Page 93 of Already Callin’ You Mine

21

JACE

“Soooo…explain to me again what we’re doing here?”

Owen’s voice lifts slightly at the end, like he’s asking a question, even though it’s really more of a demand. He didn’t even say please.

“Looking for ideas,” I tell him, plowing my way through the front doors of the library, heading directly for my chosen section.

I am a man on a mission and I will not be stopped.

I weave my way through the stacks, as if on autopilot, my body knowing exactly where we’re headed. Halfway to the back, on the righthand side, and now spanning three whole aisles. Kenzie Wilder has really beefed up the selection in the last couple of years.

“In the romance section?”

I throw a look over my shoulder at him. Yes, in the romance section. Does he even know me?

Actually, I can’t take full credit here. Oddly enough, Hux deserves a teensy tiny bit of it. But really, only the ittiest, bittiest, teensy tiny, minuscule, barely noticeable amount. He was giving me shit when he said it.

Despite my better judgment, I still headed to Pour Decisions for Drafts and Dig In after being unceremoniously kicked out by Presley. Part of me wanted to barge back in there and kiss her until she couldn’t breathe and prove to her that I am in this and she is what I want. Another part wanted to sit in her driveway and guard the house, making sure that everything was okay and that I wasn’t missing something else going on. A third part wanted to mask all the hurt I was feeling with a damn good distraction.

Lord of the Fries food truck and their Elote fries, all smothered in cotija cheese, crema, chili powder, cilantro, and freshly grilled corn was such a distraction.

My brothers didn’t miss my foul attitude though. Nor the fact that Presley was missing. I should have left it with a simple “she’s busy” or “couldn’t get a babysitter.” But I didn’t. I unloaded on them. Confided in them.

It was not the brotherly love moment that I was hoping for.

Nope, they all laughed. Like somehow I was the idiot in this situation. Which is really rich coming from them, since they all had their own moments as they were figuring out things with their women. And I was helpful every time they needed me.

Sort of. Mostly.

Finally, Hux chimed in with something useful. “I thought you were the expert in all this?” He laughed, shaking his head. “What would happen in one of your books?”

That was all the inspiration I needed. Well, not all. It didn’t give me the answer I was looking for on how to make this all right. To figure out what I did wrong in the first place. But it was enough to turn on the lightbulb and get the gears moving.

And required a trip to the Hickory Hills town library.

“Of course.” I shrug, stopping in the middle of the aisle and turning toward my best friend. “It’s the answer to everything.”

Owen glares at me, one eye squinting while the other’s brow is raised, like he doesn’t believe a word I’m saying. But I know I’m right. Or will be. Once I figure out what I did wrong.

“Just how much did you have to drink last night?”

“None.” It’s the truth. I was much more focused on eating my feelings than drinking them this time. Seemed more productive somehow. Doubt that it was, but in the moment that made sense too. “I promise this makes sense. This is going to help me figure out how to show Presley I mean business.”

“Dude, if she didn’t take your word for it, then maybe you should just accept that you got dumped. It’s cool—happens to all of us.”

No, I will not accept it. Because that’s not what this is. I just need to find a way to demonstrate that I mean what I say. That both my words and actions are real.

That I’m not her fucking ex.

I pull a book from the shelf, flipping immediately to the back and starting to scan. Nope, not this one. I put it back and move on to another. That one isn’t it either. Nor is the one next to it—I don’t even need to open it to know. I’ve read that one, twice. It’s a damn good story, but not quite the right vibe.

“She didn’t dump me. We’re…”

“So help me, if you say we’re on a break…”

“Or what?” I challenge. “You gonna revoke my man card?”