Rebel Soul: (Rebel Series Book 1) ((Rebel Series)) (25 page)

My father was quiet, absorbing my words. He nodded slowly, pursing his lips. “So you care about this boy a lot?”

“Yes.” 

“What happens when you go to college?” he asked, looking as if he figured I was about to tell him I’d decided to throw away all my academic goals for a boy.

“Brock hasn’t changed my decision to go to college.” I arched a brow, almost amused. “I don’t
only
care about him. I still care about my future, my dreams and my hopes. I still care about my friends and my family; I just
also
care about him. We’ll make it work long distance if it’s meant to be. If it’s not, well…” I shrugged, trying to ignore the sick sensation of dread that the thought brought forth.

Dad regarded me for several moments before a proud smile eased the seriousness of his expression. “I’m proud of you, Tessa. I don’t give you enough credit. You’re a smart girl. A strong girl.”

“Does this mean you’re going to give him a chance?” I asked, trying to keep the hopefulness from my tone.

“I’ll do my best, kiddo,” Dad promised, reaching across the seat and rubbing the top of my head like he used to do when I was a little kid.

“Dad!” I laughed, ducking away from his hand and trying to fix my hair. “Can we go now?” I asked, glancing at the time. “I’m starving.”

He nodded, his eyes twinkling as he started up his truck and pulled out of the parking spot.

* * *

A good hour later, I walked into the open doors of O’Riley’s with Elle by my side. The bar seemed to have gone through a transformation. It was brighter and there were crisp white linen cloths on the tables. Beautiful flower arrangements were placed on each of the tables and booths. Meat and cheese trays, vegetable trays and sandwiches were in abundance on the long table against the far wall. There was a coffee urn and a drink station.

Brock stood by the food table, helping Aiden pick out things for his plate. I glanced around, looking for Braden. I didn’t see him anywhere and neither did Elle. I felt her deflate a little beside me before she tossed her shoulders back and took off towards the bar to join Travis, Grady, Ezra and Peter.

I made my way over to Brock, my heart thudding in my chest when he lifted those metallic eyes. He smiled softly at me, lifting his head a fraction.

“Hi, Aiden,” I said, crouching down to give him a hug. He hugged me back, melting into my arms. During the last week, we’d really bonded. When Becky asked me to take him for the day so she and Brock could finalize the funeral details, I’d made sure to make his day a special one that wouldn’t be clouded by sadness. We’d gone to my house and spent the majority of the day with the horses. Aiden helped me brush and feed them, and he’d even ridden on Scared Spirit after I’d found my old riding gear from when I was little. The helmet was a little loose, but it had served its purpose well enough for the gentle circles around the fenced-in ring.

Aiden
loved
it. It was his first time riding a horse and his face had shone with such excitement.

“Hi, Tessa. When can I ride Spirit again?” he asked, his eyes bright with excitement.

“Whenever your mom says it’s okay,” I told him with a smile. Becky had requested the week off work so she could spend time with her family and grieve. I wasn’t sure what her plans were, but she knew I was available to take Aiden whenever she needed the break. “But you’re welcome whenever, okay?”

“Okay.” Aiden smiled. I straightened up as Brock handed him his plate, watching as he wandered back over to his mom, to sit at one of the booths.

Brock’s hand found mine and he gently pulled me towards him. His free hand brushed a strand of hair out of my face and his eyes came to rest upon my lips. “You’re beautiful,” he told me before his lips gently descended to mine. He kissed me softly, tenderly, just long enough to make my heart rate thrum pleasantly in my chest.

A commotion at the bar broke our moment alone together and I turned my head, seeing Braden slam down his tumbler of whiskey in aggravation.

“Are you seriously going to try to tell me what to do right now, Elle?” he shot out, his eyes flashing with rage.

Elle lifted her chin, her eyes never leaving Braden’s face. “I just don’t think drinking this much is a good idea.”

“Does everything always have to be about
you,
Elle? What
you
think and what
you
want and
your
plans?” Braden’s voice was angry and each word sliced into my friend’s heart like a blade.

“Braden!” I said sharply, pulling away from Brock and stomping towards them.

Elle held up a hand, stopping me. She turned her red rimmed eyes back to her boyfriend. “I know you’re hurting right now, Braden. But don’t lash out at me. Words can’t be erased,” she told him, her voice cautioning him to tread lightly. Every person in the room knew that Braden held Elle’s heart in the palms of his hands and he was dangerously close to crushing it.

The venomous, frantic despair in his eyes made me ache for my friend. He picked his tumbler back up, his eyes never leaving her face. “So don’t erase them then,” he challenged, tossing it back.

It was the exact moment that Elle’s heart completely crumbled. Her eyes welled up with tears that she stubbornly fought to control, and she nodded once with a calm sense of finality before she turned and wordlessly left.

Brock

Tessa threw an angry look across the room at Braden before she followed her friend out of the bar and onto the street. I inhaled deeply through my nose, glancing around the bar. Thankfully, only my old friends and Braden’s friends had witnessed his outburst. None of the other guests had shown up from the funeral yet. I was relieved; I knew they surely would have judged us mercilessly for Braden’s display.

“Braden Joseph Miller.” Becky’s voice lashed out across the silence and she stomped towards him angrily. I followed behind her just in case I needed to intervene. Judging by the rage rolling off of Braden in waves, it looked like I’d have to. “How could you treat Elle so grotesquely after everything she’s done for you?”

“Whatever. This is fucking bullshit,” Braden exploded, his eyes bright with animosity and torment. He tossed back the rest of his drink and stomped off towards the back exit.

Sighing, I followed him, leaving Becky to clean up the awkwardness out front.

I found Braden leaning against the brick wall out back, smoking a cigarette. His red eyes opened when he heard me approach. “Are you going to lecture me too, big bro?” he said, his tone dark and dangerous. He reminded me so much of the kid I used to be, full of anger, disappointment and pain… and unable to direct it in any way but through rage.

It took me a long time to come to terms with my own demons. I knew I wasn’t fully there and that it would be an uphill battle for the rest of my life. It was harder before I found Tessa. I didn’t really have anyone to keep me accountable. Now I had a taste of something good, something wonderful and I’d be damned if I was going to let my anger fuck it up.

I was just sad my brother couldn’t see that. He was letting his rage at the world destroy something incredibly good and pure that he had. He was letting his ugliness spill out and hurt the girl I knew he loved.

He was acting like our old man, but I knew he didn’t need me to tell him that. He knew it. 

I studied him calmly for a few more seconds, mulling over what I wanted to say. “No, I’m not. I think you already know that you just made a mistake. No need to rub your nose in it.” Braden gaped at me. Whatever he’d been expecting me to say, it wasn’t that.

“Is she gone?” he asked, his eyes downcast.

“Probably. Why in the hell would she stick around after that?” I demanded, resisting the urge to smack him upside the head.

“Whatever,” Braden muttered, swallowing hard. “I’ll go in in a few. Let me finish my smoke,” he added, still not meeting my eyes.

I left him alone with his thoughts and his remorse.

Tessa wasn’t there when I went back inside and neither she nor Elle came back during the remaining hours of the reception. When everyone had left, I had to force Becky to stop cleaning up, gesturing to a nearly passed out Aiden.

“Take him home,” I told her. “I’ll finish up here.”

Becky glanced at her son, biting her bottom lip guiltily. I knew she felt bad that Braden had taken off without a word to either one of us. He hadn’t bothered to come back in for the rest of it. I wasn’t exactly surprised, but I knew Becky was worrying herself sick.

“Thanks, Brock.” She sighed, giving me a tight smile that didn’t reach her eyes. She grabbed her purse and picked up Aiden in her arms. His head lolled against her shoulder, his eyes barely opening at the disruption.

I finished packing away all the food and folded up all the linens. I carried everything out to my truck, including all of the table arrangements and walked back into the bar for one last check. Everything seemed to be back to normal; Mick was behind the bar, preparing for another dart competition night.

I stepped up to the bar, pressing my palms against the smooth wood. “Thanks, Mick. For letting us have the reception here.”

“No problem.” Mick waved away my words with a rough smile. “It was my pleasure. See you around, kid.”

I nodded, tapping my hands against the bar once before I pushed off. I headed to my trailer, feeling a little guilty for the number of times I’d had to leave Hunter over the last week.

I pulled up into the driveway, seeing the old Ford parked in front of the cabin, an easy smile lifting the corners of my lips at the sight of her. She was sitting on the picnic table, throwing a tennis ball for Hunter as I drove up.

Catching sight of me, Hunter forgot all about the ball. He bolted over to me, almost knocking me over when I climbed out of the cab. I gave him some overdue attention, rubbing his sides and scratching his belly when he finally rolled over onto his back.

“We’ve been entertaining ourselves,” Tessa told me, suppressing a smile.

“I see that.” I grinned, straightening up. I stepped around Hunter and made my way over to her, intent on kissing her like I hadn’t kissed her in days. I had kissed her, but not the way I’d wanted to. I’d had to be careful, reserved and respectful. Tessa stood up, walking toward me with a heated look in those amber eyes.

I grabbed her ass, pulling her tight against me as I kissed her in a way that would have made Pastor Bruce pass out. I just wanted to dive into her and disappear. She kissed me back, nipping at my bottom lip and sighing against my mouth. She pulled away, giving me a playful look. “Just so you know, I came here because I wanted to invite you over for dinner on Sunday.”

“Dinner?” I repeated, frowning. I knew her brothers had eased up about us seeing each other, but I didn’t think her dad had done the same.

“Yeah, my dad and I had a nice little chat this afternoon and he’s willing to give you a chance.”

“How’d you manage that one?” I asked skeptically, figuring it was some kind of trap.

“I think his main issue has always been me getting hurt by you. I told him he can’t protect me from every bad thing that may come my way and there are things I’m just going to have to experience myself. I also think he was worried I’d bail on my college plans and stay home, but I told him that wasn’t going to happen and he eased up a lot.” She shrugged, biting her lip.

I brought my hand up, gently freeing her bottom lip from her teeth. “I’m not going to hurt you,” I told her.

“I know that,” she whispered, looking up at me with her eyes wide with vulnerability. “I’m not sure how I know that, but I do.”

I smiled, framing her face with both my hands. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all that you’ve done this past week,” I told her, swallowing hard. “You’ve made this whole process a thousand times more bearable than I ever thought it could be. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she whispered as my lips descended upon hers.

The End

J.C. Hannigan lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband, their two sons and their dog.
She writes contemporary new adult romance and suspense. Her novels focus on relationships, mental health, social issues, and other life challenges.

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