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“I know, I know.” Travis rolled his eyes and reached across the center console to grasp her fingers. “Your sister’s a pure, white virgin.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Unlike you.”
Jo Ellen snapped her hand back. “Yes, she is,” she bit out, irrationally hurt he had to go and mention how chaste her sister was and she wasn’t. She hated remembering she was no longer pure or clean. It made her feel dirty. Used. “And Cooper Gerhardt is probably the nicest guy I’ve ever met,” she added, moving past her own pain to defend the absent Cooper since he wasn’t around to defend himself.
“Nice?” Travis snorted and made a face. “Yeah right.”
“He is nice,” Jo Ellen insisted. “And I don’t understand why you hate him so much. He’s the most considerate person—”
“Oh, gimme a break. He’s trash, Jo Ellen. Poor white trash who lowers the value of Tommy Creek because his family lives here, polluting it with their filthy presence.”
Jo Ellen saw red. “Oh my God! I cannot believe you don’t like him just because his family’s humble. His parents are the most selfless people on earth. They’d donate an organ to a complete stranger if need be. Your parents certainly wouldn’t do that.”
With her arms folded tightly over her chest, Jo Ellen risked a sideways glance at him. She knew she probably shouldn’t have made that last crack. But it was true. His parents were the biggest pair of snobs she knew, which made no sense. The Untermeyers didn’t possess even a quarter of the wealth the Rawlings family did. Where did they get off?
Travis’s jaw had hardened. He parked next to a thick row of evergreens, which tucked his Miata neatly out of sight from the main road and gave them privacy. Remaining quiet until he killed the engine, he slowly turned to face her.
He looked calm as he asked, “Is that what this is about then? You’re still in a tiff because Mom didn’t invite you to the country club with us last night?”
Jo Ellen bit the inside of her lip, hating the word tiff and hoping he didn’t see a change in her expression. But, dang it, yes, of course she was hurt his family had put on such a spectacle about celebrating his father’s birthday—right in front of her—and made no mention whatsoever to include her. She’d been dating Travis for almost two years, and he’d even promised he’d buy her a ring once they graduated high school. To her, they were as good as married.
But after dropping enough hints to Travis for him to understand what she wanted, he’d come right out and told her his mom didn’t want her there. That hurt more than she could express. Why didn’t Mrs. Untermeyer like her? And why hadn’t her boyfriend fought harder to get her an invite?
Didn’t he consider them as good as married too? He certainly ought to since he insisted on other marriage rights from her as well.
Becoming abruptly fascinated with cleaning the invisible gunk out from under her fingernails, Jo Ellen muttered, “This has absolutely nothing to do with that. I just don’t think you should treat poor Cooper so bad. He doesn’t deserve it. And that joke you made about him at the house wasn’t even funny.”
“You laughed,” Travis reminded her on a sneer.
She winced. Yes, she had. But no one else was going to, and if she hadn’t, she would’ve placed her loyalties away from Travis. Studying him with a solemn expression, she said, “I have to laugh at your jokes. You’re my boyfriend.” Pretty much already her husband.
“Yes, I am.” His voice grew steely soft as he leaned close, looking intent about getting a kiss. “I’m your boyfriend. Not Gerhardt. And I don’t appreciate you taking his side over mine.”
“I didn’t—” Jo Ellen started, only to have his mouth cut her off. She reared backward to continue her argument, but he grasped the back of her neck to hold her still.
Irritated by his pompous, caveman tactics, she struggled before she realized he wasn’t going to let go until she kissed him back. Stonily, she fell still and let him press his tongue into her mouth.
Finally satisfied, he broke off and eased back far enough to meet her gaze. “Forgive me.” He stroked her cheek with one finger. “You know how irritable I get when you mention that guy.”
Jo Ellen melted as she always did whenever he softened and opened up about his feelings. It reminded her of how relentlessly he’d pursued her, how desperate he’d acted to become her boyfriend. He’d told her things about himself he swore were for her ears alone. No one else had ever confided in her or been so interested in Jo Ellen the person. He made her feel special, accepted, and loved. In return, she’d given him her all, and committed herself to him. Everyone in school considered them the couple most likely to marry.
“I know you do,” she said softly. “I just don’t understand why.” Cooper had to be one of the most harmless individuals she’d ever met. She’d never felt anything but safe around him. Yet her stubborn boyfriend remained intent about constantly badmouthing him.
Travis sighed and closed his eyes before leaning forward to rest his forehead alongside hers. “Maybe I’m jealous of him.”
Jo Ellen jerked back, her mouth falling open. “Of Cooper?” She couldn’t believe it. He’d always acted as if he was so superior to their classmate. He belittled Cooper’s origins and financial status nonstop. It made no sense for him to admit jealousy.
“Just look at him, Jo Ellen. He’s got height, looks, and good grades. He’s athletic and favored by all the teachers. Everyone likes him. They treat him like he’s some kind of god.”
Travis had a point. Cooper was handsome; the best-looking boy in her class in her opinion. Tanned and tall with broad shoulders and a tapered waist, he made her feel strangely warm whenever she looked into his intense, pale brown eyes for too long. His smile was devastating and his laugh induced her to feel happy. Plus, he was the sweetest, nicest boy Jo Ellen knew. Everyone did like him. There just wasn’t anything about Cooper Gerhardt not to like.
But her boyfriend was Travis, and she wasn’t going to make him feel even worse by agreeing. So she stroked his face. “Well, I know something you have that he doesn’t.”
Travis glanced up with a wary question in his gaze. “What’s that?”
She laughed and pushed lightly on his arm. “Me, silly.”
He grinned, looking suddenly smug. “You’re absolutely right.” After leaning close, he kissed her again. This time the pressure of his mouth was comfortable and sweet. Jo Ellen hummed her pleasure and kissed him back.
