Now, I can successfully drive myself from point A to point B without having a panic attack. Baby steps.
I’m walking to my car when the breeze picks up rustling my hair and sending a chill down my spine. That’s the trouble with summers in Oregon, they get warm but they can shift in an instant. This state loves the cold.
“Mar.” That voice grates against my skin. I hate that nickname too.
I lift my head to see Bryce leaning against the passenger side of my car, planting one foot on the sidewalk and the other propped against the car door. I want to tell him to get his dirty shoes off my car but I don’t want to start anything with him.
“Bryce,” I say with as little emotion as I can suppress. “What are you doing here?”
“Wanted to see if you would go somewhere with me.”Not a chance.
“Sorry, I have a late lunch date with my parents,” I lie easily, stopping short of my car to keep a safe distance from him. I’m infinitely annoyed he won’t leave me alone. Our history is just that, it should stay in the past. He’s just bored and looking for something to occupy his summer. He’s never beenvery good at being alone.
“Oh, come on, I’m sure you can explain you’re catching up with an old friend and they’ll understand.”
Don’t engage, Mara.“Sorry, our schedules are so busy this is the only time we get to all be together.”
“They didn’t matter this much to you in high school.” He’s digging.
“Things change.” A lot of things.
I try to walk between my car and the one parked behind it to get to the driver’s side when he steps closer to me and grabs my elbow. Not hard, not threateningly. But the fact that he thinks he has a right to touch me at all ignites a fire in me. And I’m not very good at controlling my temper.
“Come on, baby, I just want to catch up.” I highly doubt he wants to talk at all.
“Don’t touch me, Bryce,” I jerk my arm out of his grasp. The way his nostrils flare and his pupils dilate tells me that was the wrong thing to do.
Bryce grabs me with both hands by the upper arms in a bruising hold and gives me a quick shake. “What the fuck is wrong with you? You’ll be a whore for the Alder boys but not for me? We have history. I was always good to you.”
I jerk myself away again but his hold is stronger than my attempt to get away. I can’t believe he’s doing this in the fucking street where everyone could see.
“Fuck you, Bryce, I’m no one’s whore. And you were a piece of shit. Always have been, always will be. So get the fuck off of me.” I shove my hands into his chest which is enough to break his hold.
Just before he can step forward to try again, a large body comes between us. I’d know that body anywhere. The way his shoulder blades pinch at the center, the way his neck muscles strain, the way his hair is tied back to keep it out of his face. I spent hours memorizing every detail of him.
And I can’t believe he’s here.
Jason slams a fist into Bryce’s face without hesitation. Bryce doesn’t see it coming and barely puts up a fight. I should jump in the middle and stop this but I’m too stunned to move. Not to mention, Bryce has had this comingfor years. If anyone deserves to take a shot at him, it’s Jason.
“What the f–.” Relentless and determined, Jason doesn’t give Bryce the chance to finish his sentence before slamming his fist into his other cheek, systematically backing him into the wall of the coffee shop with each punch. It’s amazing to think this is now the second time I’ve watched Jason beat someone up, but this time I just stand back and watch because, to be honest, Bryce deserves it and so does Jason.
Jason pulls his arms back like a wind up toy providing him lots of momentum for each punch that rattles Bryce. He isn’t even fighting back at this point as Jason pulverizes him.
Seeing that Bryce is on the verge of collapsing, I finally decide to step in and stop the fight before anyone else notices and gets involved.
“Jason,” I shout once, but I’m not sure he can hear me over the blood and adrenaline pumping through him. So I risk a step closer and place a firm hand on his shoulder, calling his name one more time. “Jason!”
That gets his attention. He ceases his attack to turn his head toward me and I freeze. I never thought I would see those stormy eyes again, feel the overwhelming magnetism that draws me to his orbit. Yet, here he is. I don’t know if my anger is stronger than my relief to see him again.
Jason steps away from Bryce to admire his handy work, the blood and bruises form open wounds on his face and chest.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I ask once the fog has cleared from my brain.
I didn’t expect a verbal answer, but I also didn’t expect Jason to lift me and toss me over his shoulder. It’s very reminiscent of Shrek carrying Fiona through the woods.
“What the–Jason. Put me down.”
He carries me away from the scene of the crime, leaving my car on the street. I hear Bryce struggle to speak as we walk away but he manages to say. “You’re fucking crazy, man.”
