“Alright. Perfect. Thanks. I owe you.”
“Yeah, you do.” Jonah ended the call and glanced over at her. Roxanne was smiling, and she brushed her hand over his arm.
“I don’t mind if that’s what you’re about to ask.”
“Sorry about this.”
Roxanne shook her head. “Don’t be. I wouldn’t leave Holden hanging either, and he’s not even my brother.” She smirked. “I mean, if it were Bogs, I totally wouldn’t bail him out.”
Jonah laughed and took the exit for the fairgrounds. It’d been a long time since she’d attended the annual event. Whenshe was a kid, the Fair was something she looked forward to every year. Her parents made a point of taking all of them. Long after her brothers had outgrown it, her mom and dad still took her. It was a highlight and one of her core memories.
It had gotten much larger since the last time she’d been there. Jonah was smart to give Holden a meeting location. As they drove through the lot, throngs of people were weaving through the cars. He pulled up to an open space at the curb and looked in his rearview mirror, then out the windows. It would be a miracle to find him in the crowd. She leaned forward, scanning the people when Holden came into sight. He headed straight for the truck at a quick pace.
Roxanne expected him to go to the driver’s side window. Instead, he came to hers. Holden grasped the edge of the door and laughed. “You just saved my ass. And I …” Holden’s gaze darted to Roxanne. His eyes widened, and his mouth fell open.
“Hold,” Jonah called, but his little brother was completely fixated on her. She lifted her hand in a short wave, battling her smile.
“Hi Holden.”
His brows dipped, and the corners of his mouth curled. “What are you doing here?” He darted his gaze between her and Jonah. “Wait, are you guys on a date?”
Roxanne flattened her lips, keeping her smile at bay. He seemed just as excited as she was. If that were possible.
“Holden!” Jonah snapped, stretching his tattooed arm across her lap, card in hand. “A hundred dollars max, and you will pay me back.”
The credit card was enough to break Holden’s trance, and he took it, stuffing it in his back pocket. She expected a quick goodbye, but he leaned down, resting his elbows on the window ledge.
“You guys on a date?”
Roxanne remained silent and peeked over at Jonah, who was sending his brother a harsh glare.
“So where are you guys going? Out to eat? Is it just dinner or are you gonna hang out after?”
“Shouldn’t you be more concerned withyourdate?” Jonah snapped.
His face lit up, and he pointed at Jonah, shaking his hand. “So this is a date?”
“Jesus Christ,” Jonah muttered, dragging his hand through his hair.
The brothers needed an intervention.
“Yes, your brother and I are on a date. And here’s some advice about girls.” She curled her finger.
Holden leaned closer. “What?”
“We don’t like to be kept waiting. So now that you have the credit card, go find your date and make sure she has a great time. Okay?”
He chuckled and nodded eagerly. “I will. You guys have fun too. Where’d you say you’re going?”
“Holden!” Jonah snapped, and she snickered, turning her body to block Jonah’s view. She pointed to the group he’d come from. “Go.”
Holden straightened and stepped back with a grin. Jonah took off, and a few minutes later they were pulling out of the lot, heading toward the highway. Jonah hadn’t said a word, and there was a slight tension in the truck. But Roxanne knew how to fix that.
“Well, it’s official,” she sighed, meeting Jonah’s stare and smiling, “Holden definitely thinks we're banging.”
“Yeah.” Jonah’s scowl deepened for a second, then his lips spread into a smile. He lifted his chin. “And thanks for that back there. I probably should’ve left him on his own to learn a lesson.”
Roxanne knew little about Jonah’s past. Just some basics she’d heard in passing and never any details. He’d taken over custody of his brothers and raised them after his parents died. It must’ve been hard to balance unprepared parenthood at a young age. By the looks of it, it still might be.
