Clutch (Custom Culture) (8 page)

“Yeah, maybe I just like to have a good time. So can I borrow the truck or not?”

Jason walked out from the back with some boxes. “I’m going to ship these. I’ll be back in time to go to the bank.” He nodded at Barrett and walked out.

Seeing my partner made me realize that I was being just as much an asshole to Barrett as Jason had been to his sister. I needed to lay off and let him make his own decisions, as stupid as they, no doubt, would be. “The keys are in the kitchen cupboard at home, but you’ll owe me for gas. That truck gets about five miles per gallon.”

My sudden change of tone shocked Barrett, and he stared at me for a second before gracing Scotlyn with another smile and leaving.

Scotlyn was still holding back a laugh as he hurried out. I was glad to see that her mood had lightened.

“Not you too,” I said.

Her blue gaze lifted from the monitor. “Me too, what?”

“There isn’t a female on this planet who doesn’t find my kid brother adorable.”

She glanced out the window as Barrett pulled away from the curb on his loud bike. “I’ll bet the girl he snuck out on this morning doesn’t think he’s so adorable.”

“Good point. And if she’s smart, she is texting every girl in his phone list with some rude comment to piss them all off.”

She nodded. “That sounds like an appropriate punishment. And, yes, to answer your question, he is adorable. There is something about him that reminds me of—”

“A stray puppy?” I finished for her.

She laughed. “Yes, I guess that’s it.”

Chapter 12

Taylor

I’d never been big on having a lot of close girlfriends growing up, but the two that I had spent most of my spare time with had basically threatened to shun me forever if I didn’t meet them after school at the taco stand for a gossip session. I knew the only real gossip they were interested in was my break-up with Adam. Rumors had been swirling through the hallways all day— another one of a million reasons why I was anxious for high school to be over. But at the risk of not having anyone to eat lunch with, especially now that I was the
bitch
who broke Adam Gray’s heart, I’d agreed to meet Jasmine and Kiley.

Unfortunately, it seemed that everyone else from high school had gotten the taco urge too. The senior class president had backed his truck up near the eating area, and his music was blasting over the wobbly fiberglass tables that were too hot to sit on in summer and cold on the butt in winter. Today had been perfectly warm, and, it seemed, half the student body had swarmed the place for cheap tacos. The owners never minded because they sold a crapload of tacos and cokes and most of the time there wasn’t any trouble.

I shuffled past a repeat of the chorus line of cold glares that had followed me along the line of lockers that morning. Adam was greatly loved on campus, and overnight, I had become the harsh witch who’d hurt him. He must have been spreading a massive sob story around campus to drum up sympathy from the bevy of girls who already worshipped him.

“Taylor!” Jasmine yelled to me from across the way. I walked over to her. She could have cared less if everyone was pissed at me. Not giving a shit about what other people thought was one of the reasons I’d stayed friends with her. Kiley was the opposite, but she’d obviously decided that hearing the juicy story of the break-up was worth a few scowls from her classmates. They’d saved me a spot at the small table that butted up to the parking lot. I scooted in between them.

Jasmine slid a soda in front of me. “We want to hear every detail so don’t leave out a thing.”

I took a long sip of the drink for dramatic effect as if I was about to divulge the juiciest break up story in the world. Then I swallowed and relaxed with a sigh. Jasmine and Kiley both stared hungrily at me as if I was a blueberry cheesecake. I took a breath. “Adam and I broke up.”

Jasmine shifted on the bench anxiously. “Yeah, the entire school knows that but the details, Girl, the details. Was there a hideous fight? Did he catch you with someone else?”

My mouth dropped as I turned toward her. “Why do you assume that I would be the one cheating?”

She paused but only for a second. Jasmine was also brutally honest— another thing I liked about her. “Oh, come on, Taylor, out of the two of you, you would be the one to mess around. Not Adam.”

She was right. It might have been one of the reasons behind me not falling madly and passionately in love with Adam. He was too damn safe.

“I guess you’re right.” I tapped my chin. “Detail? Let me think. Well—”

They both leaned toward me.

“Well, we decided not to see each other anymore and then I got out of his car and I walked inside my house.”

“Oh, come on,” Kiley said disappointedly and probably regretting that she’d risked being seen with me for an uneventful break up story.

“Seriously, nothing exciting happened.”

“But you broke up with him, right? What was your reason?” Jasmine was putting forth her best effort to make the story juicy even if it wasn’t.

I shrugged. “It was sort of mutual, but I knew I was just dating him to please my parents. The guilt of it got to me.”

Jasmine’s shoulders slumped in disappointment. “That just sucks. And only you, my friend, would date the most popular guy in school to please your parents. Do you know how many girls have crushes on him?”

“I know. That’s why I figured he’d get over it quickly.” I glanced around. Most people had returned to their tacos and conversations, but there were still a few icy glares from the table of cheerleaders. “And you’d think girls would be thanking me for making him available again.”

“I think the bad vibes are mostly Adam’s doing,” Kiley said. “They do love to protect their own at our silly little high school. I’m so done with it all.”

I took a sip of my drink. “That makes two of us.”

Jasmine picked up her cell phone. “I think I’ve gotten one text all day, and it came from my mom so it doesn’t even count. Speaking of moms,” she said, and I knew what was coming next. “What’s yours doing now that you broke it off with Adam? Or does she know?” She grabbed my arm. “You aren’t going to be shipped off to Florida again, are you?”

“She’s taking the break-up hard, almost as if she’d been dating Adam instead of me, but no, I’m not going back to my aunt’s.” Nix had dropped me off at my house before school. My parents were, of course, waiting with tight lips and flared nostrils. But I was ready for them. “I told my parents that if they wanted me to get a high school diploma, they had to leave me alone and let me finish school here. Otherwise, I’m not going to graduate.” I’d formulated the threat while tossing and turning and fighting off seasickness on Nix’s couch. I was sure they wouldn’t go for it, so I had a plan B. I would leave home but this time I wouldn’t chicken out. I’d stay gone for good. Surprisingly, my parents had agreed to my deal.

“So,” Jasmine spoke up, “have you seen
him
yet?”

There were few people who didn’t know about my obsession with Clutch, and I wished I’d been more discreet. But it had been too hard to hide. “I’ve seen him a few times,” I said casually as if each time hadn’t hit me like a high speed train. “But I’m moving on to new things. Clutch was my high school crush, and we’re not suited for each other.” Every word sounded like a laughable lie in my head, but I needed to persuade myself that I was done thinking about him.

Kylie elbowed me. “Speaking of Jimmy Mason, isn’t that Barrett?”

A subtle hush had fallen over the crowd as Barrett walked through the maze of tables to the order window. Jason had told me he was back in town, but I hadn’t seen him yet. He commanded his usual attention with his long blond hair, wide shoulders and Hollywood face. A tall, lanky guy with a mosaic of tattoos on both arms and long black hair was with him. He looked like a guy who’d been around the block more than once and quite possibly the block had been a jail block. Barrett always migrated toward the dark, edgy types as if he was always hoping trouble would find him. Which it often did.

Kiley nearly fell off the edge of the bench watching Barrett walk to the order window. “I was in total and complete mourning when that boy got expelled from school. There wasn’t anything to wake up for and drag my ass to class knowing he was no longer going to grace the halls with his presence.”

I looked over at her. “I didn’t realize you had such a big thing for him.”

She shot me a disgusted look. “That’s because you were so absorbed with your own crush on his older brother, you never paid my wants and needs any attention.”

I stared at her. “Wants and needs? God, you’re dramatic. And, besides, if you wanted him so badly, why didn’t you just go for it?”

“Because that would have been about as successful as your attempts to catch his brother.” When Kiley’s claws came out, they were always extra sharp.

“Damn,” Jasmine gushed, “he’s just as dreamy as ever.” She looked over at me. “I thought he was out on a fishing boat somewhere.”

“Yeah, I think he had a problem and came back home. I don’t really know. Jason doesn’t talk about stuff much.”

Kiley drew a loud slurp through her straw. “Come to think of it, how come you never dated Barrett?” she asked.

“Because he’s not Clutch,” Jasmine answered for me, and she was right. I’d always gotten along well with Barrett. We were both the irritating younger siblings, but that had been our only common bond. And, Jasmine had phrased it perfectly, Barrett wasn’t Clutch.

Kiley broke into a coughing fit as she sucked in a big sip. Barrett and his friend were headed to our table, once again we were drawing unwanted attention from the rest of the taco eaters.

Barrett smiled. Kiley and Jasmine stiffened next to me. “Hey, Tater Tot.”

“I’d forgotten about that stupid nickname,” I groaned. “I heard you were back, Rett. Couldn’t hack it out on the fishing boat?” I hadn’t seen him for awhile, but we’d always spent most of our time together harassing each other.

“I hacked it just fine, Tater Tot.” He sat down and I was sure I heard Kiley suck in a breath. His friend scooted in across from us too. He was inked from his knuckles up to his neck.

Barrett lifted his chin toward Jasmine and Kiley. “Girls, how are you doing? This is my friend, Gus. We were out on the Bering Sea together.”

“And what are your names?” Gus asked staring straight at me.

Jasmine shifted on her butt and straightened. “Yeah, Barrett, what are our names? Or do you even remember?”

“This is Taylor.” Barrett lifted his sunglasses, and Kiley sucked in another breath. I was certain she would collapse into a dead faint if he so much as spoke to her. He squinted at Jasmine as if that would jog his memory. “Yeah, I remember you—” Barrett had no real reason to remember her name. She was three years younger and hadn’t any contact with him except to drool over him along with the other freshmen girls. “You’re that girl who always wore the jeans that were ripped along one thigh. Best pair of denims I’ve ever seen.”

I could almost feel the heat of Jasmine’s blush radiating from her skin. Her tough exterior melted, and she giggled in a fashion that I’d never heard from her. Barrett always knew exactly what to say. If only his brother had learned that skill.

Kiley reached across the table. “I’m Kiley.” Amazingly, she’d managed to speak and even shake his hand without passing out.

He squinted again and pointed at her. “You used to have a bottom locker in the same row as me. It was always a pleasure watching you dig out your textbooks.”

A tiny, shrill sound chirped from Kiley’s mouth, and her hand flew to her lips to make sure nothing else escaped.

I looked at Barrett. “I see you haven’t changed a bit.” Aside from his incredible looks, it suddenly came back to me that he had an unsurpassed talent for winning people over, even if he didn’t remember names.

Barrett’s order number was called. He jumped up to pick up his food.

I looked over at Gus. “So, how long are you in town for?”

“Long enough, I hope.” It was a strange answer.

“Long enough for what?”

“Long enough to get to know you.” From anyone else it would have sounded like a well-practiced line, but there was something really intense and raw about Barrett’s friend. He didn’t seem like a guy who’d flirt or flatter without serious intentions, unlike his blond pal.

Barrett returned with their tacos. “Here you go, but I’ve got to warn you, it’s not going to be like the fish you get up in Alaska. Nothing is that tasty.”

“It seems like seafood would lose its appeal if you spent a lot of months on a fishing boat,” I said.

Gus shrugged. “Sometimes. It kind of depends on who you share it with.” He held up his taco. “Want a bite?” He was talking to me as if we were the only people at the table, and it was both weird and kind of cool all at the same time.

I leaned forward and took a bite of his taco. He watched my mouth with such scrutiny, I could feel my cheeks warm.

“So, Dray told me you were banished from seeing my brother?” Barrett blurted. The look he gave me told me that his interruption was well planned. “Although, knowing how you are, Tater Tot, you would go out of your way to see him just because you weren’t supposed to. I guess that was how you got shipped off to Florida.”

I picked up the soda. “Look who’s talking.” I shot a questioning look of why are you being such an ass, which he picked up on right away. It seemed that he sensed something between his friend and me, and he’d gone into brother loyalty mode. It was both tragic and amusing how so many people just assumed that Clutch and I would be together some day. I was slowly facing the ugly reality that it would never be. But the people who knew us best still hadn’t come to that conclusion.

“You’re right. It’s none of my business.” He focused on his tacos for a second and then must have decided to make my life his business again. “Wait a minute— were you at the car meet last night?”

I stared at him without responding.

He pointed at me with his taco. “I knew it. That would explain why Jimmy was in such a bad mood on the way home.”

Jasmine snickered.

“Yeah, I saw him, and thanks for assuming that I was the one who put him in a bad mood. Maybe he was just annoyed because you were with him.”

It must have been cryptic and confusing to Gus, but he listened to our conversation intently. “Clutch is Jimmy, your brother, right?” he finally asked for clarification. Then he turned to me. “Are you with Barrett’s brother?”

Jasmine removed the top from her cup to get at the ice. “She wishes.”

I scowled her way, and she quickly filled her mouth with ice and pretended she hadn’t just made the bitchy remark.

“It’s late. I’ve got to head home.” The conversation was boring me. I stood from the table, and Gus’s eyes followed me.

“Hey, are you going to Cassie and Dray’s party tonight?” Barrett asked before I walked away.

“Scotlyn asked me to go with them but I’m not sure.”

“Ah, come on,” Barrett said, “you should come. I think Jimmy was picking up some car that he has been dying to get his hands on. He’ll probably spend the whole night staring at his new purchase. I’ll bet he won’t even be there.”

“I might go,” I said. “It was nice meeting you, Gus.” Amusingly, it occurred to me that I wanted Clutch to be there just as much as I didn’t want him to show.