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“Not at the time.” He was slightly sheepish at the admission.
“You thought taking his girl was a good idea because…?” He let the question hang.
“It wasn’t the first time Hayes and I have met.” He defended. “We’d met twice before.”
“So why didn’t you try asking her out either of those times?” Did the man have to be so damn sensible?
Blowing out an annoyed breath, he told Nox, “I was kind of a dick both of those times, too.”
Nox threw his hands in the air in an exaggerated fashion, saying, “No wonder she wants nothing to do with you. Stop being a dick, Levi. Stop getting your rocks off with her and get to fucking know her. Do you know anything other than her name, age, and that she’s in high school?”
“She was in an accident,” Levi supplied.
“The one that prevented her from graduating last year?”
“Yeah.” He paused. “I think so.”
The thud from Nox’s head hitting the desk in front of him made Levi flinch. “I’ve taught you nothing,” he mumbled.
“She’s a runner,” he supplied when Nox didn’t make a move.
His brother’s head finally popped up. “Go with that. If she’s a runner, she’s likely got ambition. Run with her. Show her you’re not a dick. And when she opens up about anything, ask her the fuck out and stop being a chickenshit.” The emphasis on anything wasn’t missed.
“And if people talk?” That was his real worry. For her.
“If people talk, give ‘em something to talk about,” was his only answer.
“Thanks, Nox. Loads of help.”
“Anytime, Levi.” His sarcasm wasn’t missed either.
Walking back to the front, he grinned at Soph who was nose deep in her book again as he passed. When he was about to go to the back, her soft words stopped him.
“Does she drive?”
He turned to look at her. “Uh, I don’t think so, no.”
“You could pick her up… Today,” she added when he looked confused. “You said you were a jerk after finding out she was in school. If it doesn’t bother you, picking her up would show her that.”
“You’re a genius, Soph!” Her glorious smile followed him into the shop.
She was right. Picking Hayes up would show her that he wasn’t ashamed of her age. He’d been shocked as hell because she’d gotten him off in the shower, but everything else she’d said or done with him showed her maturity rather than her age. Hopefully, she’d give him another shot and not turn him down in front of her peers. He wasn’t above begging; he’d just rather do it in private than on display.
Chapter Six
Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave.
Hayes sat in study hall just waiting for the bell to ring. She was exhausted, in pain, and still had to stop at the pharmacy to pick up her prescription. The worst part was that Brett and Lys had left after lunch, and she would either have to walk, take a bus, or call her parents to pick her up.
Walking wasn’t even close to being an option when her house was six miles away. Calling her parents would only have them worried, and her dad would miss work because of her. Taking the bus, it was.
She always felt judged when she had to take public transportation. People stared because of her limp, silently wondering what her damage was. Sometimes they would work up the guts to ask her and think her rude when she chose to say it was personal. It wasn’t like she wanted to be a jerk about it, but it wasn’t anyone’s business.
The bell rang, startling her from her thoughts. Tossing her things into her backpack, she was incredibly grateful it was the end of the year, and she could leave her heavier textbooks in her locker instead of bringing them home.
She waited as everyone else packed up their things and left the room before struggling to her feet. Her knee had been numb longer than she would admit to anyone. Regret heavy in her stomach as she wished she hadn’t outdone herself because of a tool bag.
By the time she was at the front doors of the school, the halls were mostly empty, just teachers getting ready to leave for the night. Making her way outside, a light breeze cooled the sweat from the exertion of holding herself up. Leaning on the railing at the front steps, she took a few deep breaths before starting her descent.
