Getting Lucky (41 page)

Speaking of urges—Jackson leaned in, staring at Annabelle’s mouth. This girl hadn’t worn lip gloss one single day when he’d known her but now her lips were shiny and peach-colored.

Maybe she smelled, and tasted, like peaches.

The frown, however, was quite familiar.

“Mr. Brady,” she said coolly.

He grinned. No one called him Mr. Brady. That was hilarious. “Hey, Annabelle.”

She straightened. “I go by AJ now.”

Jackson pulled the chair in front of her desk around and straddled it, leaning on the back. “What’s the J stand for?”

Her eyes narrowed.

“Come on. That won’t be hard to find out if you don’t tell me.” His own mother probably knew.

“Why do you care?”

He wasn’t sure that he did. He did know that his asking made her bristle and that was fun for him for some reason.

Actually, he knew the reason. This woman had caused him a lot of trouble. Causing her a little discomfort seemed like his due.

He shrugged. “I’m not asking for the key to your diary. Why do you not want me to know?”

Was needling her immature? Of course. Was he above teasing a girl from his past just to piss her off? He hoped so. But he was still doing it.

She sighed. “Josephine. If you must know.”

“Annabelle Josephine,” he said thoughtfully. “I like it.” She looked much softer and more feminine than she ever had in high school. He remembered her in jeans, loose plaid shirts over t-shirts, Converse tennis shoes and ponytails. The flowy skirt was nice. Her hair down was beautiful. And he’d bet damn good money she smelled delicious. All over. Yet AJ seemed so much more formal than Annabelle.

“You can call me Ms. Hartington.”

He gave her another grin. “I don’t think so.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“I’ve known you since we were five, Annabelle. I’m not one of your students and, frankly, I’m not really into a lot of formality.”

“You don’t say.” She pulled her chair out and took a seat behind her desk, prim and proper as all get out.

Jackson slumped farther and wished he had a cap on so he could turn it around, brim in back, and look
really
unconcerned. But no, he’d dressed up. He was in a button-down shirt and pants that weren’t denim. He definitely cared about this interview. But something about Annabelle made him not want to let on.

Immature for sure.

And stupid. He wanted this job and she was the first person he had to impress—or at least get through—to get it.

Annabelle might be the head of the search committee for a new guidance counselor for Quinn High, but he was a hell of a counselor, and he had the track record and recommendations to prove it. His approach worked and he wasn’t going to change it to impress Miss Hoity-Toity.

She was in charge of this first interview. That was all fine and good. Someone had to vet candidates to avoid taking up the time of the whole committee and school board with people who wouldn’t be a good fit. Annabelle knew the town of Quinn and Quinn High as well as anyone. She’d grown up here, attended K through twelve here, had been teaching here since college graduation.

Plus she was judgmental as hell and loved to share her opinion. She’d very likely volunteered to head the committee.

But her past opinions of him better not play into this. He was a good counselor. And he wanted this job more than anyone else they would see. He was a hometown boy too. For better or worse, that meant he knew this town and school—and they all knew him.

Tension knotted his shoulders and upper back and he rolled his neck, willing himself to calm down. He was jumping ahead. Yes, he and Annabelle had a history. An unpleasant one at that. And like any good small town, everyone in Quinn knew their history, knew his past transgressions, knew that his wild streak hadn’t ended with high school graduation. But people changed. He believed that, knew it was possible, believed it about himself. He was set on proving it to the town. So he had to give her the benefit of the doubt here.

And maybe stop trying to piss her off on purpose.

And don’t miss the other books in the Boys of Fall series!

Free Agent
–
Mari Carr

Going Long
–
Cari Quinn

with

Illegal Motion –
Erin Nicholas

Red Zone –
Mari Carr

Going Deep –
Cari Quinn

Coming fall 2015!

Getting Lucky

Copyright © 2015 by Erin Nicholas

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book, with the exception of brief quotations for book reviews or critical articles, may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by an means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Digital Edition

ISBN: 978-0-9863245-6-7

Editor: Heidi Moore

Line editor: Kelli Collins

Cover artist: Valerie Tibbs

Digital formatting: Author E.M.S.