand on my heart the way she likes to do before she falls asleep in my bed. But we’re out in public. “Wait. That’s not the way I meant for it to come out.” I run a frustrated hand over my smoothed out hair. “Listen, Jane. You’re mine. That’s what I want Ben to know. That I want to be with you, and that I’ll be good to you. All right?”
She takes a long breath and her face softens as our eyes meet. “Yes, okay. I feel the same too.”
“Good. You should go find that kid before your schedule is delayed on my account.”
She nods. “Agreed. But let me tell Dad first, okay? Just give me a day or two.”
“Shit. All right.”
“Oh, and just in case I end up sitting in on interviews for Angie all week, don’t mention anything to Dad, okay? I promise I’ll make the time soon.”
“Okay. Have a good one,” I tell her.
“See you, babe,” she answers and squeezes my forearm just as one of the miners walks out through the trailer door.
Shit.
I quickly turn and leave, opting to take the long way to my locker to change into my mining gear.
Her gesture is innocent, but if he heard the word babe, and misread the way she touched my arm, well, who knows what kind of conclusions he’ll make.
The entire week flies by in what feels like a minute. Jane and Ben have been busy with interviews. I’ve been working more intensely, watching over the newer miners, troubleshooting issues and keeping my eyes on things while Ben’s away from the mine running interviews. It’s no bother for me. Everyone pulls their weight at times like these, including the senior miners. Over time, it’s just that some of them defer to my experience for whatever reason.
On Friday after my shift ends, I’m beat. I haven’t seen Jane all week. I have barely said much to Ben, so I’m not feeling much pressure to ask whether she’s held up her end of the bargain to tell Ben about us. She’ll tell him when she’s ready, and if it goes on for too long, I’ll give her a nudge.
As I walk back to my pickup truck, I catch sight of a familiar bright red Infinite Q60 convertible parked beside me. Jane’s blonde friend is in the driver seat with the top down, talking to Josh. The horndog is leaned over on her driver side door, resting his head on his arms while probably making the moves on her too. Ignoring them both, I stuff my lunch bag behind my seat and am about to climb inside when I remember my dress clothes are still hanging in my locker. It’ll stink to high heaven if I leave it in there all weekend. It takes me a few minutes to hurry inside and grab them.
I’m just not prepared for what I return to my truck to find.
One of Josh’s friends is in the front passenger seat of the blonde girl’s car.
And Jane.
Jane is in the back seat behind her girlfriend… with Josh next to her.
What the fuck is going on here? Why is she with him, and where are they all going?
I’m seeing red, and although I should walk away and confront her the next time she and I are alone, that doesn’t fucking happen. I stop near the back of my vehicle.
“Jane,” I ground out her name.
She turns to me, startled. “Hi Savage,” she says. She’s out of the convertible and beside my truck in no time. “Meg and I are going to her college for an open house. I think I told you last week.”
She did, but she never told me that Josh and his stooge was going with them.
“You’re not going with those two.” I mean to ask the question, but the anger welling up in my chest isn’t helping my mental clarity one bit.
“That wasn’t the plan… you’re right. I didn’t know they were carpooling with us, but Meg’s my best friend. I can’t let her go alone with them.”
“They can find their own ride.”
“You’re not wrong, but—”
I hear the horn go off and look up in time to see the idiot in the front passenger seat with his palm pressing the middle of Jane’s friend’s steering wheel. “Time to hit the road!” he shouts.
“I’m sorry Savage. We have to go. I’ll talk to you when I get back, okay?” she says, a plea on her voice. But she’s not asking.
My fists curl into a ball around my dress clothes, and I hear the threat of a growl at the back of my throat. I want to drag those two boys out of that convertible and beat them right into the ground. Especially Josh. I wouldn’t hesitate to do exactly that if everyone already knew Jane was mine.
“Go.”
I don’t wait for her to turn away. Storming off to the side of my truck, I climb inside, start my engine, and drive off over the gravel roadway in a hurry, almost grateful for the cloud of dust in my wake, blurring out the sight of them.
16
Jane
Best. Road Trip. Ever.
NOT.
I don’t know what Meg was thinking when she planned this trip. It would’ve been great if she had told me she invited these guys. One is a coworker from the min
e. They’re both boys we knew at high school, but from the way Josh looks at me now, I wouldn’t want to spend five seconds in a room alone with him, let alone go somewhere with him for the weekend. And from Savage’s reaction earlier, they don’t like each other either.
My heart is still hurting from the way Savage became so upset. It broke me to watch him storm away and drive off, all the dust swirling in the air like a dark cloud, an impenetrable void between us that had never been there before. My pulse races as Meg drives away from town, away from him, away from what should be an opportunity to clear the air with the man who has my heart. As the town becomes smaller and smaller behind us, fading in the distance into nothingness, all I want is a redo of the last five minutes in that parking lot.
Talking a long breath that I didn’t realize I needed, I lean back into the uncomfortable back seat. I’m still trying to figure out why Meg feels it’s okay for me to sit in the back. My hair is ruined. No hair product on the market can tame the bird’s nest now sitting on my head after three hours of being windblown and tangled at speeds of sixty miles per hour, with no hat or head scarf for protection.
Even after asking Bryan to switch seats with me—begging, actually—he just laughed it off and continued hitting on Meg as she drove. Meg didn’t put her foot down and demand that he does as I ask. I’ll never know why she’d defer to this loser, and make a silent prayer that she’s not into him or anything.
Relaxing back here won’t be easy. This car may have been promoted as a luxurious four-seater convertible, but it’s still a convertible meant for two. Maybe little kiddies would fit in the back for a short trip to run errands or to and from school. Not two grown people on a three hour mostly highway drive. Especially not with the top down.
The air whizzing by is loud and deafening. It’s so loud that I can’t hear the music that’s playing, let alone find the entertainment or escape that our favorite beats usually provide.
And the ride itself, it’s pure torture. The slighted bump, dip or groove in the road feels like we’ve dropped into an abyss or are flying over one of those ramps that famous stunt drivers use to clear fifty parked cars side-by-side.
My legs are numb, and my spine is stiff less than an hour into the trip. This sucks.
I’m not one to bitch and complain, but the three-hour drive turns out feeling like six, for two more reasons.
The same two reasons this entire weekend is a bust.
Josh and Bryan.
Dammit.
It’s supposed to be chicks before dicks.
Hoes before bros.
Ovaries before brovaries, as I saw on a meme somewhere.
That’s one thing we promised each other since fifth grade. But I can’t ask too much of her at the moment. Not when she’s still pissed at me for not telling her about me and Savage. My week was so busy sitting in on interviews that Meg and I haven’t had a chance to talk about it since she found out at the fundraiser. I was hoping to use much of this drive to the college to fill her in, to explain why I never told her, and plead for her forgiveness. And to beg for her continued secrecy.
Now, our convo is off the table until we can find a moment alone.
A resource that I discover will evade us for the Entire. Fucking. Weekend.
My next shocker is our rooming arrangements.
We arrive at the college, and Meg announces that we’re staying in a co-ed dorm—in a four-bunk bedroom, with Josh and Bryan.
“Sorry what?” I ask.
She shrugs and tilts her head to one side, trying to look apologetic. “Yeah. There’s that.”
“Sounds cozy,” Josh remarks, smiling and rubbing his hands together like it’s fucking Christmas, and Santa made a few extra trips down his chimney.
“Meg, can we speak privately for one minute?” I ask, and take her hand, leading her off to one side while the boys stretch their legs.
“What’s up, honey?” she asks.
“Really, Meg? You have to ask? Why did you invite them at all? And how did you find yourself agreeing to these sleeping arrangements?”
“It’s just for the weekend,” she says, barely paying attention to me. Her eyes are wandering all over the campus parking lot, and beyond it to the academic buildings and dorms nearby. “It’ll be fun, you’ll see. They’re not that bad.”
“Not that bad? Are you kidding? I was worried that if Bryan put his hand any further up your leg, we’d see your lady bits from the back seat. The guy’s a total horndog.”
She gives me an impatient look. “Let’s just settle in and see how things go. Besides, with all the tours, parties and other late-night events going on, I doubt we’ll spend any time in our rooms other than to pass out at night and get dressed in the morning.”
“Parties? Late-night events? Who the hell are you and what did you do to my best friend?”
She hits my arm playfully and giggles. “You’re so funny lately, Jane!”
“No, I’m dead serious. You’ve been looking forward to this trip to research your master’s program, talk to professors, look into special research grants and bursaries, and check out all the academic facilities. We’ve finally made it here, and you’re talking about partying like a sorority debutante? And with these two grabby jerks? I don’t know who you are anymore.”
“Come on, doll!” She hooks her arm into mine when she sees that the boys have unloaded all our travel bags and are walking toward the co-ed dorm. “I’ve done all my research. I just want to enjoy myself a little. Can you go with the flow for one silly little weekend? Trust me, it’ll be great!”
Crap.
Meg’s mind is made up. I can’t say no even if I wanted to. Well, I guess I can, if I figure out which bus line can take me back to my hometown. But I don’t feel right leaving her alone with Josh and Bryan. I just can’t.
Although it’s my loyalty to her that might just end up being my biggest weakness.
Every sinking feeling that I had for this weekend turns out to be accurate.
No, it’s worse than I thought possible.
Meg is so excited about going out that we drop our bags at the dorm, freshen up, and head to a party a few buildings away. The guys follow us there. They’re stuck to us as though we’re theirs. At one point when everyone at the standing room only party starts dancing to Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy, I have to pry myself away from their Meg and Jane human sandwich.
I leave them for a few minutes and go outside for some fresh air. When I get back, Meg’s gone. It’s like she vanished into thin air.
Yep.
That happened.
I lose Meg at a party on the first night, and don’t see her at all for the entire time. Not once did she come back to our dorm room. I check the car and find that it’s still parked in the same spot. But Meg or one of the guys have the keys, because she never gave it to me and it’s not with her things here at the dorm. I’m torn between being mad at her and scared for her safety. When three in the morning rolls around, I’m so worried that I call campus security to find out if they can do anything about it. They’re no help at all.
“Forty-eight hours is the minimum amount of time someone has to be missing on campus for us to log the formal request,” the guard informs me.
He won’t lift a finger?
“But sir, you have to understand, she forgot her smartphone in my purse. That means we don’t have a way to contact each other.”
“Miss, it’s only been a few hours. Most students turn up eventually. Give her the night to sober up. Trust me, if you have her phone, she’ll find you.” He lets out a cocky, dismissive laugh. “No girl with all her faculties intact can stay away from her phone that long.”
I pull the phone from my ear and look at it in disbelief. Oh my God, did he really just say something that misogynistic? “Do you have a manager I can speak with?” I ask, losing my patience.
“I’m the night manager, Miss.”
“Do you see that your logic is exactly the reason we need to look for her?
She has no way to contact anyone if she finds herself in trouble, and if someone roofied her, she wouldn’t have her faculties intact to recognize how much she needs her phone!”
I take a long breath when I hear how anxious and unnerved my voice sounds.
“There’s no need to panic, Miss. Feel free to swing by our office at Building E when your friend has been missing for over forty-eight hours. I have other calls on the line, so you try to enjoy your evening.”
The guard hangs up on me, and I have no choice but go to bed on the awful bottom bunk, hoping he knows what he’s talking about.
I open my eyes around dawn the next morning when Josh and Bryan return to the room from whatever kegger they were at all night.
“Did you guys see Meg at all last night?” I ask, sitting up slowly from what feels like the cheapest, lumpiest twin mattress ever made.
“Naw,” Josh slurs. He can hardly walk in a straight line. “Last time we saw her, you two were together. I wouldn’t worry. She’s probably warming up to some grad student or frat boy she met.”
I wipe the sleep from my eyes and glare at him, but he’s too sloshed to notice.
Getting up, I pull my travel bag close to the bed to look for some clothes to wear. Bryan collapses into the other bunk bed. Josh is another story. He sits beside me on my bed and leans on my shoulder. “Sup, sweetness?” he asks.
This son of a bitch has got to be kidding.
“You reek of booze and you look like hell,” I tell him, rolling my eyes as I pick up my bag and take it to the study desk between the two beds.
“Come on, princess. You know I like you.” Josh corners me, pressing up against my back and grinding against my ass.
“Stop it!” I scream at him and move out of his way. “And for your information, no, I don’t like you, I’m not attracted to you, and I do not want your slimy hands or body anywhere in the vicinity of mine.”
“Jesus fuck, I was just having a little fun with my cute colleague from HR,” he says. “You don’t have to be a fucking bitch about it.”
Mountain Man's Virgin Page 11