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JACKSON
After making some dumb excuse to Rory about needing to pee, I leave the table and make a beeline out of the ballroom. Toward the front lobby, I see an alcove. The placard on the wall shows that’s where the restrooms are located. When I reach the men’s room, I push the door open with the palm of my hand. It slams into the wall behind it with a loud bang. Pacing back and forth in front of the sinks, I try to calm myself down.
I hate living in Jameson Nash’s shadow. My entire life, he’s always been the tiniest bit better than me. But since my football injury, that tiny bit turned into an entire ocean. Somehow my dumb ass brother has managed to make something of himself and can spoil our parents with the gifts of new cars, buildings, and now a damn house. The jealousy I never wanted to admit to is bubbling over. Which is why I needed to get out of that room. Away from everyone, including Rory, so I can calm myself down.
My knuckles are white from gripping the counter as I focus on breathing in and out. Suddenly, the door to the restroom swings open and there stands Jameson. He has that ever present smug look on his face, and all I want to do is punch him.
“Leave me alone.” It’s a warning. If he comes near me right now, I have no clue what I’ll do.
Jameson takes two steps toward me, which allows the restroom door to swing shut. He stands in front of it, blocking my exit.
“Why are you hiding out in the bathroom like a little bitch?”
“Jameson.”
He lets out a laugh and I feel him move closer to me.
“Don’t worry Jackson. Mommy and Daddy won’t be leaving you for a while. The house needs a few cosmetic updates so it won’t be ready until after summer. Quit your crying.” Jameson gives me a condescending slap on the back. “Besides, it’s not like you’re going to be left all alone in that podunk town, anyhow.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“Rory. She almost made it out, but you somehow dragged her down to your level of loser. I mean, to choose you over Brad and a life outside of Hawk Bend. Then again, she never made the best decisions.”
“What the hell do you know?”
He doesn’t know a damn thing about Rory. Jameson is too shallow to know anyone, and Rory could never tolerate being around him longer than a few hours. He stands at the counter now, next to me, and our eyes meet in the mirror. So similar, yet so different.
“That girl could never make up her mind about what she wanted. I mean, there was even a time right after high school where I thought I was going to get the chance to nail her before you did.”
“You watch your mouth.” I turn to face him, but Jameson just laughs.
“She never told you, did she?” Jameson stares at me, my jaw tense and my fists clenched at my sides. He laughs. “No, of course she didn’t. She knows better than anyone how you and I are. She’s a hell of a kisser. Since that’s as far as I got before she changed her mind, you’ll have to tell me how she is in all the other areas I missed out on.”
Red, all I see is red. Without a thought, my fist connects with Jameson’s face. His head snaps to the side, and a small amount of blood splashes onto the counter. Unfortunately, I didn’t hit him hard enough to knock him out, and he’s already facing me again, blood running out of his nostrils.
“You fucking hit me.” He spits blood into the sink. I guess I got him better than I thought.
For a second, there’s a part of me that thinks he won’t fight back. But then I spot the moment his right hand twitches. When his fist comes at me, I quickly dodge it, which causes him to lose his balance. The small chuckle I let out tells him I have the upper hand, which infuriates him. The next thing I know, Jameson slams his body into mine and the two of us land with a loud bang against the bathroom stall.
“You can’t beat me!” Jameson yells. “My training regimen is far superior to yours.”
The two of us try to get the upper hand on one another, but it’s not happening. We’re too evenly matched, with equal strength, equal build. The thought pisses me off even more. I just want to be better than him at one thing.
“Yeah, but I have hand-to-hand combat training.”
“Years ago at the academy.” Jameson pants. “Now all you do is ride around town and eat donuts all day.”
“Yeah, well, you’re just the pussy quarterback who can’t take a hit because he hides behind his team.”
With Jameson’s head locked tightly in the crook of my arm, he deals a few blows to my ribs. Thankfully, the awkward angle he’s at means his punches aren’t coming at full force. So instead of possibly breaking my ribs, I might only be a little sore for a few days.
“What the hell is going on in here?”
Our father’s voice booms through the bathroom thanks to the acoustics. But neither his presence nor his words stop the two of us from fighting.
“Break it up, you two. Before the hotel tosses you out on your asses or calls the cops,” Skip scolds, suddenly appearing in the bathroom with us. “Jackson, I don’t want to deal with Austin P.D. on my night off.”
Skip’s hands come down on my shoulders while my dad grabs Jameson. In unison, the two older men pull us apart easier than they should be able to at their age. They hold us there for a moment to make sure the two of us don’t go after each other again.
