Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 113934 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113934 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
She smiled.
“Maybe drive off to a parking lot somewhere. Then, what would we do?”
Giggling like I had just said something totally funny, she looked around and then back at me. “Wyatt, do you know how pissed Jenny would be if we hooked up? I mean, I’m all for it. Just to see her face when I tell her we had sex in the backseat of your truck…it would make my entire year.”
Holy hell. What is wrong with these girls?
“So, let me get this straight. You want to sleep with me to get back at Jenny? Why?”
Beth turned and looked at Jenny, who was still attempting to get Jacob to give her any kind of signal. “Look at her. She’s hanging all over Jacob.” Glancing back at me, she shook her head. “You know Skylar and Jacob dated, right?”
I simply nodded.
“Jenny was always so jealous of Sky. When that whole…thing with Charlie happened, Jenny took off and ran with it. She started spreading lies around about Skylar. If any of us tried to defend Skylar, she’d threaten to kick us off the squad.” Beth pressed her lips together in an attempt to control her emotions. “I really like Skylar. She was always so nice, and I swear, she doesn’t have a mean bone in her body, but Jenny made us say such horrible things about her. I feel so guilty sometimes.”
Pushing off the wall, I stood closer to Beth. “You do realize how much I care about Skylar, right? That before that little stunt Jenny pulled, Skylar and I were dating.”
She shook her head. “I knew y’all were close friends, but Jenny said you would never date Skylar because of…well, you know.”
My eyes lifted, and I noticed Jenny staring at me and Beth.
Looking back down to Beth, I said, “You need to decide something right now, Beth. Who would you want to hurt more…Jenny or Skylar?”
With a confused expression, she asked, “What do you mean?”
“Say I did take you to my truck, and we messed around—and let me make one thing clear, I’m not going to. But if I did, you would get back at Jenny, and you’d also be hurting Skylar.”
Her lips parted open. “I would never want to hurt Skylar any more than I already have.”
“Then, if you want to get back at Jenny, why don’t you start treating Skylar the way she deserves to be treated?”
“But, if I’m nice to Skylar, then I might become an outcast, too.”
Shrugging, I simply said, “That’s a chance you’ll have to take.”
Beth nodded. She reached up and hugged me. “Thank you, Wyatt.” Taking a step back, she laughed. “And for the record, I knew you wouldn’t take me to your truck. You’re not that kind of guy.”
“What if I had said yes?”
“I would have panicked and come up with an excuse.”
I tossed my head back and laughed. “Somehow, I didn’t think you were that type of girl, Beth. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to head on home.”
Glancing over to Jacob, I nodded. Jenny must have given up on him.
He stood and made his way over to me. “Leaving?”
“Yep,” I said with a smile.
He set his drink down and said, “I’m right behind you. The sooner I get the hell out of here, the better.”
Nodding my head, I mumbled, “Amen.”
I came to a stop and turned to look around. Something about the room had changed. I quickly scanned it, looking for Skylar, but she wasn’t there. Shaking my head, I brushed it off and followed Jacob out the front door.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
* * *
Skylar
MICHELLE AND MITCH had talked me into going to Mike’s party. The second we walked in, I knew it was a mistake. People stared at me like I was carrying some kind of disease. We walked into the living room, and I came to a dead stop. Wyatt was talking to Beth, Jenny’s best friend and the co-captain of the cheerleading squad.
I couldn’t pull my eyes off of them. When Wyatt threw his head back and laughed, it felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. Then, Beth hugged him.
Oh God, Wyatt is moving on. I couldn’t blame him, especially after I’d hurt him earlier with my comment about only going to the championship game to see Mitch. Truth was, Wyatt was the one and only reason I had gone. I’d wanted nothing more than to run out onto the field and kiss him.
I was about to turn and tell Michelle I couldn’t stay when Beth walked away from Wyatt. Jacob got up and walked over to Wyatt. They talked for a second and then started for the front door. Quickly scanning for Beth, I saw she was sitting on the sofa, talking to Mike and his sister, Candace. I let out the breath I had been holding.
“Hey, it looks like Wyatt is leaving. Do you want to say hi to him?” Mitch asked.