Veer (Clayton Falls) (20 page)

“You obviously want something, what is it?”

“You.”

“Get serious.”

He leaned in toward me, and if his behavior didn’t make it obvious, his breath did
. H
e was drunk.

“I hope you didn’t drive home.”

“I’m not drunk. And I am being serious. I want you.”

“Jake.”

“Becca
.
Just hear me out. The way I see it
,
we’re being really dumb here. We’re
totally perfect for each other
. W
hy stay just friends?”

“Because we’re not attracted to each other.”

“You’re not even the slightest bit attracted to me?”

I shook my head.

“You really don’t find me attractive?”

I trie
d not to laugh
. H
e looked crest
fallen. “I said I wasn’t attracted to you, not that you’re not attractive.”

“How is that different?”

“You want to sleep with every girl you think is pretty?”

“Well
,
I happen to think
you’re
more than pretty.”

“We already established that.” I tried scoot out from unde
r his arm
,
but he just moved closer
.

“Let’s find out.”

“Find out what?”

“What we’re like together.” The heated look in his eyes let me know exactly what he was suggesting.

“Okay, time to leave.” I used my left hand to remove his arm and got off the couch. In the process
,
I lost the blanket.

His eyes widened. “Nice, very nice.”

“Jake, I’m serious
. G
et out of here.”

“You’re the one who said I was drunk
. D
o you really want me driving
home
?”

“Your parents’ house is right out that door
. G
o sleep there.”
He was seriously getting on my nerves.

“I know what the problem is.”

“What’s that?” I replaced the blanket.

“You think I’m just saying these things because I’m drunk.”

“I know that’s why you’re doing it.”

“Don’t you know that alcohol makes people honest
?”

“Yeah
,
a
nd it also makes people stupid.
In what insane universe would I sleep with you?”

“You slept with Gavin.”

That was the last straw
.
I was angry. “Are you kidding me?
”

“Whoa
,
Becca
.
I didn’t mean it that way. I just meant, why him and not me?”

“
I was drunk and had a lapse of judgment.”

“You really think that’s all it was?”

“Yes. No. I don’t know. I like him
,
Jake
. O
kay
?
I like him. I might even consider doing it again sometime. There, see you aren’t the only crazy one. I’m into Gavin.” Wow, saying it aloud actually felt good.

I looked down at Jake and realized he’d fallen asleep. “Great.”

I poked at him, trying to wake him up. It was a studio, and there was no way I was sleeping in the same room with him, even if he was passed out. Not after
that
display. Besides, what would that look like
in the morning when Gavin came to pick me up
?

I couldn’t move him myself, and I figured telling his parents on him was a low blow. I couldn’t call Ben, not with the news Molly had delivered. The only one to call was Gavin—at least that’s how I rationalized it.
I got up the nerve and dialed his number.

“Becca, hey,
”
his deep voice answered.
I heard talking in the background
,
and then it got quieter
,
so he was probably walking out of
the room. “I’m glad you called.”

I got right to the point. “I
kind of need a favor.”

“Sure. What kind of favor?”

“It’s a removal.”

“Removal o
f
a person or a thing?”

“Person.”

“Is this a personal or professional removal
?
”

I hadn’t even though
t
about Gavin being a cop. O
o
ps. “Personal, definitely personal.”

“Are you at home
?” His voice was tense.

“Yeah.”

“Who’s at your place that you need removed?”

“Jake.”

“Do I even want to ask?”

“He came over here really drunk and passed out…”

Gavin laughed
, but it sounded forced
. “Okay, I’ll be right there.”

“Thanks.”

“Not a problem
. S
ee you soon.”

I hung up and went into the bathroom to change. I couldn’t deny a little bit of excitement at seeing Gavin again.

Chapter
Twenty

G
avin

I loved making
Becca
blush. I had a feeling I’d never get tired of it. For such a confident girl, she sure embarrassed easily. I was still having trouble wrapping my head around the idea that she’d given me her virginity. Sure
,
she was drunk, but
she
had to have been drunk with guys
before
.
Whatever the reason
,
I liked it. I liked knowing I was the only one who’d ever had her
. T
he more I got to know her, the more determined I was to keep it that way.

Running into Becca at the convenience store had been a surprise, but the bigger surprise was my reaction. I probably would have done anything in that moment to keep talking to her. I had been right from the beginning
:
one taste was definitely not enough. I was still thinking about her hours later when I’d just folded
my third hand in a row. For some reason
,
the cards were not happening
for me
.

“So did the car do the trick?” Greg asked.

“Yeah, it worked.”

“Then what the hell are you doing here?”

I laughed. “We’ve got plans tomorrow.”

“Are
you talking about Becca?” Ronny
asked.

“Yup.”

“
You’re
such an ass.”

“What
? Y
ou had your chance.”

That
got everyone’s attention.

“Yeah, I took her
out
for coffee. God knows what kind of date you got her to agree to.”

I shrugged and
decided to keep the details to myself.

My phone rang, and I was pleasantly surprised to find Becca on the other end of the line. I didn’t like
discovering
that Jake was at her place, but I did like
that
she’d call
ed
for my help. I really liked that.

“I’ve got to go,” I announced after we hung up.

“You’re going to
see
Becca
,
aren’t you?”
Ronny asked
.

“Yeah,” I said very aware that they’d all be drawing a different conclusion. I cared about her reputation, but I cared more about spreading the word that she was unavailable.

“Don’t fuck up this time
.”
Tom
took
a swig of beer.

“I won’t.”

“This time?” Ronny
asked. I shot Tom a look to keep him quiet. He nodded. I was good.

I headed out and was over
a
t Becca’s in two minutes.

“Thanks for coming.” She smiled at me when she opened the door. Of course
,
that was only after I told her it was me.
Life in a big city had seriously messed with her sense of safety. I wished I could change that.

“Of course. So, have you tried to wake him up
?
”

“I did, but he just fell back
a
sleep.”

“Do you want to try again, or should I?
”

“I’m guessing your method is less kind than mine, but then again
,
his behavior warrants it.”

“His behavior?”

My question was lost when she
bent
down to where he snored on the couch. “Jake, Jake
,
it’s time to wake up.” She
shook
him.

He opened his eyes, mumbled “come here, Becca,” and proceeded to try to pull her onto his lap. I say try because he didn’t get far.

“Okay, your method.” She took a few steps back to let me in.

I shook him
harder
. “Jake, wake the
hell
up. I’m not carrying you home.”

“Whatever.”

Damn, this was
hard. I assumed Becca wanted him
out because she didn’t want to sleep in the same room with him, which I agreed with wholeheartedly, even if he was passed out.

“I’m guessing you called me because you don’t feel comfortable with him here.” I was forming a plan, and I needed to know where she stood.

“It’s really not a big deal. The biggest worry I had isn’t an issue anymore anyway…” She trailed off.

“What issue was that?”

“What you’d think when you came to pick me up and found him here.”

She ca
red about my opinion of her. That
was good
. V
ery good.

“I wouldn’t have jumped to co
nclusions.” That was a complete
lie, but there was no reason to admit
what my real reaction would have been
.

“But you would have cared, right?
”
She bit her lip. This nervou
s habit of hers was dangerous. It just made me want to kiss her.

“Yes, I would have cared. I don’t like that he’s here at all. I’m glad you called.”

She seemed pleased with my response.

I was ready to suggest she come home with me
—t
hat would
’ve
solve
d
all of our problems
—
when she threw a wrench in that plan.

“But I still don’t want his parents seeing him leave tomorrow.
T
hey’d probably throw me out if they thought I was sleeping with their son.”

I had to laugh. “What would the Mathews care if you and Jake were involved? The problem is
that
they’d never let you leave.”

“Well
,
I’d rather not deal with the issue at all. Do you think you can help?”

“Yeah, can I get a glass of water?”

She smiled, figuring out where I was going. “
H
old on.”

She returned with a large glass. I
poured the water over his head
,
regretful
that
I
had
got
ten
her couch a little wet. “Wake up.”

It did the trick. “What the hell?”

“Get up
. Y
ou’re going home.”

“What the hell are you doing here? Oh, but at least you’re not in uniform this time. That means I’m not actually in trouble.”

“This time?” Becca asked. “This has happened before?”

“Long story, Bec
ca
.”

“All right. So
,
Gavin is going to take you home. I hope you aren’t too hung over tomorrow.”

“She mean
t
we’re taking you home.”

“I did?”

“I said I’d help, not that I’d do it.” I smiled at her. Clearly
,
I was more than capable of getting Jake home, but I definitely wasn’t ready to say goodnight to Becca yet.

“Fine. All right, let’s go
,
Jake.”